“Baby,
it’s getting cold outside” may be crossing your mind this week as the
temperatures drop below freezing for the first time this season. But it also means
those winter goblins may be trolling your neighborhood: fever, chills, cough,
sore throat, runny nose, muscle aches, headaches, and fatigue. These are common
symptoms for the flu and the common cold - although the cold symptoms are
usually milder and more likely to include a runny or stuffy nose, while the flu
symptoms are more intense and can lead to serious health problems.
But
how do you keep these annoying neighbors from dropping in and ruining your day?
The
most effective way, besides getting your flu vaccine or hiding in the closet
all winter, is to practice these six tips.
1.
Avoid close contact. No more making out in front of the fireplace on those
romantic winter evenings! Okay, maybe you can if she doesn’t have a runny nose
or cough.
2.
Stay home when you are sick. As I use to tell my students, it’s good to share
everything, except your germs.
3.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you sneeze or cough. If you don’t
have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve or elbow - not your
hands. You can also wear a facemask to protect others. How about a left-over
Halloween mask? That would get people’s attention.
4.
Wash your hands often. If soap and water is not available, use an alcohol-based
hand soap. Just washing my hands every time I use the bathroom, I’ll be washing
my hands often enough.
5.
Avoid spreading germs by touching your eyes, nose, or mouth after touching
something contaminated. My fingernails grow a lot longer during the winter
months.
6.
Take care of yourself as you should all year long: get plenty of sleep, stay
physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids and eat
nutritious food.
There
are over one hundred viruses that can cause the common cold. By following these
suggestions, you can help make this winter “the most wonderful time of the year”.
Continuing the countdown of “40 Great Things about Growing
Older”. # 8 – Sleep late or get up early. As you get older, you start to enter that
third chapter of life when instead having to do what you’re told to do, or what
you feel you should do, you can now do what you want to do.
Because the AARP Smart Driver class has been moved ahead a week
to December 12th and 13th, (You still can sign up by
calling the Center) there will not be a 11:00 Lecture next Tuesday.
It’s been a while since I’ve challenged your grey cells by
mixing up the Center’s music announcement. So let’s again have a little fun.
But I’ll keep it easy – well, as easy as walking backwards.
.appreciated are donations and 30:6 at starts music ,00:6 at
open Doors .tea and cats or coffee and dogs love you whether - invited is
Everyone .enjoyment dancing and listening your for performing be will Friends
and Martin ,13th December ,Tuesday on Center the At
It wasn’t Clarabell, the clown who appeared on the Howdy Doody
Show, but Bozo the clown that was pictured on the front of a 46-inch-high
inflatable punching bag. (This week’s winners of a quilt raffle ticket each are
Maxine Parker, Tina Castanares, Jerry Phillips, and Sandy and Bob Haechrel.)
Now that it’s colder, I’ve started wearing a knitted cap to keep
my hair depleted head warm. It looks like a stocking cap but doesn’t cover my
ears, and several folks commented about my “beanie”. I hadn’t thought of it as
a beanie, but it reminded me of a Saturday morning animated cartoon series on
ABC. So for this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of the
television show that featured a boy with a propeller beanie and a Sea-Sick Sea
Serpent? Email your answer to www.mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at
541-296-4788 or send it with the original "Captain Huffenpuff's Hiding
Box".
Well, it’s been another week, when I knew I should have written it
down. Until we meet again, there are numerous fancy definitions of successful
aging, but it can be as simple as just waking up in the morning and touching your
feet to the floor.
“We are all here on earth to help others; what on earth the
others are here for, I don’t know.” John Foster Hall
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