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Tis the Season to be ……..Sneezing?

SneezingEach year, as November rolls around, I enter my danger period for colds, and respiratory infections. I suspect it’s a mix of things that makes me vulnerable. In addition to having lots of extra things to do with the holidays, it’s always a busy time for me at work, meaning I sleep less than usual, and get pretty run-down. Add into the mix the sudden cold temperatures, being exposed to lots of other people who seem to be sick, and before you know it, I’m sniffling.

Over the years, I’ve adopted a number of preventive behaviors in an attempt to ward off illness. Some have passed by the wayside, but others have been added to my daily routine. After years of doctors’ encouragements, I now get a flu shot every year (which absolutely will not prevent colds or sinus infections, but hopefully will fight off the flu).

I have a huge container of hand sanitizer sitting on my desk, and clean my hands multiple times over the course of the day. I’ve recently brought in some cleanser to my office and wipe down my keyboard, mouse, door knob, and desk at least once a day (sensing a bit of paranoia here?).

Then there are the daily multi-vitamins. I have no idea if they do any good, but I take them regularly. For most of the year I try to eat fairly healthy, including lots of fruits and vegetables in my daily diet. That good eating can go out the window as Thanksgiving roles around and I’m tempted by more and more goodies, and have less and less time to prepare meals. This year, I’m trying to really focus on maintaining healthy eating. We’ll see how long that lasts.

And then there’s my neti pot, which now that I think of it, is worth a blog post of its own. I use this every morning when I wake up, and every evening when I come home from work. For an interesting, more biological/scientific explanation of what neti pots do, check out webmd.

All of this seemed to be working fairly well, until a couple days ago, when the people in the offices on either side of mine began sniffling, coughing, and generally displaying sick behaviors. Whether out of sympathy, or true illness, sure enough, I started sniffling a bit in turn.

So far, I’m managing to fight off a cold, but I keep feeling that others are conspiring against me. Hopefully, with a bit of sleep (thank goodness it’s the weekend), I can ward off the evil germs.

How about you? Do you have any great preventive tips for warding off colds? Or are you one of the lucky ones with a healthy immune system?

LinnieGayl

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