How to Avoid Getting a Cold- What You May Not Have Known

                                             

Facts about the Cold Virus:

Colds are the most common reason that Americans miss school and work. Adults get an average of 2 to 4 colds each year (over a billion cases in the US annually), and cold symptoms typically last about a week. That’s a lot of time feeling lousy!

What should I do to avoid catching a cold?

1. Wash your hands properly and often. Proper hand washing takes about 15 seconds, lathering with soap and warm water. Thumbs, fingertips, and fingernails are areas that are commonly missed during hand washing.
 

2. Exercise boosts the immune system. People who exercise are less likely to develop a cold. If they do become sick, they generally have less severe symptoms and may recover more quickly compared with those who do no exercise.

3. Avoid contact with infected individuals, and avoid touching your mouth, nose, and eyes!

What you may not have known:

Cold viruses can be spread through the air or by direct contact. Someone who has a cold sneezes onto his or her hand and then touches the telephone, the keyboard, or a doorknob. The germs can live for hours only to be picked up by the next person who touches the same object. What you may not have known is that the virus can then enter our bodies as we touch our mouths, noses and even our eyes. Our tears have defenses that help in fighting bacterial infections, but we are susceptible to viral infections through our eyes, and the cold is a virus.

What about Vitamin C?

There is no cure for the common cold, but Vitamin C has been shown to shorten the duration of cold symptoms. Chicken soup is comforting, plus the steam helps break up nasal congestion. The most important thing you can do is drink a lot of fluids to keep your body hydrated. Avoid drinks like coffee, tea, and colas with caffeine; they may rob your system of fluids.

Sources:
American Lung Association :
http://www.lung.org/lung-disease/influenza/in-depth-resources/facts-about-the-common-cold.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
http://www.cdc.gov/features/rhinoviruses/
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/stopgerms.htm