4 Ways You Can Conquer Sickness

It’s late winter and very nearly early spring in Tallahassee, which can only mean one thing: everyone is getting sick. Your roommates, your classmates, your teachers, your wives, your one weird roommate’s sort of ex-girlfriend that he said he hated but still comes over every once in a while but you don’t feel like you can ask your roommate about the situation because you don’t know him that well… everyone. So, I’m giving you all a few tips on how to fight the sickness that’s going around.

Washing your hands thoroughly is the easiest way you can fight illness. Image Source: Pexel.com

Tip one: Always keep your hands clean. This is a given, mostly because if you want to keep from being sick, this is step one. You should do this constantly, every time you use the restroom, before and after meals, after dealing with animals or being around sick people, etc. Keep the water warm and use soap to lather your hands for about 20 seconds. Get all of the spaces that dirt and dust can gather and get stuck in, like in between the fingers and underneath the fingernails. When you can’t wash your hands with soap and water, use hand sanitizer. I carry a small bottle of it with me all the time in my bag, which comes in handy during class. I also keep a bigger bottle of it with a pump in my apartment, and I use it almost every time I pass by it, constantly keeping my hands as clean as possible.

Tip two: Your body is a temple, take care of it by taking your vitamins and keeping up with your hygiene. Also give special attention to certain parts of your body, such as your hands and feet. I already talked about the hands of course but pay attention to your feet too. I wash my feet separately from the rest of my body once a day, usually at the end when I am about to sleep. Foot health is especially important when maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Being inactive for long periods of time can lead to illness and being unable to walk comfortably can lead to becoming more sedentary.

Tip three: shield yourself from the elements. Some of you will walk around brazenly in a short-sleeves t-shirt and shorts when it is nearly forty degrees outside. If you are able to do this without any drawbacks, then fine, but it never hurts to pay attention to the weather and dress accordingly. I am willing to bet that if you’re reading this article, you have an app on your smartphone that will show you the forecast for the week, and even if you don’t, you can most definitely Google it. Rain and temperature fluctuations are common as it transitions to spring, and these two things cause illness a lot more than you might expect, as the dirty water and random temperatures throw your body off of its homeostatic balance. I used to pack a waterproof jacket with some insulation to keep off the cold and an umbrella for those rainy days, and it never took too much room in my bag.

Tip four: If you’re getting sick, follow a few general steps. First, get as many nutrients as you can as often as you can. Vitamin C is crucial among these, but eating other healthy foods are great to fight off the oncoming storm of illness. Some of my favorite sources are Chick-fil-a’s Chicken Noodle Soup, which is easy to get with the locations on campus and on Call Street, and Airborne’s dissolving tablets, which are a great source of Vitamin C and A. Second, replace or wash/disinfect things in your home that you come into contact with constantly. Replace your toothbrush, wash your bed sheets and pajamas, use a Lysol spray or wipe to clean the surfaces of any furniture, especially places that you touch a lot like doorknobs.

They aren’t foolproof steps, but these have kept me from getting sick through many seasons of Florida State’s spring sickness. Try them out yourself and start getting healthier!