How to stay well at work this winter for busy professional women
germs
They are everywhere.
In the air we breathe, the surfaces we touch, and the things we use.
As busy professional women, winter is the season when we are most concerned about germs. The disease is evident as more and more people around us cough, blow their noses and pop lozenges for sore throats.
Many business owners become hyper-vigilant to avoid germs during the winter. We stop shaking hands, go overboard with hand sanitizer, and walk away from anyone with watery eyes and a runny nose.
The problem with this is that you can’t escape the germs.
The 10 worst hiding places for germs in the workplace
In your workplace, germs are found on the things you use every day. Some are obvious. Others we don’t think about. Here are the 10 most notorious places for germs:
1. Desk
2. trash can
3. Bathroom door knob
4. Computer keyboard and mouse
5. Desk phone
6. Light switches
7. Pens and pencils
8. Coffee machines and dispensers
9. Elevator buttons
10. Water fountain buttons
According to the Minnesota Department of Health: “A person has more bacteria in their body than people in the United States.”
Oh! That’s a lot of bacteria.
If you’re like most busy professional women, you work in an environment with other people. Maybe you think it’s inevitable that you’ll get sick this winter. Getting sick happens every winter, well.
No. It doesn’t have to be that way!
While many factors at work are out of your control, staying well at work is one factor you can do something about. Before you give up and fall ill this winter, here are seven holistic things you can do to stay well at work.
Seven Tips to Boost Your Immune System Inside and Out
When it comes to staying well at work, instead of focusing on what not to touch, who not to shake hands with or spray Lysol on when someone sneezes, boost your immune system inside and out. That is how:
1. Take 1,000 mg of vitamin C daily.
If you keep your immune system healthy, germs won’t be able to get a foothold. Vitamin C naturally strengthens your immune system.
2. Increase to 5,000 mg of vitamin C daily if you feel congested.
3. Take 5,000 mcg of garlic daily.
Garlic is nature’s antibiotic. To avoid garlic breath or garlic-flavored burps, buy enteric-coated tablets. Since garlic is a blood thinner, skip this tip if you’re taking prescription blood-thinning medications.
4. Spray lavender essential oil.
Lavender has healing and antiseptic properties. In the past, it was used to clean wounds and sterilize surgical equipment. Is powerfull! Buy some for your desk. Spray it on your hands as an antiseptic and on items you want to disinfect. Smell good in your office and no one will suspect that you’re avoiding germs.
5. Make ginger tea.
Hot ginger water (a fresh slice or in a tea bag) with lemon juice and a small amount of honey while drinking at work has amazing health benefits! Ginger tea with lemon and honey helps you relax, stimulates your immune system and promotes weight loss. What’s not to like about ginger tea?
6. Eliminate sugar.
When you’re at work, don’t eat sugar. Why? Sugar lowers your immune system’s ability to fight germs by 75%! Instead, buy some xylitol-sweetened candies, like Tom & Jenny’s Original Candies, if you want a sweet treat during the day.
7. Get enough sleep at night, not during the day!
Not getting enough sleep lowers the effectiveness of your immune system and makes you sleepy during the day. In a previous blog post, I wrote about five things you can do to get a good night’s sleep.
Germs are all around us and hard to avoid. However, as busy professional women, there are things you can do to keep yourself looking good at work this winter. Instead of focusing on what not to touch, who not to shake hands with, or spray Lysol on when someone sneezes, boost your immune system inside and out with these seven tips. Here’s to a happy and healthy winter!