Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/439403
S A C R E D H E A R T E A U C L A I R E . O R G 3 It's not too late to get the seasonal flu vaccine. Visit sacredhearteauclaire.org and select "Family Care Clinics" under the "Centers & Services" tab or visit stjoeschipfalls.com/our_physicians to find a provider today. Need more inspiration to stay active? Learn about the services at the L.E. Phillips Senior Center by visiting lephillipsseniorcenter.com. NEW RESEARCH FROM a British study suggests that greeting someone with a fist bump reduces germ exposure when compared to a traditional handshake. The data showed that shaking hands meant people shared 10 times more bacteria than when they bumped fists. "The fist bump may offer some added protection when greeting others," says Cheryl Rihn, RN, MSN, CNOR, Infection Prevention Manager at HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital and HSHS St. Joseph's Hospital. "However, it should not be considered a replacement for good hygiene or the seasonal flu vaccine." FLU ON THE FINGERS The germs that lead to influenza can accompany handshakes, hugs, and even fist bumps, so take time to wash hands with warm water and soap or use an alcohol- based antibacterial gel to kill influenza germs before they reach your respiratory system. "Proper hand hygiene is one of the easiest ways to protect against illness," Rihn says. "People should wash their hands for at least 20 seconds at a time, especially under the fingernails, whenever they are visibly soiled, and before eating, since germs can linger on the backs of the hands and fingers." COOKING A MEAL from scratch, tending a small garden, canning fresh produce—all are examples of activities people participated in and often relied upon throughout the decades, before contemporary technology encroached upon everyday life. Why do these traditions bring so much joy, and why are they coming back into style? "In today's world, everything can be purchased or replaced in an instant," says Mary Pica Anderson, Executive Director of the L.E. Phillips Senior Center. "Activities such as writing letters or mending clothes allow people to slow down and truly focus on what they are doing. These actions also take a certain amount of skill, which can help maintain brain function, no matter a person's age." TRY A TIMELESS HABIT Add one of these pursuits to your routine and see if it brings a feeling of accomplishment and calm in your day. • Make your own tea blends. If you don't have time or the space to grow a large garden, try maintaining a countertop garden filled with herbs such as mint, lavender, and camellia sinensis, which can be dried and served as tea. • Send a note. Put down your smartphone or tablet and write a short note to a friend after your regular coffee date or get- together, or simply just to check in. Learning from Days Gone By IN TODAY'S HYPER-CONNECTED WORLD, TIME-HONORED HABITS ARE FINDING A RENAISSANCE AMONG YOUNGER GENERATIONS. WHEN WE RUN INTO OLD FRIENDS, WE OFTEN GREET THEM WITH A HEARTY HANDSHAKE OR HUG. NEXT TIME, CONSIDER A FIST-BUMP GREETING, INSTEAD. SHUN THE 'SHAKE, EMBRACE THE BUMP