Wash your hands frequently, stay away from sick people and eat a balanced diet.
As simple as this advice sounds, it’s not far off the mark according to the Web site for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Web site gives tips for simple and inexpensive things people can do to prevent getting infectious diseases.
Infectious diseases - which can range from the common cold to Hepatitis B to AIDS - are caused by either bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungi.
The Web site states that the most common ways people catch colds is by rubbing their eyes, nose or mouth after their hands have touched a surface containing germs. The CDC suggests frequent hand-washing as one of the most effective prevention methods, adding that hand-washing costs only pennies a day.
The CDC suggests people wash their hands before, during and after preparing food, before eating, after using the bathroom and after handling animals or animal waste.
It also recommends washing hands more frequently if sharing space with someone who is sick.
Dr. Dan Havlichek, a human medicine professor and infectious disease expert, said that while hand-washing is important, it won’t help fight against certain ailments, like influenza, which is transmitted mostly through inhalation of the virus.
“We recommend that when people get sick, they take themselves out of circulation - stay home from work or class,” he said.
“Because if you’re sitting in a lecture and someone’s coughing or sneezing all over you, you will probably still get sick, regardless of how often you wash your hands.”
Havlichek suggested other things students can do to stay healthy, such as eating a balanced diet and avoiding alcohol and cigarette-smoking. He said the theory that vitamin C and zinc prevent colds is a myth.
“There hasn’t been much evidence to prove that vitamin C provides more than a very small benefit,” he said.
“You need to be careful when it comes to things like this, you can overdose from vitamin C and zinc.”
Although it may not help prevent illness, Havlichek said getting the proper amount of sleep will also cut down on recovery time needed for those who do get sick.
“It’s been shown that people who get up and go to work or class when they are sick have a longer period of illness than people who stay home and take the day off,” he said.
Tamitra Hurt said it shouldn’t be hard to convince some students to stay home when they are sick.
“People need an excuse not to go to class anyway. If you already don’t feel well, then why not stay home?” the kinesiology senior said. “Especially if it helps keep germs from spreading to other people.”
To view the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Web site, visit www.cdc.gov.
