How to prevent respiratory diseases

The core logic of preventing respiratory diseases is actually very simple. It is to cut off the transmission routes of pathogens and build a strong immune barrier at the same time. By taking care of both ends, you can basically avoid most infection risks.

Last week, when I was attending a community clinic, I met an aunt. She usually runs mountains all year round and has better physical fitness than many young people. However, she went to the morning market to buy vegetables a few days ago without wearing a mask. Someone sneezed next to her without covering her mouth. She started to have a sore throat that night and tested positive for influenza A. She had to lie down for four days before she could get out of bed. Many people always think that they don’t need to care about these details because they are in good health. This is not true. Respiratory viruses are mostly spread through droplets and contact. They are like invisible bugs that burrow into your body whenever there is a gap. For example, in confined spaces such as elevators and subways, the virus can remain suspended for more than ten minutes. Just pulling up the mask can help you avoid most of the risks. Do not rub your eyes or pick your nose directly after touching the public handrails or elevator buttons. A while ago, there was a junior high school student who touched the unit door handle after school and then picked his nose without washing his hands. He contracted herpetic angina the next day and was unable to even take the final exam.

When it comes to this, some people must ask whether to take extra vitamin C to supplement immunity. There is indeed no unified conclusion in the academic circles. One group believes that daily supplementation of about 100 mg of vitamin C can help maintain the integrity of the respiratory mucosa and reduce the risk of infection. The other group believes that as long as you can eat one pound of fresh vegetables and half a pound of fruit daily, it can fully meet the body's needs. Extra supplementation may increase the risk of urinary tract stones. Everyone can choose according to their own diet. There is no need to blindly follow the trend and buy high-priced vitamin C supplements.

Of course, the most fundamental thing is to keep your immunity online. Let me give you my own example. I stayed up late for three consecutive nights while working on a disease control research project. I usually come into contact with patients every day without getting infected. That time, a nurse in the department happened to be infected with respiratory syncytial virus. I chatted with her for ten minutes and was infected. It took me almost half a month to cough. I have personally tested that staying up late is the number one killer of immunity. You can think of the respiratory mucosa as a security door at home. With a regular schedule, balanced nutrition, and moderate exercise, this door will be tightly closed. No matter how ferocious the virus is, it will be difficult for the virus to break in. If you stay up late every day and eat heavy junk food every day, the door will be left ajar, and the virus will not be able to get in easily.

There are also many people who struggle with whether to disinfect their homes every day. There are different opinions on this. Some people think that it is safe to wipe the floor and spray furniture with alcohol or chlorine-containing disinfectants every day. There are also clinical data showing that over-disinfection will destroy the normal flora environment of the respiratory tract and make respiratory tract allergies and infections more likely to occur. Usually, opening windows for ventilation 2-3 times a day for half an hour each time and fully disinfecting the home 1-2 times a week is completely sufficient. There is no need to turn the home into a sterile ward.

By the way, don’t forget to get the corresponding vaccines in time. The annual influenza vaccine, the pneumonia vaccine suitable for the elderly and children, and the current COVID-19 vaccine can help you build a protective buffer in your body. Even if you are really infected, the symptoms will be much milder. My neighbor Uncle Zhang did not get the flu vaccine last year. After being infected, he developed pneumonia and was hospitalized for a week. He made an appointment for the vaccine early this year. Many people around him have caught colds recently and he is fine. In fact, there is really no particularly mysterious secret to prevention. It is all these inconspicuous little habits. Don’t always take the chance that “I won’t fall victim to it”.