Each season of the year has its own climatic and behavioral changes that affect the lives of individuals greatly, and with the advent of the autumn and winter seasons, temperatures and humidity begin to decrease.
Most people tend to close doors and windows for fear of the cold, which in turn helps provide a suitable environment for the spread of viruses and bacteria and their stay for a longer period in the air, and thus the higher chance of transmission from one person to another, causing infection and disease outbreaks.
Doctor Ayman Sakali, speaking to The Eastern Herald , gave 9 medical tips to maintain the health of the respiratory system in the fall.
Sakali said that “the most common respiratory diseases are influenza, cold, cough, and pharyngitis, and they are also the most infectious diseases,” noting that “recently new strains of viruses have appeared, including Corona and the new Delta and Beta.”
He added, “It is necessary to take the necessary measures to protect ourselves and our families from these diseases, as it was said that an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.” The following are the advice given by Doctor Sakali:
- Medical masks have proven very effective in maintaining safety, as they are a barrier and the first line of defense against external viruses, by wearing them, they provide protection for the individual and his family from these infectious diseases.
- Getting the body used to take the breath from the nose instead of the mouth, as the hairs inside the nose purify, warm, and humidify the air through the channels before it enters the lungs. The nose is the natural pathway for air to enter and exit the body, and when breathing through the mouth, viruses easily enter the respiratory system, causing diseases.
- Attention to the difference in temperatures between inside and outside the house, as it is possible to drink a glass of water before going out, in order to adjust and prepare the body’s temperature, and to put a scarf on the nose at very low temperatures, or not to be exposed to cold air when leaving a warm bath, for example.
- Attention to personal hygiene permanently and continuously, washing hands when coming from outside for a period of no less than twenty seconds, and massaging them well, because most respiratory diseases are transmitted through handshakes or touching places where viruses are present, and not using other people’s tools and purposes, and alerting children to that, children are more likely to use belongings of their schoolmates.
- Stay away from crowded places, and if you must be there, you should not stay for a long time, and there should be a distance of no less than one and a half meters between us and other people as much as possible.
- Maintaining body fluids, by drinking enough fluids, as it moisturizes the respiratory system, which makes breathing easier and reduces lung secretions, and a lot of warm drinks, which are one of the most important things that provide the body with energy during work or study, and even help prevent infection Flu, colds and winter illnesses in general.
- It is better to drink warm drinks rich in vitamin C, such as ginger, lemon, and orange, because they give warmth and at the same time help prevent respiratory diseases, such as colds or coughs.
- Ventilate the house from time to time, as heaters dry the air in the closed room, and thus dry the mucous layer, which in turn purifies the air entering the nose from viruses, which leads to disease.
- The necessary vaccinations should be taken against respiratory diseases, such as influenza and corona.
