Salon 3|5’s Stay Healthy Survival Kit
Sickness does not care about your plans or current situation, as we all know. Being prepared for being ill makes it a whole lot easier to deal with when the time comes.
First thing you’re going to want in your survival kit is a thermometer. As most adults move into their own, that’s about the furthest thing from a household item that they are thinking about having around the house. Today, doctors are recommending the digital forehead & ear thermometers. If you do have a thermometer, you’re going to want to do a maintenance check on it. See if it’s working, need batteries and if it is accurate.
- Here’s how to test your thermometer’s accuracy:
Insert the thermometer stem at least an inch deep in the ice water without letting the stem touch the glass. Wait for the thermometer to register; this usually takes a minute or less. The thermometer is accurate if it registers 32° F or 0° C.
Secondly is your flu shot! Influenza is largely preventable. Consider your shot like an extra layer of protection. Doing this will also largely help hospitals out from overwhelming with flu patients.
3) Fluids. You’re going to want to keep a stockpile of good old fashioned H20 and electrolyte rich fluids. The recommendation is to drink at least 64 ounces per day to replenish the lost fluids while also staying hydrated.
4) Anti-inflammatories. Doctor’s suggest keeping acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and/or naproxen on hand for fevers and aches. Ever wondered which one is used for what though? Here’s just a quick guide to which one you should be using:
- Acetaminophen – used for high grade fevers. It tells the brain to regulate body temp and recognize it’s too high. It’s also an analgesic so its commonly used for headaches & pain too.
- Ibuprofen – used to treat inflammation. Also treats headaches and pain.
- Naproxen – used to treat inflammation-based things like sunburns, arthritis, and sprains. Also used for headaches, muscle aches and pains. This one is too be careful with people who are prone to stomach ulcers or have heart disease.
5) Disinfectants. You’re going to want to make sure you are disinfecting often touched surfaces whether sick or not. Another twist in the disinfection game? UV sanitizing. This practice uses UV like to sterilized objects like keys, tweezers, phones and glasses.
6) A mask. I know a lot of us have been voicing how annoying wearing a mask is but truth of the matter is it ACTUALLY does help. Not only that but other countries & cultures have been practicing mask wearing for a loooong time. If you have even an inkling that you aren’t feeling your greatest, please just wear a mask in public. Sure, its inconvenient but in the end, you could be saving someone from death and that’s the real principle of it.
7) This one is more prevention than while you are sick but Meditate. Meditating is huge especially taking importance in these current uncertain days. Stress reduction plays a vital role in making sure our immune system is up to par. How so? Well, the hormone you make when stressed, corticosteroid, suppresses the effectiveness of our immune system leaving your body extra vulnerable to infection.
When asked the question “What would be #1 in your sickness survival kit?” These were their answers:
- Chloe – My favorite water bottle
- Ryan – Ice water & my neck pillow
- Maddy – my favorite blanket & ice/heat packs.
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