6 Public Health Tips to Keep You Thriving

In our daily lives, we're constantly exposed to germs that can cause illness. While it’s easy to feel like catching a bug is inevitable, a proactive approach to your health can make a significant difference. Why wait until you’re unwell to react when you can build a resilient foundation to help you stay healthy year-round?

While no single method is foolproof, incorporating a range of simple, effective habits into your routine can powerfully support your body’s natural defences. The following six public health tips provide a holistic framework to help you and your family thrive, no matter the season.

1. Wear a Mask in High-Risk Situations

   Wearing a face covering offers you a valuable layer of personal protection against airborne pathogens, even if others around you are not. The effectiveness of a mask depends on its quality, its fit, and the environment you're in. For example, a crowded, poorly ventilated indoor space poses a much higher risk than an open, sparsely populated area.

   If you have a compromised immune system or are at a higher risk of complications from respiratory infections, consider using a high-filtration mask like an N95, KN95, or KF94 model in high-risk settings like public transport or healthcare facilities. For general use, even a simple cloth or surgical mask can help reduce your exposure. Beyond germs, masks can also be useful for filtering out allergens like pollen during hay fever season or pollutants in areas with poor air quality.

   Combining mask-wearing with other sensible habits, such as refraining from talking in cramped spaces like lifts and sanitizing your hands after touching shared surfaces like buttons and handrails, further reduces your risk of transmission.

2. Maintain Excellent Hygiene Habits

   The importance of good hygiene in preventing the spread of infectious disease cannot be overstated. Thorough and frequent handwashing is one of the most powerful tools at your disposal. For an effective wash, scrub your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds—roughly the time it takes to sing “Happy Birthday” twice.

   Soap doesn't just rinse germs away; its molecular structure actively breaks apart the outer membrane of many bacteria and viruses, rendering them inactive. This mechanical action is why scrubbing is so important. Certain activities and situations always demand handwashing:

   • Before and after caring for someone who is sick.
   • Before and after treating a cut or wound.
   • After using the toilet, changing a diaper, or assisting a child with toileting.
   • After touching animals, their food, or their waste.
   • After returning indoors from a public place.
   • After handling rubbish.
   • Before preparing or eating food.

   Pay special attention to the areas under your fingernails, as they can harbor germs in much greater concentrations than the rest of your hands. When soap and water aren't available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Apply it generously and rub your hands together until they are completely dry; wiping it off before it evaporates is less effective.

3. Support Your Immune System with Nutrition and Hydration

   The right nutrients act as the fuel for your immune system. A well-nourished body is better equipped to fight off invaders and recover more quickly if you do get sick. For example, having a consistent and adequate intake of Vitamin C can help shorten the duration of the common cold. While supplements like a daily multivitamin can help fill nutritional gaps, your body typically absorbs vitamins and minerals more effectively from whole foods.

   You don’t need a drastic or restrictive diet to achieve this. Focus on incorporating these simple principles into your daily meals:

   • Eat the Rainbow: Fruits and vegetables contain a vast array of phytonutrients and antioxidants. The colours in these foods often signify different nutritional profiles. Aim to include a variety of colours on your plate each day: red from tomatoes or bell peppers, orange from carrots or sweet potatoes, green from spinach and broccoli, and blue or purple from berries and beetroot.

   • Prioritise Whole Foods: Ultra-processed foods, often high in refined sugars and flours, can contribute to inflammation and place a burden on your immune system. Instead, choose foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. Snack on nuts and seeds, which are packed with immune-boosting zinc and selenium, instead of crisps or biscuits.

   • Choose Healthy Fats: Healthy fats are essential for reducing inflammation and supporting overall health. Good sources include avocados, olive oil, nuts, and seeds.

   • Stay Hydrated: Water is crucial for almost every bodily function, including your immune response. It helps your body produce lymph, which carries white blood cells, and it helps to flush out toxins. Dehydration can impair your defences, so be sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day.

   If you choose to take supplements, it's often best to have them with a meal. Some minerals, such as zinc, can cause nausea when taken on an empty stomach.

4. Purify and Humidify Your Indoor Air

   The quality of the air you breathe indoors plays a significant role in your respiratory health. Many viruses, including those that cause colds and flu, tend to thrive in cool, dry conditions. Central heating systems common in winter can create very dry indoor air, which evaporates the protective mucus lining your airways—one of your body's first lines of defence against germs.

   Using a humidifier to add moisture back into the air can make a real difference, aiming for an indoor humidity level between 30% and 50%. This can help keep your nasal passages moist and more effective at trapping pathogens. For an added boost, some people add a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil to their humidifier or diffuser, as its scent can help open up airways.

   Beyond humidity, it's also important to keep your indoor air clean. Regularly changing the filters in your HVAC system is vital. Clogged filters not only strain your heating and cooling system but also fail to trap dust, pollen, and microbes, allowing them to circulate freely throughout your home or office. Consider using a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter to capture even the smallest airborne particles.

5. Get Safe and Regular Physical Activity

   Sudden, strenuous physical activity that your body isn't used to can pose health risks. Seasonal chores, such as shovelling heavy snow in winter, intensive gardening in spring, or raking large volumes of wet leaves in autumn, can lead to injuries or strain the cardiovascular system if you're not prepared. It’s important to treat any form of heavy exertion like a sport, requiring a proper warm-up and a sensible pace.

   Before you begin, elevate your heart rate gently by marching on the spot and performing some dynamic stretches to prepare your muscles. Pace yourself during the activity, taking regular breaks every 15-20 minutes, or whenever you feel tired or out of breath. If you have underlying health conditions, particularly a heart condition or issues with balance, it may be safer to hire someone to help with these demanding tasks.

   Beyond seasonal chores, engaging in regular, moderate physical activity is a proven way to boost your immune system. Activities like brisk walking, cycling, or swimming can improve circulation, allowing immune cells to move more freely through your body and do their job more effectively. The key is consistency and finding an activity you enjoy.

6. Prioritise Sleep and Manage Your Rest

   Simply being exposed to cold temperatures won’t make you ill—for that to happen, you need to be exposed to a germ. However, prolonged exposure to cold can suppress your immune function, making you more susceptible to any viruses or bacteria you encounter. It’s important to dress warmly, especially in layers, so you can adjust to temperature changes between indoors and outdoors.

   Rest is just as critical as any other factor in maintaining a strong immune system. Your body performs vital repair and regeneration functions while you sleep, including the production of cytokines, which are proteins that target infection and inflammation. Maintaining good sleep hygiene is therefore essential. This includes going to bed and waking up at roughly the same time each day, even on weekends. Create a restful environment that is cool, dark, and quiet, and avoid screens and blue light for at least an hour before bed.

   If you find yourself feeling constantly exhausted or unable to get out of bed, it could be a sign of an underlying issue like depression or seasonal affective disorder (SAD). In such cases, it is important to speak with your doctor. Effective treatments are available to help manage these conditions.

Further Reading from Skills You Need

---

The Skills You Need Guide to Life: Looking After Yourself

Based on some of our most popular content, this eBook will help you to live a happier, healthier and more productive life.

Learn how to look after your body and mind: the fundamental first steps to personal development.

This eBook, now in its third edition, with new and revised content, is designed to make life both easier and better.

Conclusion

While exposure to germs is an unavoidable part of life, getting sick doesn't have to be. By taking proactive and consistent steps to support your health, you can significantly reduce your risk of illness and improve your overall well-being. A holistic approach that combines good hygiene, balanced nutrition, a healthy indoor environment, safe physical activity, and adequate rest creates a powerful defence system.

By following the public health tips outlined above, you can empower yourself to stay healthy and keep thriving, whatever comes your way.