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Staying Healthy: Protecting Yourself Against Infections

Summary & Participants

Germs are a fact of life and catching an infectious disease like a cold may seem inevitable. But there are simple ways to protect yourself against the spread of disease. Handwashing, keeping up with immunizations, practicing safe sex and sensible food handling are good tools in the war against contagious disease.

Medically Reviewed On: May 08, 2008

Webcast Transcript

ANNOUNCER: Everyone gets sick from time to time, from everyday common colds to the flu, and sometimes a more life-threatening infection.

But an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and taking simple precautions in your daily life can make a difference. The number one way to prevent exposure is handwashing.

MICHAEL ROIZEN, MD: Most infectious diseases are fecal-oral. That is having a contamination on your hand, and somehow getting it on your food.

So good handwashing is important, especially before preparing food or before eating food.

Another way is handwashing after meeting people who may have disease or may be infected because it is hand-to-hand contact that is the most common. We used to think it was kissing. But it isn't kissing. It's actually a handshaking. A good habit that is a warmth but you should wash afterwards, especially if that other person is coughing or has an infection.

ANNOUNCER: What you eat can sometimes hurt you. Contaminated, spoiled or undercooked. It's essential to store and prepare foods properly to lessen that possibility.

Rethinking how you clean can help also prevent the spread of germs. Keeping surfaces clean is helpful but it is not the same as disinfecting.

MICHAEL ROIZEN, MD: A sponge is a great way of growing bacteria. So sponges should be thrown out. You use, if you will, cloths, and after using it once, throw it into a bucket that's got a little Clorox in it.

ANNOUNCER: And to combat that seasonal visitor, the annual flu shot can be helpful.

MICHAEL ROIZEN, MD: Flu shots are either between 40 and 90% effective. The people who have stronger immunity, that is, in that 20 to 60 age group who are in ideal health, if you will, they have the best protection. Those who need it most, unfortunately, the flu shot isn't quite as effective in. So when you're 85 and over, it's about a 40% success rate at avoiding the flu. It's not as good. And when you're real young it's not as good.

ANNOUNCER: Keeping up-to-date on childhood and adult immunizations is important too.

MICHAEL ROIZEN, MD: The routine ones are diphtheria, tetanus and then the other one that all of us get is the flu every year, and then every ten years, pneumococcal vaccination.

ANNOUNCER: Of course no one lives in a bubble and exposure to some infections are inevitable, but being mindful of these simple measures and leading a healthy lifestyle can lessen your chances of being infected.

MICHAEL ROIZEN, MD: What is the chances of us avoiding all infectious disease? Virtually none. Is there a way of preventing? We aren't sure but clearly healthier people get less colds than people who are run down or people who are stressed.