Source: WebMD
If you’re sick of being sick with a cold, then it’s time to learn some cold prevention techniques. There are ways to prevent a cold. You just need to learn and use some new behaviors and lifestyle habits, every day. Here is how you can stay well.
Prevent Colds With Frequent Hand Washing
Your best protection from the common cold and flu is frequent hand washing. The simple friction that occurs when you rub skin against skin while using warm water and soap followed by thorough rinsing and drying can get rid of most potentially harmful germs.
While germs are often transferred to others through household objects — telephones, doorknobs, toothbrushes, and faucet handles — the biggest transportation center for germs is your hands. That’s why frequent hand washing gets rid of the illness-causing germs and helps to prevent the spread of some diseases — especially if a family member, friend, or classmate has a cold or flu virus.
The CDC estimates that as many as 56,000 people die from the flu or flu-like illness each year. The CDC also says the simple act of hand washing is the single most important means of preventing the spread of viral and bacterial infections. Yet some studies reveal that many Americans using public restrooms don’t wash their hands before leaving. People also forget to wash their hands before preparing meals, and they grab snacks without thinking of washing their hands beforehand. If you want to help prevent colds, just stop — and wash your hands.
For more in-depth information, see WebMD’s Common Cold Prevention: Hand Washing 101.