Author Topic: Disease Prevention Techniques  (Read 9296 times)

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PengyOnHeadset

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Disease Prevention Techniques
« on: Mar 29, 2008, 08:39 pm »
When I was on a running crew earlier this year, there was a nasty flu going around.  Since my immune system was out of wack because of crew, and despite my best efforts, I got sick.

What methods do you guys use to stay healthy?

KMC

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Re: Disease Prevention Techniques
« Reply #1 on: Mar 29, 2008, 08:50 pm »
Eat well, sleep, drink lots of water, vitamin C.
Get action. Do things; be sane; don’t fritter away your time; create, act, take a place wherever you are and be somebody; get action. -T. Roosevelt

ddsherrer

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Re: Disease Prevention Techniques
« Reply #2 on: Mar 29, 2008, 10:08 pm »
AIRBOURNE!!!! Lots of it!  Along w/ washing your hands often or using purrell, eating well and drinking way more water than coffee.
~Deb
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Jessie_K

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Re: Disease Prevention Techniques
« Reply #3 on: Mar 29, 2008, 11:16 pm »
Zinc.

BLee

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Re: Disease Prevention Techniques
« Reply #4 on: Mar 29, 2008, 11:28 pm »
Emergen-C

You can find huge packs of the stuff at Walmart, Walgreens, places like that. You mix it with water and you can ward off anything it seems. In my department two (possibly three) strands of flu ravished the department. Actors, crews, designers, professors and everyone else was in danger. The few people who never caught anything (including my acting teacher who was closest in contact to the sickness b/c she was directing, teaching, and private meetings at the time) all took Emergen-C while it was going around.

I was starting to get a cold this last week and I bought some and my congestion is clearing up a lot quicker than normal.
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-Proverb from the Techie Bible.

ScooterSM

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Re: Disease Prevention Techniques
« Reply #5 on: Mar 30, 2008, 12:09 am »
Drink plenty of water.
Wash your hands. 
Don't share water bottles, lip balm, eye drops, or anything else that come in contact with any bodily fluid (insert your own joke here).
Wash your hands.
Cover your mouth with your arm (not your hand) if you sneeze or cough.
Wash your hands.
Use an alcohol based hand sanitizer, but make sure you rub your hands together until they are completely dry.
Drink more water.
And finally...  Wash your hands...

Keeping your body healthy with vitamins, etc is important, as is keeping your body hydrated.  However, the best thing you can do is prevent the transmission of the virus/bacteria.  Even something as small as not sharing your pencils can make a difference (you cough on your hands, someone else picks up your pencil and puts it in their mouth, instant contamination).  Don't feel bad about reminding people about washing their hands or using hand sanitizer.  Keep some next to the pencils and kleenex if you have to.
“I've never been paid a lot, but the theatre has kept me, and for that I shall be eternally grateful.” Tony Church

geoffsm

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Re: Disease Prevention Techniques
« Reply #6 on: Mar 30, 2008, 02:07 am »
I wash my hands as often as possible, drink water every chance I get, and use airborne.  Also, Hand sanitizer is your best friend.
But, sometimes it just isn't possible to ward off everything. I got a virus that was plaguing our campus about a week before we started rehearsals for my current production.  After that, my immune system was screwed and a few weeks ago I ended up with the stomach flu.  I was puking every half hour or so and my assistant director actually had to sternly tell me to stay home and that she would cover rehearsal (she's a former SM)....I was so determined I could go anyway and just puke in a bucket the whole time, lol. 

Rebbe

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Re: Disease Prevention Techniques
« Reply #7 on: Mar 31, 2008, 12:05 am »
If you or someone in your production are seriously ill/contagiously sick…stay home, and see a doctor.  I know it’s easier said than done, but that’s why God made understudies and Stage Managers make paperwork.  Don’t tough it out at work at the expense of other people’s health.  Sick people at work are likely to infect others in the company, and will probably be less productive than usual anyway.  Plus it’s just plain depressing to watch someone suffer through rehearsal  when they should clearly be home in bed.
"...allow me to explain about the theatre business. The natural condition is one of insurmountable obstacles on the road to imminent disaster."  (Philip Henslowe, Shakespeare In Love)

geoffsm

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Re: Disease Prevention Techniques
« Reply #8 on: Mar 31, 2008, 01:04 am »
We learned a valuable lesson this year at TBTG....musical during cold and flu season=BAD IDEA....they had to cancel 2 shows of The Threepenny Opera because the girl playing Macheath (yes, the GIRL...they set it in 1920's Germany in a Cabaret....much gender bending) lost her voice and half the company ended up with the flu.  I was so glad I wasn't the SM and felt so bad for the girl who was. Then, we had a minor MRSA scare....we thought our department was cursed for a while.  We blame it on our TD who said the name of THAT SCOTTISH PLAY during a meeting one day. 

avkid

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Re: Disease Prevention Techniques
« Reply #9 on: Mar 31, 2008, 01:13 pm »
AIRBOURNE!!!!
Does absolutely nothing, and they are getting sued for it.

If you do get a cold- Cold-EEZE is pretty cool, it helps shorten the duration of your illness with a bunch of herbs and stuff.
Do not drink anything with citrus in it or brush your teeth for an hour before or after, as it makes you want to vomit.
Philip LaDue
IATSE Local #21 Newark, NJ

BeckyGG

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Re: Disease Prevention Techniques
« Reply #10 on: Mar 31, 2008, 01:42 pm »
I've  had luck with the various Zicam products for shortening colds, etc either taking them when I feel like I'm coming down with something or already into having a cold.

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Similipoulette

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Re: Disease Prevention Techniques
« Reply #11 on: Apr 02, 2008, 02:30 pm »
Eat well, drink lots of water and every morning a big spoon of cod liver oil (yes I know gross, but I never get sick.)

Trevor7

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Re: Disease Prevention Techniques
« Reply #12 on: Apr 02, 2008, 03:28 pm »
I switched out my daily coffee with vitamin water, and have managed to stay healthy and keep up my energy.

killerdana

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Re: Disease Prevention Techniques
« Reply #13 on: Apr 02, 2008, 04:55 pm »
SLEEP!  I know that's the hardest thing for most of us to do--we're busy and stressed and working long hours.  However, to combat all those problems, you need to sleep.  Your body needs rest to renew itself and let your immune system have time to work.  Vitamins are great (if you're wondering, that's just what Airborne and Emergen-C are), water is great, etc., etc., but sleep is the most important thing our body needs.  Maybe that means you don't go out with everyone after the show, or that you have to reschedule some outside plans, but it will keep you healthier.
Science without art is sterile.  --Albert Einstein

 

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