Originally Posted by CbadRider

+1 for hand washing. Don’t touch your face, eyes, nose or mouth unless you’ve washed your hands.

I carry antibacterial wipes when I fly and wipe down the tray table thoroughly if I’m going to use it.

+1

But also, we think of bugs and infections as a yes/no – clean/unclean kind of thing. But in actuality, the bugs are everywhere. Even after a bath, your body is covered with the little critters. And, your mouth is the dirtiest part of your body — even after brushing your teeth.

In addition, we think that we get sick when we are infected with a bug and then the antibiotic kills the bug and we are back to being clean and germ free again…

The truth is really much more grey… We are covered with and constantly surrounded by bugs. They are in us, on us and around us.

So, what protects us? Our immune system. It is the most powerful antibiotic you can buy. But you don’t have to buy it — which is good because you could never, ever afford it. It is arguably one of the most complex systems in you incredibly complex body. But, fortunately, it comes free with the original 8# package of pink squirming, crying flesh.

So, while things like handwashing can help to limit infections by limiting exposure, your immune system is the primary defense.

But, although it is free, it is not maintenance free. It needs some TLC to function at its best. While not a lot is known about caring for the immune system, it is believed that the best way is a combination of good nutrition (eat your fruits and vege’s) AND good solid sleep — both in quantity and quality. That is, even if you get the standard 8 hours — if it is poor quality from say sleep apnea or trying to sleep on a plane, you and your immune system will not be functioning at their best. Also, jet lag can interfere with sleep which can again compromise your immune system.

Other things like certain drugs and diseases (like diabetes) can also reduce the effectiveness of your immune system.

So, while I strongly support the sanitation actions like handwashing, if I was getting sick every 6 weeks, I would be looking at my immune system to see if it is compromised in any way…