Green Girl Nips Bacteria in the Bud

It’s that time of year again. The weather is changing, and people are getting sick in hordes. It’s bad. There are lines out the door at health services, and everywhere you go people are coughing and sneezing and blowing their noses all over the place, so it’s easy to get inadvertently sprayed with someone’s bacterial/viral cough germs. Not to be gross or anything, but you have to watch out for that stuff.

I think that there are some major precautions that you need to take during the winter season to avoid getting the sicknesses going around. First of all, CARRY HAND SANITIZER. Not the bad, chemical sanitizer. The good, chemical-free sanitizer. I personally use Burt’s Bees Witch Hazel Hand Sanitizer, and so does my mother–we both love it.

Second of all, TAKE VITAMIN C. Seriously. Drink lots and lots of orange juice, eat oranges, or use Emergen-C. And ECHINACEA! Much love to Yogi’s Echinacea Immune Support Tea. Much, much love.

Thirdly, DON’T SHARE. Even if your friend is dying of thirst and says that of course she’s not sick, don’t listen. You never know. Better safe than sorry, yes?

Fourth, I know it’s cold out, but please do not turn your heat on full-blast with no air circulation! One of my friends had her heat turned onto 5 (last year I didn’t turn mine above 3 all winter), hadn’t had her window open in weeks, kept the door closed, and had no fan going. Bad. The contrast between this environment and the outside environment will weaken your immune system. Plus, that’s just not a healthy way to live. When I walked in (given, she was already sick), the air in her room was heavy and moist, and you could almost taste the germs. Bad. Turn down the heat. Put on a fan. Open the window for an hour or so. Get some circulation!

Lastly, my most important (and personally pertinent) advice: If you do get sick, DON’T WAIT TO GET HELP. Get help soon. Health services is your friend. I say this because I was bad. I’ve been sick on and off for the past week and half or so–able to function, but constantly declining. I just got worse and worse until two days ago (on my birthday, mind you!) I could not get out of bed, I was so sick. It was bad. I went to Health Services, and sure enough, I had a bad bacterial infection. Strep. How uncomfortable. They gave me antibiotics, and now, two days later, I am like a new person.

At this time of year, I know most of you are going crazy over finals, incredibly stressed with the workload, and ridiculously busy with rehearsals and meetings for whatever activities you’re involved in. Sickness is not OK now. So take my advice: Take care of yourself. If you’re sick, get help, and soon. It’s better to miss a day, go to health services and get better, than to half-heartedly go to classes for a week when what your body really needs is rest. Believe me. I’m loving not being sick for the first time in a looonggg time.

Note to self: Do your body a favor! It does lots for you. Keep it healthy.

Lily Berthold-Bond grew up in a chemical-free zone and has struggled her whole life to understand and accept this non-commercial lifestyle. Now a sophomore at Tufts University, she has embraced her green life and hopes to share its possibilities with the rest of her generation.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Brian M.

9:23AM PST on Feb 8, 2012

5,000 iu of Vitamin D-3 daily is vital to preserving and promoting health.

send a green star

Patricia B.

6:25PM PDT on Sep 20, 2010

Buen comentario.

David J.

4:37AM PST on Jan 27, 2010

Thanks for the info

Lilith G.

4:51PM PST on Jan 14, 2010

Thanks for the info.

Maria De Jesus L.

4:24AM PDT on Jun 15, 2009

I believe that the best way to avoid is letting your body strong with good food. Escape of the virus is not a good idea. They are everywhere.Caution is necessary, but more is needed let your immune system and strong.

Past Member .

2:03AM PDT on Jun 15, 2009

thanks...
Kabin

Konteyner

7:06AM PST on Dec 5, 2008

i think its like joke of the day. not good.

EMR Software

8:39AM PST on Nov 25, 2008

The information about hand sanitizers and superbugs and the like is right on. I'm actually surprised that more people aren't already aware of this, since there have been plenty of studies on things like this. If people are so worried about getting sick from shopping carts, then instead of freaking out and using more chemicals (ie: those sanitizing cloths provided for your carts), then the simplest solution to this is to wash your hands with plain soap and water once you are finished grocery shopping, just like you should be doing for food preparation and before you eat. And, I mean PLAIN soap and water, as in the stuff they had before all these toxic chemicals were introduced to our soap. Steer clear of those liquid hand soaps that say anything about antibacterial/antimicrobial, and read the back of all your labels. Stay as far away from triclosan as is humanly possible. That isn't just bad for us, it's bad for the environment and is responsible for the superbugs from antibacterial hand sanitizers and soaps. Better yet, steer clear of all those man-made chemical soaps that also have all those awful synthetic perfumes and fragrances in them. Plain soap and water does all you need it to do.

8:17AM PST on Nov 25, 2008

Don't forget those studies being referred to here about supplements being so "dangerous" and such a pointless waste of money are studies based on the use of synthetic "vitamins" and are funded by big Pharma. Supplementations under proper guidance from a natural doctor are necessary more and more as we get older. And, if we're doing everything else right and still need supplemenation for something as vital as vitamin D in order to remain virus-free, then with proper directions it is absolutely necessary. If I were to listen to Lauren about vitamin D, my levels will drop below the barely registered level that I already know I was tested at the first time. That's more dangerous than anything she is suggesting here.

Liberty G.

7:11AM PST on Nov 25, 2008

Just a couple of points:

1. Our society is hysterically germophobic. This doesn't mean that germs can't hurt you - just that we overreact to their threat. Even Consumer Reports says that antibacterials are mostly unnecessary for home and personal use. A study of the health of sewer rats vs. lab rats, by the way, showed the down and dirty guys were far the healthiest!

Moreover, the overuse of "sanitizers" is creating huge problems with resistance and pollution - and could damage your immune system from exposure to the toxic chemicals in most. For some useful info related to this topic, try these links to my organization's website: www.toxicsinfo.org/TIPS_house.htm and
www.toxicsinfo.org/TIPS_environment.htm

Also note that many hand sensitizers state on the package that you should wash your hands after using - a fact ignored by stores that provide them at the door to "sterilize" the shopping carts! (According to CU, the bacteria killed by such stuff are replaced on the surfaces cleaned within about five minutes - from the surrounding air.

Blessings,

Liberty Goodwin, Director
Toxics Information Project (TIP)
www.toxicsinfo.org