Published in the Lynn Haven Ledger, November 2011
Gesundheit Article by: Clark Stream, PA-C
G
esundheit is the German work for health. When a person sneezes, Germans typically say gesundheit to wish them good health. Another common response to an audible sneeze is “God Bless You”. The custom to bless a sneeze reportedly began on 16 February 590 A.D., when Pope Gregory decreed that whenever someone sneezed, others should say “God bless you” in response. During this time Rome was dealing with an outbreak of the bubonic plague. The blessing was given in belief that the one who sneezed wouldn’t then develop the plague. Regardless of what we say when someone sneezes, we know that the sneeze can be the start of an illness such as a cold. According to the Guinness World Record, a 12-year-old in England named Donna Griffiths holds the longest attack of sneezing on record. Apparently, she sneezed for over 978 days between January 1981 and September 1983. At first she sneezed every minute, but as the days moved into weeks and years her sneezes occurred every five minutes. The world speed record for a sneeze is over 115 mph. A sneeze is an irritation to the nasal mucosa that can send up to 40,000 droplets from the nose to a distance of up to 10 feet. With the holiday season in full swing comes an increased opportunity to contract illnesses avoided so far this year. As the temperature outside drops your chances of catching a cold increase. You can reduce your chances by following these 6 simple steps:
1. Sneeze into the bend of your arm. 2. Avoid touching your face with your hands as cold viruses can easily enter your body through the eyes and nose.
3. Wash your hands with soap and water. Alcohol based hand sanitizers are a great alternative to carry with
you during this busy time since cold viruses can live up to three hours on surfaces. 4. Get plenty of rest. Exhaustion can make you more susceptible to the airborne germs that multiply during the colder months. Studies show that 6-8 hours of sleep help fend off germs that can bring down your immunity. 5. Eat as healthy as possible while on the run this holiday season. A balanced diet of carbohydrates, healthy fats, protein and limited processed foods are a great start. Like always, fruits and veggies are best. Also, plenty of vitamin C can help prevent colds. 6. Finally, if you’re the one with the cold…be polite…cover your mouth when you sneeze and wash your hands often to prevent spreading the cold virus. A cold is the one thing you don’t want to share this holiday season. Gesundheit and God bless you.