{"id":23,"date":"2013-02-04T15:18:52","date_gmt":"2013-02-04T19:18:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/fitcats\/?p=23"},"modified":"2013-02-04T15:18:52","modified_gmt":"2013-02-04T19:18:52","slug":"dont-get-sick","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/fitcats\/2013\/02\/04\/dont-get-sick\/","title":{"rendered":"Don’t Get Sick!!"},"content":{"rendered":"

HOW TO PREVENT THE COLD OR THE FLU<\/strong><\/p>\n

The winter months bring crisp weather, comfy sweaters and scarves, and often the hallmark sniffling and sneezing of the common cold or the flu.\u00a0 Much of winter remains, so let\u2019s go over some simple steps you can take to ensure that the colder months aren\u2019t spent in bed with a box of tissues.<\/p>\n

1:\u00a0 Be knowledgeable about the basics of colds and the flu.<\/strong><\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Colds and influenza are not caused by bacteria.\u00a0 Hence, antibiotics do not help prevent or cure a cold or flu.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Cold and flu germs outside a host body usually die in three to seven days.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Cold and flu viruses multiply more quickly when it is cool and they first multiply in your nasal passageways then spread from there.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Most colds and the flu are caught by placing infected hands to your eyes or nose or in your mouth<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 You can infect others a day before your symptoms appear.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Incubation period is usually 3 days, but can range anywhere from 1 \u2013 4 days.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Rarely fatal on its own, the flu can lead to fatal secondary infections such as pneumonia, if one has a weakened immune system.\u00a0 This can be detected by worsening cough, hardship with breathing, coughing up blood, and \/or a persistent and recurring fever.\u00a0 Immediate medical attention is essential\u2026Call your athletic trainer or doctor.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 There are thousands of strains of influenza viruses; this means that it\u2019s unlikely that your doctor can pinpoint the exact virus you\u2019ve got but will suggest your treatment based on the traditional pathway of a virus.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It is possible to either aid or hinder the body\u2019s immune system by things we eat, drink, or do.<\/p>\n

2:\u00a0 Practice good hygiene.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The principal means for transferring a virus is through contact with an infected person.\u00a0 As such, it is important to wash hands frequently and to cover the mouth and nose when sneezing. Using a tissue is best, but if you don\u2019t have one, cough or sneeze into your elbow, as opposed to your hands, to keep transmission down.\u00a0 Immediately wash or sanitize your hands after a cough or sneeze and avoid touching your face if you are spending time with someone who has a cold, or if you\u2019ve been touching things like door knobs and surfaces in public places.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Avoid giving out pencils, paper, laptops, phones and other items and refrain from borrowing these things when a cold or flu season is in full swing.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Clean shared objects regularly to prevent transmission of the virus. (furniture in locker rooms, equipment used in your sport, remote controls, etc.)<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Keep towels and clothes separate for each member of your apartment\/dorm room. Viral germs can live for hours on cloth towels.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Keep all surfaces clean during cold and flu season.\u00a0 Use a disinfectant solution and wipe down surfaces, door knobs, sinks, light switches, keyboards, etc\u2026 with regularity.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Carry around a bottle of antiseptic wipes or gel.<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0 Decrease contact or being in close proximity with people who have a cold or the flu where possible.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Complete avoidance is best when people are sick, but since this is not possible for most college student-athletes, try and minimize time in enclosed spaces, keep your hands clean and away from your face, and be sure to shower immediately post practice and\/or bodily contact with others.<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0 Keep as healthy as you can by taking good care of yourself.<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are sleep, well-being and nutritional considerations to take into account when trying to prevent the onset of a cold or flu.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Get adequate sleep every night -aim for at least seven to eight hours nightly.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Eat healthily.\u00a0 Healthy foods such as vegetables, fruit, grains, etc. are an important part of keeping your body nutrition at its optimum.\u00a0 Studies suggest that sugary foods can decrease immune function for up to five hours.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Exercise regularly.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Reduce your stress levels.\u00a0 Stress can harm the ability of your immune system to work optimally.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Keep well hydrated.\u00a0 Dehydration inhibits the immune system\u2019s functioning.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Avoid smoking or being around smoke.<\/p>\n

5. Get vaccinated.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The flu can be prevented or lessened through vaccinations, and vaccines change from year to year to keep up with the viral changes so that they target the most likely flu doing the rounds for that season.<\/p>\n

6.\u00a0 Stay warm.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Although getting cold doesn\u2019t actually cause a cold or flu, being cold can reduce your stamina and make you feel miserable and fatigued.\u00a0 If your body feels cold and you have already been exposed to the flu or cold virus, your personal reaction to the cold may be enough to allow the flu or cold to take hold.\u00a0 If practicing outdoors during the winter months, make sure to dress in plenty of layers and follow these basics:<\/p>\n

– Several layers around the core of the body<\/p>\n

– Long pants designed to insulate.\u00a0 On very cold days, a nylon shell or wind pant can be worn on top of<\/p>\n

them for additional wind break<\/p>\n

– Long sleeve shirt\/sweatshirt\/coat designed to insulate and break the wind<\/p>\n

– Gloves<\/p>\n

– Ear protection\/Hat (this should be done even when wearing a helmet)<\/p>\n

– Face protection (a layer of skin lube will insulate your face from the wind and harsh conditions)<\/p>\n

– Wicking socks that do not hold moisture inside<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

HOW TO PREVENT THE COLD OR THE FLU The winter months bring crisp weather, comfy sweaters and scarves, and often the hallmark sniffling and sneezing of the common cold or the flu.\u00a0 Much of winter remains, so let\u2019s go over some simple steps you can take to ensure that the colder months aren\u2019t spent in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1315,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/fitcats\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/fitcats\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/fitcats\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/fitcats\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1315"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/fitcats\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/fitcats\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26,"href":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/fitcats\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23\/revisions\/26"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/fitcats\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/fitcats\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/fitcats\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}