The cold season is gone (in the Philippines) and I now could feel the summer heat. Even during summertime, people still get respiratory infections. Init at lamig. I am the last person I would think of catching pneumonia. Madalas lahat ng tao sa paligid ko may ubo at sipon, ako lang wala. I seldom catch colds and cough. But one day, I was feeling uneasy, not down and out but every afternoon, I would feel feverish. I have ubo pero hindi naman grabe. When it persisted for a couple of days, I had a chest x-ray. Ayun, the doctor said I have pneumonia. I couldn’t believe it. Ako may pneumonia? How and why? I wouldn’t know who infected me, who sprinkled the virus, etc.
I hope the following practical guide can help prevent you from catching this disease which could be fatal in some cases. Eto lang ang nasa isip ko, I hope kahit papano eh makatulong:
Ten Ways to Prevent Pneumonia
1. Practice good hygiene. Wash your hands frequently. Make an effort even when you are away from home, in the office, in the mall, in the restaurant.
2. As soon as you arrived home, if you’re not taking a shower, magpunas ka. Wash hands and arms thoroughly, wash your fee, your ano down there and ano, wash your face, ears and nose, brush your teeth. This is to remove any virus or bacteria that could enter your body.
3. Move away from people with cough and colds, and respiratory ailments. Sinabi na sayo’ng meron syang ubo, o trangkaso, ibebeso-beso mo pa, pa cool ka pa “hindi ako tatablan nyan”. Huwag na. It’s not worth catching the virus. After a week or two, “May aubo ako, masakit likod ko, nahawa yata ako”.
4. Cover your mouth if you are trapped with someone with cough or colds.
5. Close your eyes and hold your breath as long as you can when someone suddenly sneezed around you, to avoid the micro particles from entering your lungs.
6. Get enough sleep. Whether it’s 6, 7, or 8 hours, your body reacts from lack of rest and sleep. A good sleep helps strengthen your immune system.
7. Take Vitamin C. Doctors do not believe in taking more than 300 mg a day but take at least 500 mg a day for whatever it’s worth.
8. Drink plenty of water. I am one person guilty of NOT DRINKING plenty of water. But I drink glasses of pure fresh buko juice daily.
9. We live in urban areas and travel to places. We go tot he market, office, malls, church, etc. We are all mobile. We are surrounded by millions of disease carrying people who don’t even know it. We must increase our defense by getting a yearly flu vaccine. Getting it from your doctor is naturally more expensive. If you want to save, you can get from the health clinics or barangay. They give a yearly FREE flu vaccine or cheap vaccine. Inquire when the next schedule is.
10. Smokers and second-hand smoke inhalers are both at risk. But if you’re smoking you are doubly at risk so better still, for your own health’s sake, stop smoking na lang.
