5 Ways Doctors Avoid Getting Colds

Most physicians do everything they can to fend off winter bugs and blues. After all, if we're not healthy, we can't be there to help keep you healthy. Over nearly three decades in medicine, I've picked up plenty of cold- and flu-defying tips—and they work just as well outside the hospital.

Keep Your Hands Clean
Doctors wash their hands a lot—before and after we see each patient. Scrubbing in for surgery, we typically wash all the way up our arms and under our nails. You don't need to be that extreme; a 20-second session with soap and warm water should do the trick. But make sure you're at the sink often enough. Of course, I wash before preparing food and eating, and after sneezing and using the bathroom. But I also suds up after eating and cleaning up. And I carry an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. (Look for a formula that's at least 60 percent alcohol.) Keeping your hands clean helps prevent the spread of not only flu but also other germs, like those that cause stomach bugs.