Growing up my father was active duty in the Army. We moved across the world and back, all before I was 17. We lived in Utah, Iowa, Virginia (twice), Illinois (2 separate locations), Maryland (2 separate locations), Germany, Belgium, and New York with month long cross country trips and stays in New Jersey, California, and many more. Packing up and moving so many times has given me the travel bug, and the need to move into a new house every four years or so. With moving, it means meeting new people… and their germs.

Another thing that I picked up along my travels is a bit of germ-a-phobia. I would not say that I have a problem… but my friends might tell you that I do. I am just more cautious than most people when it comes to touching things in public places, and using public restrooms. So I wanted to share some good advice on ways to help keep you healthy this Spring.

Ways To Fight A Spring Cold

The temperature is warming up, the sky is blue, the clouds are fluffy, and your nose is runny. Isn’t that just the way it seems to go? As soon as the temperature starts to get a little warmer we want to go out and do something. Going out and doing something tends to lead to going places where more people are hanging out; shopping malls, movie theaters, parks. Those people will have runny eyes and will be coughing, sneezing, and complaining of sore throats. Those people have germs. Yes, germs. Gross cold germs. But don’t fret! You can get through this and come out the other side without a week of the yuck.

Soap and Water

Duh, right? The best way to keep from getting that gross cold that your coworker is incubating is to wash, wash, wash. We have all heard it. Here is a great visual from Laborer’s Health and Safety Fund of North America. I used to hang these signs in the school building where I worked to encourage people to wash their hands and stop the spreading of germs. It is so simple but it seems like people have a hard time following these simple steps.

http://www.lhsfna.org/

Lysol Lysol Lysol

Did I say Lysol yet? Seriously. When a cold, flu, virus or any other yuck is traveling around my house I get out the giant can of Lysol at night after everyone goes to bed, and again in the morning after everyone has left for school. I spray handles, light switches, door knobs, hand rails, remote control, and anything else that I see my kids touching on a regular basis. I also wipe cabinets (kitchen and bath), refrigerator and other appliances, and counter/table tops with Lysol wipes. The secret to it actually working: let it air dry. If you don’t let it air dry and you wipe the wetness away you are doing nothing. If you use it properly you kill 99.9% of germs! Kill those germs where they sit so that you don’t touch them and carry them away with you.

Go Outside!

Fresh air, need I say more? When you stay closed up inside you breathe each other’s nasty germs. Go outside and breathe the fresh air every single day!