Not unlike an unwanted Christmas present, catching a cold during your holiday-time-off is something that everyone goes through once or twice. You didn’t need that wheezy cough trying to blow out the candles on the New Year’s Eve cake and Grandpa Joe didn’t need boxers with Frank Sinatra printed on the trunks; some years, everyone is going to take a loss. With the common cold season (winter) right around the corner, there are a couple of precautions you can take to help prevent an unexpected surprise this holiday season.
Preventing the Common Cold
There are a few reasons why people tend to get cold when its… cold. No, it’s not because they’re cold. Its because they’ve gotten a cold. The cold air helps viruses survive longer sans a host, allowing the virus more time to cling to an unsuspecting sweater or labradoodle. The flu virus also tends to circulate in the air when it is cold and dry as opposed to when the weather is warm and damp: this is because there is less weight in the air and water droplets evaporate faster in dry, cold environments, allowing the water droplets and microbes to get some airtime when flicked off a scarf. People also tend to spend more time indoors in the winter. Many inside venues are packed due to unfavorable external conditions, as people pile into family homes, packed taverns, city squares, and jails to stay warm. What can you do to help prevent illness during this festive 2018?
Wash Your Hands: I cannot believe the number of people I count that do not wash their hands after going to the public restroom. You monsters. Washing your hands is the number one way to prevent illness. Stop with all the nonsense about vitamin C and other snake-oil counter-measures; washing your hands is the O.G. of preventative health care and doesn’t cost much at all.
Cover Your Cough: This may seem like common sense, but many people fail to realize that there is generally more than one person in a crowded public place, such as a subway. If you are coughing, try to cover your mouth with your elbow. This is much better than coughing into your hands because you touch hundreds of surfaces with those extremities every day. Your fellow human beings will thank you.
Eat Healthier and Exercise: There are numerous studies that tout the importance of exercise and healthy eating. Deadlifts, broccoli, and chicken are going to make you feel better than Budweiser, potato chips, and inactivity. From increased immune responses to lower cholesterol to improved overall vitality, eating healthy and exercising should be a given.
Prescription Assistance Programs
There are some diseases and illnesses that aren’t so easy to fight off or prevent. If you have a chronic and debilitating condition that requires a prescription, the rules start to change. If you are under-insured or uninsured and have difficulties paying for your prescription medications, we can help. Instead of choosing between holiday shopping and prescription medications, choose both! The RX Helper assists low-income uninsured/under-insured Americans by getting them the prescription medications they need at a fraction of the retail price. Our mission is to increase awareness of patient assistance and boost enrollment of those who are eligible through a variety of prescription assistance programs.
