The Airora Blog

How to NOT Catch a Cold

20/12/2018

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At this time of year it seems like everywhere you go, people are sneezing and coughing.

What can you do to avoid catching a cold, or worse, the flu?

Some obvious ways of avoiding colds and flu

Get your annual flu vaccine

Early in the autumn is best - so you’re protected before ‘peak flu’ season - but it’s not too late to do it now. It's the No. 1 thing you can do to prevent the flu.

Don’t share

Take care to avoid sharing towels, cups or other household items with someone who may have a cold. In shared spaces, like the gym, clean equipment with sanitiser before using it.

Protect your paws …

To completely get rid of viruses from your skin, you need to scrub hard with soap for 20 seconds or more. A good way to time yourself is to sing "Happy Birthday" twice while scrubbing the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.

… And your face

Try not to touch your nose and your eyes - those are the most common places for germs to get in. Plus, clean your phone regularly with a sanitising wipe to help keep germs away from your ears and mouth.

Sanitise your home …

Rhinoviruses can live on surfaces for up to 48 hours!

Frequently clean everything that gets touched by visitors or sick family members – hard surfaces, computer keyboards, handles, armrests – with a good disinfectant, even if it looks clean.

Even better, also use an Airora air purifier (coming soon); Airora creates an anti-bacterial Hydroxyl Cascade inside, just like nature does outside, which destroys all cold and flu viruses on contact, both in the air and on surfaces.

… And your office space

Scientists have found that when someone has a cold in an office, it takes only four hours (!) for surfaces like coffeepot handles, copy-machine buttons and the fridge door to show traces of infectious virus.

Be the office hygiene hero! Ensure that everything that gets touched by lots of people — microwaves, doorknobs, elevator buttons, chair armrests — is cleaned with a good disinfectant at least once a week.

And some surprising ways too!

Eat an Egg!

Research shows that diets that are too low in protein can deplete the immune system. So make sure to get protein-rich foods throughout the day, especially fish, eggs and yogurt.

Breathe out

When walking past another person who is sneezing or coughing, gently and slowly breathe out until you are beyond the 6- to 10-foot zone around him. This avoids inhaling the air he just contaminated, and you might even find your moment of zen!

Use your own pen

Make it a habit to take your own pen everywhere you go so you don’t have to share. You can even touch the ATM with it.

Bring your own (water) bottle

Avoid drinking straight from a water fountain. They've got the prints of hundreds of germy hands (and mouths!), and they don't get sanitized as often as other surfaces, like sinks. Instead, use an earth-friendly reusable bottle and fill it from the fountain or from a tap/faucet.

Sleep like a baby

Well, you don’t need as much sleep as a baby, but research shows that our bodies need seven to eight hours of sleep in order to stimulate an immune response from our 'natural killer cells', which attack viruses. Sleep is an important defence against infection, so make sure you’re getting enough (teddy bear optional!)

Skip the ‘night cap’ …

Enjoy a drink in moderation, but remember that alcohol can disrupt restorative REM sleep, and you are much more likely to get sick when you are sleep-deprived.

Sip hot tea instead …

Drink hot black, green, or herbal tea with lemon and honey. Drinking the tea and breathing in steam stimulates the cilia — the hair follicles in the nose —to move out germs more efficiently, while lemon thins mucus, and honey is antibacterial. Added bonus: you’ll feel like you’re living in Downton Abbey!

But do use the booze!

Don’t have any hand sanitiser? The high alcohol content in spirits like vodka is a great make-do disinfectant.

Download this post as a PDF >

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How Fresh Air Fights Cold & Flu

20/12/2018

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You might think that going outside in the cold makes you more likely to ‘catch a cold’. But in fact, colds and the flu spread much more easily inside. Let us explain …

How are colds and flu spread?

Both flu and the common cold are caused by viruses, which are spread through exposure to respiratory secretions (i.e. an infected person’s sneezes or coughs). The virus can be spread through the air, personal contact (such as a handshake), or by touching contaminated objects.

How long do cold viruses remain infectious?

Virus

Hard Surfaces (e.g. desk, door handle)

Hands

Indoor Air

Colds

Up to 24 Hours

More than an Hour

Up to 45 Minutes

Flu

Up to 24 hours

Up to 10 Minutes

Several hours

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) (cold-like virus that can cause serious illness in children)

Up to 6 hours

Up to 30 Minutes

Several hours

Parainfluenza (causes croup)

Up to 10 hours

Up to 10 Minutes

Transmission is unlikely to take place

As you can see, cold and flu viruses can hang around indoors for up to 24 hours – and people can shed huge numbers of cold / flu viruses into the air which can in turn settle onto surfaces:

Coughing

3,000+

Sneezing

3,000+

Talking / Singing

1,000+

Vomiting

1,000+

Shed by Diarrhea into the air

20,000+

Nature’s outdoors remedy - Hydroxyls

However, outside, you’re much less likely to catch these viruses. That’s because Hydroxyl Radicals, which occur naturally and abundantly in the air outside, kill all human pathogens on contact, including cold and flu viruses.

Hydroxyl Radicals are commonly known as ‘Nature’s Detergent’, and we think they are pretty amazing!

Learn more about hydroxyls >

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How to NOT Catch a Cold

Some obvious ways of avoiding colds and flu

And some surprising ways too!

How Fresh Air Fights Cold & Flu

How are colds and flu spread?

How long do cold viruses remain infectious?

Nature’s outdoors remedy - Hydroxyls

Author

Archives

Categories

How to NOT Catch a Cold

Some obvious ways of avoiding colds and flu

And some surprising ways too!

How Fresh Air Fights Cold & Flu

​How are colds and flu spread?

​How long do cold viruses remain infectious?

​Nature’s outdoors remedy - Hydroxyls

Author

Archives

Categories

How are colds and flu spread?

How long do cold viruses remain infectious?

Nature’s outdoors remedy - Hydroxyls