Wash Wai And Quit Whining

[PattayaOneTeam]

Wai? Don't Ask, Just Do It

Spell Healthy with a Wai

Wash, wai and quit whining. That's our formula for staying healthy this cold and flu season.

As high season unfolds, Pattaya welcomes tens of thousands of visitors escaping frigid climes and bleak skies. Not so welcome here is the concomitant outbreak of seasonal colds, influenza and pneumonia.

Coincidence? I don't think so.

While ailments such as the flu and pneumonia usually are regarded as merely temporary nuisances, they can be life threatening to Pattaya's older expat community. In fact, they are two of the leading causes of death among those older than 50, and pose particular risk for anyone with heart, lung or kidney disease, not to mention HIV.

Odds are you will come down with a cold or the flu sometime in the next month or so. But you can beat the odds. How? Wash, wai and quit whining. That is to say, wash your hands frequently, wai others instead of shaking hands, and swap your complaints for a positive attitude.

Granted, vaccinations provide your best chance to prevent the flu as well as pneumonia. Most people can benefit from such periodic immunization, but it is crucial for those in high risk groups--older people and those with chronic ailments.

However, with or without those injections, you can do wonders to avoid seasonal illness by bolstering your immune system and adopting healthy personal habits. That begins with a diet consisting of lots of fruits and vegetables, limited saturated fats, and vitamin supplements--as well as daily exercise. And it ends with keeping your hands free of germs and your mind free of negativity.

Hand washing is the single most important step in preventing the spread of diseases. We use our hands much more frequently than we realize, and they come into contact with millions of germs a day. When an infected person coughs or sneezes, droplets laden with bacteria or viruses spread onto the hands or to nearby surfaces; these germs can remain active anywhere from two to 48 hours. You have no idea that you've been contaminated when you touch that doorknob, that menu, that extended hand.

That's why it is so important to wash your hands frequently--before and after preparing and/or eating food; after using the toilet; after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing; after touching an animal or animal waste; after handling garbage, and before and after treating a cut. And it is equally important to wash properly: Use warm water (not cold or hot) and soap. Work up lather on both sides of your hands, your wrists, between your fingers, around and under your nails. Wash for about 15 to 20 seconds (sing 'Happy Birthday' twice). Then rinse and dry well with a clean towel. If soap and water are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand rub.

Finally, take heart. Cold and flu germs have a harder time taking hold in people who have a positive outlook. You no doubt know that anger or stress can cause ill health. Inversely, positive thoughts play a key role in your health and immunity. Not only can upbeat thinking help you steer clear of sickness, but it can also make your symptoms milder should you forget to wash your hands and then come down with something.

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-- Pattaya One 2011-12-07