UBANI othanda ukugula? Cishe ukugula kuyaphazamisa futhi kuyizindleko. Awugcini nje ngokungazizwa kahle, kodwa ungase ungakwazi ukuya emsebenzini noma esikoleni, ukuthola imali noma ukunakekela umndeni wakho. Ungase udinge ngisho nomuntu ozokunakekela, kudingeke nokuba ukhokhe izindleko ezinkulu zemithi nezokwelashwa.

Kungakho kuthiwa “Ukugoma kungcono kunokwelapha.” Okunye ukugula akunakugwenywa. Noma kunjalo, kuningi ongakwenza ukuze unciphise noma ugweme ukungenwa izifo. Cabangela izinto ezinhlanu ongazenza kusukela manje ukuze ube nempilo engcono.

NgokweMayo Clinic, “enye yezindlela ezingcono kakhulu zokugwema ukugula nokusakazeka kwezifo,” ukugeza izandla njalo. Enye yezindlela ezilula kakhulu zokungenwa umkhuhlane noma imfuluwenza, ukunwaya ikhala noma amehlo ngezandla ezinamagciwane. Isivikelo esikhulu salokho, ukugeza izandla njalo. Imikhuba emihle yenhlanzeko ingavimbela nokusakazeka kwezifo ezimbi nakakhulu ezifana nenyumoniya nezifo zohudo, eziyimbangela yokufa kwezingane ezingaphansi kweminyaka emihlanu, ezingaphezu kwezigidi ezimbili njalo ngonyaka. Ngisho nokusakazeka kwesifo esibulalayo se-Ebola kungancishiswa ngokulandela lo mkhuba olula wokugeza izandla.

Kunezikhathi lapho ukugeza izandla kubaluleke nakakhulu ekuvikeleni impilo yakho neyabanye. Kufanele ugeze izandla zakho:

• Ngemva kokuya endlini encane.

• Ngemva kokushintsha inabukeni lomntwana noma kokumsiza lapho esendlini encane.

• Ngaphambi nangemva kokwelapha isilonda noma ukusikeka.

• Ngaphambi nangemva kokuba nomuntu ogulayo.

• Ngaphambi kokuthinta ukudla, ukukuphaka, noma ukukudla.

• Ngemva kokuthimula, ukukhwehlela, noma ukufinya.

• Ngemva kokuthinta isilwane noma indle yaso.

• Ngemva kokuthinta udoti.

Ungamane uphethe ngokuthi uzihlanza ngendlela efanele izandla zakho. Ucwaningo lubonisa ukuthi abantu abaningi abasebenzisa izindlu zangasese zomphakathi abazigezi izandla uma sebeqedile noma abazigezi ngendlela efanele. Kufanele uzigeze kanjani izandla zakho?

• Zimanzise ngamanzi ahlanzekile bese usebenzisa insipho.

• Zihlikihle kuze kube negwebu, ungakhohlwa ukuhlanza izinzipho, izithupha, ingemuva lezandla naphakathi kweminwe.

• Qhubeka uzihlikihla kuze kuphele okungenani imizuzwana engu-20.

• Ziyakaze ngamanzi ahlanzekile ahambayo.

• Zesule ngendwangu ehlanzekile noma ngephepha lakhona.

Lezi izinyathelo ezilula kodwa ezingakuvikela ezifweni futhi zisindise ukuphila.

Ukuthola amanzi ahlanzekile anele azosetshenziswa umndeni, kuwumsebenzi wansuku zonke kwamanye amazwe. Nokho, ukuthola amanzi ahlanzekile kungaba yinselele kunoma iyiphi ingxenye yomhlaba uma umthombo oyinhloko wamanzi ahlanzekile ovame ukusetshenziswa ungcola, mhlawumbe ngenxa yesikhukhula, isiphepho, ipayipi eliqhumile, noma okunye. Uma amanzi engaveli emthonjeni ophephile noma engagcinwa ngendlela efanele, lokho kungabangela ukungenwa amagciwane, ikholera, isifo sohudo esiyingozi, i-typhoid, ukusha kwesibindi nokunye ukugula. Ukuphuza amanzi angcolile kungezinye zezimbangela zezifo zohudo ezilinganiselwa ezigidini eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-1,7 ezibikwayo unyaka ngamunye.

Ngokuvamile ikholera itholakala lapho umuntu ephuza amanzi noma edla ukudla okungcoliswe yindle yabantu abanalesi sifo. Iziphi izinyathelo ongazithatha ukuze uzivikele kulolu hlobo kanye nezinye zokungcoliswa kwamanzi, ngisho nalapho kusanda kugadla inhlekelele?

• Qiniseka ukuthi wonke amanzi owaphuzayo—kuhlanganise nalawo oxubha ngawo, owenza ngawo iqhwa, ogeza ngawo ukudla nezitsha noma opheka ngawo—avela emthonjeni ophephile njengomthombo womphakathi ohlanzwa ngendlela efanele noma emabhodleleni avela enkampanini ethenjwayo.

• Uma kunezinsolo zokuthi amanzi athuthwa ngamapayipi angcolile, wabilise ngaphambi kokuwasebenzisa noma uwahlanze ngekhemikhali elifanele.

• Lapho usebenzisa amakhemikhali afana ne-chlorine noma amaphilisi okuhlanza amanzi, zilandele ngokucophelela iziqondiso zokuwasebenzisa.

• Sebenzisa izinto zokucwenga amanzi ezinokwethenjelwa uma zitholakala futhi zingabizi kakhulu.

• Uma engekho amakhemikhali okuhlanza amanzi, faka amaconsi amabili e-bleach evamile elitheni lamanzi, wagoqoze kahle bese uwayeka imizuzu engu-30 ngaphambi kokuwasebenzisa.

• Ukuze uvikele amanzi ahlanzekile ukuba angangcoli, wagcine ezitsheni ezihlanzekile futhi uwamboze.

• Qiniseka ukuthi noma yini esetshenziselwa ukukha amanzi esitsheni agcinwe kuso ihlanzekile.

• Zibambe ngezandla ezihlanzekile izitsha ezigcina amanzi futhi ungafaki iminwe emanzini azophuzwa.

Ngeke ube nempilo enhle uma ungazondli kahle, kanti ukuze wondleke kahle kudingeka udle ukudla okunomsoco. Kungase kudingeke ubheke izinga likasawoti, lamafutha nelikashukela owusebenzisayo futhi kufanele uqaphe ukuba ungadli kakhulu. Yidla izithelo nemifino futhi ungadli ukudla okufanayo njalo. Ukufunda okubhalwe ngaphandle ephaketheni lokudla kuyokusiza ukuba ukhethe ukudla okunokolo lapho uthenga isinkwa, ama-cereal, i-pasta noma ilayisi. Lolu hlobo lokudla lunomsoco kakhulu kanye ne-fiber kunalolo olwenziwe ngokusanhlamvu okucolisisiwe. Ukuze uthole amaprotheni, yidla kancane inyama ebomvu neyezilwane ezinamaphiko engenawo amafutha futhi uzame nokudla inhlanzi kaningana ngesonto uma kungenzeka. Kwamanye amazwe amaprotheni angatholakala ngobuningi emifinweni.

Uma udla kakhulu ukudla okunoshukela namafutha anqumayo, uzibeka engozini yokukhuluphala ngokweqile. Ukuze unciphise le ngozi, phuza amanzi esikhundleni seziphuzo ezinoshukela. Yidla izithelo esikhundleni sikaphudingi onoshukela. Nciphisa ukudla okunamafutha anqumayo okufana namasoseji, inyama, ibhotela, amakhekhe, noshizi. Esikhundleni sokusebenzisa amafutha anqumayo lapho upheka ungase usebenzise izinhlobo zamafutha anempilo.

I-sodium noma usawoti omningi ekudleni kungakufaka engozini yokukhushukelwa umfutho wegazi. Uma lena kuyinkinga yakho, sebenzisa okubhalwe ngaphandle emaphaketheni okudla ukuze uligcine liphansi izinga le-sodium emzimbeni wakho. Esikhundleni sikasawoti sebenzisa izinongo nezithako ukuze wenze ukudla kunambitheke kahle.

Akulona uhlobo lokudla oludlayo kuphela olubalulekile kodwa nokuthi udla kangakanani. Ngakho, njengoba ujabulela ukudla kwakho, musa ukuqhubeka udla ngisho nalapho ususuthi.

Okunye okudinga ukuqashwa, ingozi yokudla ukudla okungakugulisa. Noma yikuphi ukudla kungakugulisa uma kungalungisiwe kahle noma kungagciniwe kahle. Unyaka ngamunye, oyedwa kubantu abayisithupha baseMelika uguliswa ukudla akudlile. Abaningi balulama kahle kodwa abanye bayafa. Yini ongayenza ukuze unciphise leyo ngozi?

• Imifino ikhula enhlabathini okungenzeka yafakwa umanyolo, ngakho igezisise ngaphambi kokuyipheka.

• Geza izandla zakho, into oqobela kuyo, imimese, izinkezo, izitsha netafula ngamanzi ashisayo anensipho ngaphambi kokuqala ukupheka.

• Ukuze ubalekele amagciwane, ungakubeki ukudla endaweni noma epuletini ebelinezinto eziluhlaza ezifana namaqanda, inyama yenkukhu, inyama ebomvu noma inhlanzi, ngaphambi kokuligeza kuqala.

• Pheka ukudla ngezinga lokushisa elifanele, bese ngokushesha ufaka esiqandisini noma ikuphi ukudla okungonakala eningeke nikudle ngaleso sikhathi.

• Lahla ukudla okungonakala osekuhlale ngaphandle kwesiqandisi isikhathi esingaphezu kwamahora amabili noma elilodwa uma izinga lokushisa endlini lingaphezu kuka-32°C.

Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uneminyaka emingaki, ukuvivinya umzimba njalo uyakudinga ukuze uhlale usesimweni esihle. Abantu abaningi namuhla abawuvivinyi ngokwanele umzimba. Kungani ukuvivinya umzimba kubalulekile? Ukuvivinya umzimba njalo kungakusiza ukuba:

• Ulale kahle.

• Uhlale uwumqemane.

• Uhlale unamathambo nezicubu eziqinile.

• Ube nesisindo esifanele noma usilondoloze.

• Unciphise amathuba okuba nesifo sokucindezeleka.

• Unciphise amathuba okusheshe ufe.

Uma ungawuvivinyi umzimba, maningi amathuba okuba nalezi zinkinga:

• Isifo senhliziyo.

• Isifo sikashukela sohlobo 2.

• Umfutho ophakeme wegazi.

• Izinga eliphakeme lamafutha egazini.

• Ukushaywa unhlangothi.

Ukuthi iyiphi indlela efanele yokuvivinya umzimba, kuncike empilweni naseminyakeni yakho yobudala, ngakho kuyoba ukuhlakanipha ukuthintana nodokotela wakho ngaphambi kokuba uqale izinhlelo zokuzivivinya. Ngokwezindlela ezihlukahlukene ezituswayo, izingane kuhlanganise nentsha kufanele okungenani bazivivinye ngokusesilinganisweni kuye ekuzivivinyeni ngokuzikhandla imizuzu engu-60 nsuku zonke. Abantu abadala kufanele babe nemizuzu engu-150 yokuzivivinya ngokusesilinganisweni noma engu-75 yokuzivivinya ngokuzikhandla masonto onke.

Khetha indlela yokuzivivinya oyijabulelayo. Ungase ucabangele i-basketball, ibhola lomphebezo, elikanobhutshuzwayo, ukuhamba ngokushesha, ukugibela ibhayisikili, ukulungisa ingadi, ukucanda izinkuni, ukubhukuda, ukugwedla isikebhe, ukugijima, noma ezinye izindlela zokuzivocavoca. Ungazi kanjani ukuthi indlela ozivivinya ngayo isesilinganisweni noma eyokuzikhandla? Isimiso esivamile siwukuthi ukuzivivinya okusesilinganisweni kukwenza ujuluke, kodwa ukuzivivinya ngokuzikhandla kwenza kube nzima ukuxoxa lapho ukwenza.

UKUTHI udinga ukulala isikhathi esingakanani, kuyahlukahluka kuye ngabantu. Iningi lezinsana lilala amahora angu-16 kuya kwangu-18 ngosuku, izingane ezicathulayo cishe kungaba amahora angu-14, kanti eseziya enkulisa kungaba amahora angu-11 noma angu-12. Izingane eseziseminyakeni yokuya esikoleni ngokuvamile zidinga ukulala okungenani amahora ayishumi, intsha esanda kweva eshumini nambili mhlawumbe kungaba amahora angu-9 noma ayishumi, abantu abadala angaba ngu-7 kuya ku-8.

Ukulala ngokwanele, yinto okufanele siyenze nakanjani. Ezinye izazi zithi, ukulala ngokwanele kubalulekile ukuze:

• Izingane nentsha bakhule ngendlela efanele.

• Sifunde futhi sigcine ulwazi olusha.

• Sigcine ama-hormone ahlobene nokugayeka kokudla kanye nesisindo somzimba esezingeni elikahle.

• Sigcine imithambo yenhliziyo iphile kahle.

• Sivikeleke ezifweni.

Ukungalali kahle kuye kwahlotshaniswa nokukhuluphala ngokweqile, isifo sokucindezeleka, isifo senhliziyo, isifo sikashukela, nezingozi ezibulalayo. Cishe lokhu kusinika isizathu esihle sokufuna ukulala ngokwanele.

Pho yini ongayenza uma ubona ukuthi unenkinga yokungalali ngokwanele?

• Zama ukulala futhi uvuke ngesikhathi esifanayo nsuku zonke.

• Lala endaweni ethule, engenakho ukukhanya, engabandi noma ishise kakhulu futhi ekwenza uzizwe ukhululekile.

• Ungabukeli ithelevishini noma usebenzise imishini yezobuchwepheshe uma ususembhedeni.

• Yenza umbhede wakho uthokomale kakhulu ngangokunokwenzeka.

• Gwema ukudla okuqinile, nokuphuza iziphuzo ezine-caffeine, noma utshwala ngaphambi kokuba ulale.

• Uma ngisho noma usuwalandelile la macebiso uzithola uqwasha noma unezinye izinkinga ezihlobene nokulala—njengokozela kakhulu phakathi nosuku, noma ukuphefumula kanzima lapho ulele—kungase kudingeke ukuba ubonane nochwepheshe wezokwelapha.