Six Things You Can Do To Stay Healthy And Avoid Avian Flu
September 6th, 2008

The avian flu has become a threat to the human race, although it is not prevalent in every country. Currently, there are no effective means of fighting the virus if it becomes a pandemic. However, there are six things every person can do to avoid the avian flu, and to keep themselves healthy during the flu season. The six ways of protecting yourself against the avian flu, include washing your hands, eating a balanced diet and exercising, getting flu shots and others, staying home when you’re sick, avoiding contact with sick animals, and covering your mouth and nose when sneezing and coughing.

Washing your hands is very important, because it can prevent a variety of diseases, but it is especially effective for preventing contraction of the bird flu. Washing your hands is a must, when trying to avoid contraction of the bird flu. Hands should be washed frequently and thoroughly, which means using sop and warm water and washing for at least 20 seconds. Hands should be washed before eating, or touching the nose, eyes and mouth. If you are caring for an infected person, you’re hands should also be washed after providing care. It’s also important to wash your hands after sneezing, blowing your nose, coughing, or after touching used handkerchiefs or tissues. Sometimes hand washing is not possible, so in those cases, you should use an alcohol-based hand cleaner.

Eating a healthy and balanced diet is also effective in protecting against avian flu infection. Most people will find it best to eat a variety of foods, including vegetables, fruits and whole grain products. Of course, you should also include low-fat dairy products, lean meats, poultry, fish and beans. When trying to avoid the avian flu, it is important to drink lots of water, and to ease up on salt, sugar, alcohol and saturated fat. It is also important to exercise on a regular basis, and get plenty of rest. Getting a seasonal flu shot can also help protect many people from the avian flu. Although, the seasonal flu shot is only used to protect people against human influenza, it can be used to guard against avian influenza infection.

Getting a seasonal flu shot can help keep you healthy, and help your body build better immunity against the avian flu. A seasonal flu shot is also effective in protecting against seasonal human influenza. It is also advisable to get a pneumonia shot, which is effective in preventing secondary infection. People over the age of 65 or who have diabetes or asthma, should especially consider getting a pneumonia shot. Staying home when you are sick is also an effective way to protect yourself from avian flu infection, and prevent the spreading of infection. The infections of others would be greatly reduced, if more people stayed home during sickness. When you are sick, the immune system is weakened and you’re more susceptible to illness. So it is best to stay home, and try to stay healthy during sickness.

The most obvious way to avoid contraction of the bird flu virus is by avoiding contact with possibly infected animals. If it is possible, don’t handle any live poultry, and don’t live too close to animals such as chicken and pigs. Keeping your distance from these sorts of animals will ensure that you will not contract the bird flu. It’s not possible for humans to spread the bird flu to each other, so contact with infected people will be okay for most people. It is also important to cover your mouth and noses when coughing or sneezing, and to properly dispose of used tissues. Mouths and noses should be covered with a tissue, instead of a hand. If it is not possible to use a tissue to sneeze or cough into, using a sleeve may be the next best thing. After sneezing, coughing, or blowing your nose into a tissue, it is important to throw it into a wastebasket.

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