6 healthy habits to help prevent colds and flu

Although there may not be a cure for the common cold, there are still ways to prevent getting it in the first place. To help protect yourself from cold and flu germs this winter, here are six healthy hygiene habits you should always practice.

When University of Virginia researchers infected volunteers with cold viruses and had them spend the night in a motel room, they found afterward that nearly everything in the room – from the telephone to the light switch, faucets and TV remote control – was contaminated with the virus.

• Start packing a mini-bottle of Lysol or some disinfectant wipes in your luggage to rid your room of the previous occupants' germs.
• Even if your room has been cleaned, it's a pretty good bet the housekeeper didn't disinfect the phones, light switches and remote control.

It has been shown that people who are happy, relaxed and energetic are simply less likely to catch colds, even if they're infected with the virus.

• One thing researchers have observed is that stress has a way of changing your body's internal chemistry, which could possibly explain why people under stress tend to be more susceptible to getting a cold.
• Researchers have yet to figure out the exact link between psychological states and the immune system, but studies confirm it exists.

We're a world of dirty-handed people, which helps spread cold and flu viruses. In fact, one recent study of 1,000 adults found that:

• 43 per cent barely ever washed their hands after coughing or sneezing.
• 32 per cent didn't always wash before eating lunch.
• 54 per cent didn't wash long enough to effectively remove germs and dislodge dirt.

When Columbia University researchers searched for germs on volunteers' hands, they found that washing just once, even with antibacterial soap, did little good in eradicating the culprits. So wash twice, and do it often.

• The researchers found that after a year of regular washing, fewer microbes remained on volunteers' hands even after just one wash.

When studying more than 200 workers over three months, researchers found that:

• Feeling out of control, whether at work or at home, stresses your immune system to the point where it overexerts and weakens itself, making you more likely to catch a cold.
• Even those who had control over their work were more likely to begin sneezing if they lacked confidence or tended to blame themselves when things went wrong.

Remarkably, elementary schools that provide gel sanitizer for hand cleaning have nearly 20 per cent lower absentee rates from infection than other schools.

• Studies demonstrated that teachers in one school reduced their infection-related illnesses by 10 per cent simply through the use of gel sanitizer.

We've all sneezed out loud in public before, whether by accident or not. But did you know there's a "safer" way to sneeze? Here's how:

• Don't cover your mouth with your hand when you cough or sneeze.
• Sneeze or cough into the crook of your bent elbow.
• Unless you're a contortionist, you'll never touch your mouth, nose or eyes with your elbow, nor do you shake hands or smooth a child's hair with it. The result? By sneezing into your elbow you'll be less likely to pass on the germs.

Even with your best efforts, persistent cold and flu germs may find their way into your system. By practicing these six habits, you can reduce the risk of infecting your friends and loved ones when you do get sick.