- Wash yours hands often. Frequent washing of hands can destroy viruses that you have acquired from touching surfaces used by other people.
- Avoid touching your face, if you are around someone with a cold.
- Don’t smoke. Cigarette smoke can irrigate the airways and increase susceptibility to colds.
- Keep household surfaces clean. Door knobs, drawer pulls, keyboards, light switches, telephones, remote controls, countertops, and sinks can all harbor viruses for hours after their use by an infected person. Wipe these surfaces frequently with soap and water.
- Use paper towels in the kitchen and bathroom for hand-washing. Germs can live for several hours on cloth towels. Alternatively, have separate towels for each family member.
- Throw tissues away after use. Used tissues are sources of virus that can contaminate any surface where they are left.
- Maintain a healthy lifestyle. While there isn’t direct evidence to show that eating well or exercising and prevent colds, maintenance of a healthy lifestyle can help ensure that your immune system is in good condition and ready to fight infection.
- Control stress. Studies have shown that people experiencing emotional stress have weakened immune systems and are more likely to catch a cold than their calmer counterparts.
Source: TOI
