Try To Stay Healthy

[Bichon Barb]

Acidophilus - Used to have to buy it at a health food store and it had to be refridgerated so as to keep the "good bacteria" alive. But now you can buy it in capsules in the vitamin section of your drug store or grocery store. Along with being great for the stomach, it also is great for--ah-hem--female health.

Nasal Saline Spray - If you are prone to sinus infections, I guess saline spray is supposed to be good for flying. It moistens the nose and sinus thereby making it harder for bacteria to get in there. (I just got over the sinus infection from hell, so I'm definitely doing this!)

Antibacterial products - Although I'm not a big fan of all that is antibacterial (I think we are developing smart bacteria because of all the use of too many antibacterial products and too frequent use of antibiotics), you can be sure that I will make exception for our vacation. Vacation is not a time when you want to build your immunity be getting sick!

I don't know what it is this year, lots of sick kids and adults in my area. My sister lives in the south and is complaining about the same thing.

 

[Raysplus1]

My Dw came down with strep throat our last trip. Come to find when we got back she was also pregnant.

 

[barbeml]

Lots of good advice. We drove last fall for the first time and it was the first time we did not get sick! I almost always get sick from airplane air, no matter how many vitamins I take and how much water I drink to stay hydrated. Also, avoid any attraction with water at Universal. I became almost too ill to fly after being drenched with some very stinky water on Twister. So gross.

 

[Ted and Holly]

I just read a yogurt carton(?). It said that the active cultures included L. acidophilus. I wonder how much is enough...

A friend of ours is a microbiologist. She says that the alcohol based hand sanitizers work better than the antibacterial (not sure of the specific substance) because, as stated earlier, the contact time foor killing germs is usually not long enough. Alcohol, though less gentle, kills 'em good.

Ted

 

[DisneyFreaks]

Maybe we'd be better off just carrying small bottles of alcohol around with us. LoL Seriously though, do you by chance know the names of the alcohol based hand sanitizers, or do most of the name brands have that ingredient already? My daughter and son in law are such germ phobics that it gets down right creepy. They carry this stuff everywhere and I'm sure they would want to be having the best product they can get. Thanks for the heads up on this Ted and Holly. And as for the yogurt, you may be onto something if it contains acidophilus. My doctor did say to eat lots of it for about two weeks before you are going to a different area from what you are used to everyday.

 

[Bichon Barb]

A few weeks ago I watched a show on urban myths. They interviewed people about public toilets. They said they'd never sit on a public toilet seat and that the worst germs have to be on there.

Then they got a lab worker to go and take swabs from a toilet seat from a bar's restroom and then swabs from a door knob.

The toilet seat had absolutely no gross or dangerous germs on it.

The door handle was loaded with all sorts of nasties. I'll spare you the details.

Also, there was an article in our paper about shopping cart handles. I'll spare you on that one too. LOL.

 

[SueM in MN]

Seriously though, do you by chance know the
names of the alcohol based hand sanitizers, or do most of the
name brands have that ingredient already?

I'm not sure what ingredient you are talking about, but the active (germ killing) ingredient in the hand sanitizers is alcohol. One common brand is Purell, but if you look on the back of the waterless hand sanitizers, you will almost always see alcohol listed as the only active ingredient. Most of the hand sanitizers also have moisterizers in them. Studies using alcohol hand sanitizers in hospitals have found the sanitizers leave hands in better condition than soap and water washing, so even though alcohol can be drying, the hand sanitizers are not.
Hospitals are actually getting away from using antimicrobial soaps because of their harshness on skin and concerns that they are leading to germs that are more resistant (harder to kill). Most hospitals have switched to using regular soaps for washing hands, and hand sanitizers for "de-germing" hands when they are not visibly soiled and for after washing when they need to be sanitized.

 

[DisneyFreaks]

So are you saying that the anti-bacterial hand soaps we buy are actually bad for us and our hands? No wonder my hands always look like lobster claws. I think I will just get a big pump style bottle of purell for the back of the sink and go back to regular soap. Thanks for posting this SueM.

 

[Bichon Barb]

RE: Cracked Hands

In our previous home, the kitchen was so small we didn't have room for a dishwasher. Needless to say, I had to do the dishes by hand. I discovered that the more expensive dish soaps made a mess of my hands. The skin was cracked and painful. Using the cheaper brands (like Sunlight) fixed that problem right away. Don't ask me why but other people have agreed.

 

[Ted and Holly]

I believe it was Triclosan that she was referring to. I may be wrong.

Ted

 

[Sweethappiness]

has anyone ever tried the gummi bears that are vitamins that someone talked about? if so do they even taste any different then the candy??
~
does anyone know if any restrooms in wdw have the seat covers/paper things?

Everyones tips are very useful!

 

[DisneyFreaks]

Can't help you with the gummi bears but everytime I have been to WDW the bathrooms have always had the paper toilet covers. I love that about them too. I took my own the first trip we ever had and was pleasantly surprised. {doesn't take much to make me happy does it? LoL}

 

[Sweethappiness]

DisneyFreaks
LMAO LMAO LMAO

 

[SueM in MN]

believe it was Triclosan that she was referring to. I may be wrong.

I guess I missed that. Triclosan is the most common antibacterial/antimicrobial substance used in antibacterial soaps. The waterless hand sanitizers use alcohol as their active ingredient.

So are you saying that the anti-bacterial hand soaps we buy are actually bad for us and our hands?

Many scientists are concerned abou germs developing resistance since there are so many products that are antibacterial - mostly using Triclosan (the soap manufacturers don't agree with that).