Make It A Happy & Healthy BCS

01/06/2012

This upcoming weekend many of you will be heading down to the Big Easy for the national championship. And whether you’ll be going to the game or just going down for the atmosphere… you won’t be alone. From Houston, TX all the way to Fort Payne, AL the pickup trucks, Mercedes, and RVs are all bound for New Orleans.

And there are enough head colds going around right now with the temperature fluctuations we’ve experienced over the last week and from people’s exhaustion during the holidays, that the collection of people that will all be within a 10 mile radius for the festivities this weekend – it is a bit of a bacterial nightmare.

Now, I’m not saying don’t go. Because then I wouldn’t be following my own advice. (Unless of course if you wanted to swing a few extra tickets my way – I’m sure I could find some folks to take your place.)

I am excited about the trip down and the prospect of Alabama getting number 14. But I am also going to be prepared so that when I get back – I won’t be as sick as everybody else.

Not that I’m expecting everyone to be on their best behavior this weekend, I’m at least hopeful that these tips can make your trip to the Big Easy a little easier on your body.

  1. Try and get 8 hours of sleep a night. It’s amazing what rest can do for your body. And if you’re not going down until Saturday or Sunday, make it a point to rest up before you arrive.
  2. Drink water. And lots of it. If you’re going to be drinking alcohol on your trip – it’s important to keep your body hydrated and reduce the likelihood of hangovers. A one-to-one ratio is the way to go.
  3. Waterless soap. Go get it and keep it with you. Apply liberally and often. Get that bacteria off of your hands where it can later be inhaled (scratching your nose, eating, etc.).
  4. If you are going to cough or sneeze, do it into the corner of your arm and not into your hands where you can spread your germs.
  5. Eat some good food. And by ‘good’ I don’t mean necessarily good-tasting. New Orleans has some of the best restaurants in the world. But do your best to at least get some fruits and vegetables for breakfast.

As for the game itself… I see it as close, one-score game going into the second half, but Alabama’s defense will eventually flip the field to help Bama get up two scores and then the Tide will just sit on the ball with Trent running the wildcat ‘til 0:00.

Bama gets their fourteenth championship… 24-10.

Roll Tide and Be Well,

Dr. R