You’ve been following the COVID-19 situation carefully. You’re absorbing all the health information that you need to stay safe. However, you want to know the best method that protects you and your family.
What is the most effective way to stop viral infections?
The best thing you can do is take care of your body. Eat a healthy diet of fruits and vegetables to enhance your immune system. Also, engage in regular physical activity to bolster your immune defenses.
However, you must combine exercise and dieting with simple cleanliness steps. For example, wash your hands routinely and avoid touching your face.
This article will show you how to keep yourself from getting viral infections. Let’s explore.
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Don’t Touch Your Face
Touching any part of your face increases your risk of infection significantly. Your hands may carry bacteria and viruses that can get on your face. The viruses can seep into your mouth, eyes, or nose. Additionally, they can enter through your face via the mucous membranes.
When it comes to COVID-19, the virus can spread via droplets from an infected person. However, those droplets can land on the surfaces. Research indicates that COVID-19 droplets can last on surfaces anywhere between a few hours to a few days.
Therefore, keeping your hands away from your face and washing your hands frequently will help you avoid viral infections. You can read this post for more information about the coronavirus.
Implement Good Hygiene Practices
Washing your hands is among the most important hygiene practices when it comes to stopping virtual infections. When washing your hands, utilize the following practices:
- Use running warm or cold water
- Use the soap to lather all parts of your hand, including the back of your hand
- Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds
- Rinse under the running water
- Dry your hands
When dealing with hand sanitizer, look for a solution that contains at least 60 percent alcohol. When applying the sanitizer, follow the same 20-second procedure. If your hands are dirtier than usual, use soap and water instead.
In addition to washing your hands frequently, incorporate good hygiene practices throughout your daily routine. For instance, sneeze into your arm instead of your hand. Moreover, turn away from other people as you sneeze or cough. If you must use a tissue, discard it immediately after use.
Wipe Down Surfaces Regularly
You can mitigate the spread of viruses by wiping down all surfaces, including any object that you touch regularly. Some common objects include:
- Bathroom knobs and sink handles
- Refrigerator handles
- Doorknobs
- Kitchen counters
- Sink handles
- Gaming controllers
- Staircase rails
- Desk areas
- Laptop or computer keyboards
You should wipe down all common surfaces and objects daily. When it comes to the best cleaning solutions, you can use Lysol wipes or bleach solutions. The CDC recommends the following bleach mixtures:
- Four teaspoons for each quart of water
- Five tablespoons for each gallon of water
A single quart amounts to four cups of water. When shopping for household cleaning items, look for Lysol or Chlorox products. These brands have demonstrated to federal authorities the ability to kill viruses.
Any product that contains Lysol or bleach can kill many types of viruses, including COVID-19.
Additionally, an alcohol solution that’s at least 70 percent alcohol can neutralize viruses. Also, three percent hydrogen peroxide is effective against viruses. Furthermore, hydrogen peroxide is a viable alternative if you’re cleaning around areas where food is nearby.
Healthy Dieting
Your daily diet should consist of foods that can boost your immune system. This includes fruits and vegetables that contain vital antioxidants that your body needs to ward off viral invasions. Some immune-boosting foods include:
- Garlic
- Broccoli
- Spinach
- Yogurt
- Tumeric
- Sunflower seeds
- Almonds
- Bell peppers
- Chicken
When it comes to chicken, for example, it contains heavy amounts of B-6, which helps the body form new red blood cells. Almonds contain vitamin E, which is a key vitamin that buffers the immune system. Turmeric contains powerful anti-inflammatory properties and strong antioxidants that strengthen your body’s defenses.
With that, eating one of two of these food items will not be enough to keep infections at bay. Rather, incorporate as many immune-supporting foods into your diet.
You can also find creative recipes that require immune-based foods. With that, take note of daily servings to avoid over consumption of various nutrients. Avoid consuming too many vitamins in a single day.
Regular Exercise
You can also prevent viral infections through physical activity. Exercise is a great way to strengthen your immune system.
An active lifestyle can flush out harmful pathogens from your lungs, thus decreasing your chances of getting sick. Exercise also boosts your white blood cell count.
Moreover, exercise increases your body temperature which kills viruses and other malicious microbes in your body. An active lifestyle also decreases your stress levels. A higher stress level can make your body vulnerable to infections.
The following forms of exercise will suffice when warding off viruses:
- Daily walks of 20 or 30 minutes
- Bicycle rides
- Running
Overall, cardio-based exercises are the most useful. Best of all, regular exercise will give you more energy throughout the day.
Get Regular Sleep
You can get more energy throughout the day with a sound sleep schedule. A lack of sleep decreases the number of antibodies that prevent your body from getting sick.
The right amount of sleep for adults is seven hours. Teenagers should get at least nine or more hours of sleep, and children should get 10 hours or more of sleep.
What is the Most Effective Way to Stop Viral Infections Overall?
If you’re asking, “what is the most effective way to stop viral infections?” the answer is that you must implement a combination of solutions to protect yourself. Most importantly, a healthy diet and consistent exercise are core steps you can take to preserve your health.
Other important measures include washing your hands regularly and avoiding touching your face. You can also prevent the spread of viruses by wiping down surfaces and objects regularly. The use of bleach and peroxide products to clean areas routinely can also prevent viral contagion.
Interested in reading more? Read more of our health section to gain additional insight into other health-related topics.
