As usual, it has become part of the cycle that is repeated every year, along with the fall of the rains and arrival of the cold season.
Each cold and rainy season is almost inevitable to fall into the networks of a constipated, or rather, two to three, as the World Health Organization assures.
In order to avoid the most prevalent disease in the world, the Common Cold Center of the University of Cardiff has developed a series of guidelines to avoid falling into the networks of this type of virus.
Despite this, they remember that “only a hermit could avoid these diseases”, which are transmitted through direct contact, it is very difficult to completely isolate yourself from any possibility of contagion.
Experts remember, as has been pointed out on multiple occasions, that the cold itself does not cause colds or flu, although they can contribute to preserving these viruses, so the association between low temperatures and these diseases is not free.
In addition, it is noted that there are many people who have vitamin C, but it does not prevent colds, or at least, there is not enough scientific evidence to maintain such an idea, as revealed by a study published a few years ago by The Department of Public Health of the University of Helsinki.
So, what can we do to keep colds at bay in cold and rainy season?
Hand washing reduced incidence of colds by 45%
Careful with the feet. A classic advice of the grandmothers, but that was rarely accompanied by its scientific explanation (that there is): an investigation carried out in the Common Cold Center of the University of Cardiff discovered that, for example, put the feet in a basin of cold water doubled the chances of suffering from a cold, something they found after submitting to this test a group of 90 students.
However, the group of scientists clarified that perhaps, simply, the ice water would have brought out the symptoms of a disease that was already present but had not yet manifested.
Wash your hands.
It is worth remembering once again: the constipated and the flu are contagious by direct contact.
And it is not enough to simply wet your hands and dry them quickly, but you have to rub them well, with soap, and at least for 20 seconds.
It can be tedious, but it can also make a difference. A famous experiment conducted by the United States Navy showed that after forcing soldiers to wash their hands five times a day, the incidence of colds had been reduced by no less than 45%.
Don’t touch your face.
The eyes, nose and mouth are the most sensitive areas of the body for the entrance of pernicious organisms.
The tendency of children to touch their faces makes them easy targets for this type of bacteria, which is why they usually spend more time in colds than adults.
In addition, children are more contagious than adults during the first two days of illness.
Avoid stress .
A stressed man is the perfect victim of cold bacteria. When we are more nervous than usual, our immune system begins to weaken and the production of interleukins begins to fall.
A study published this year in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, that chronic stress caused the cold to be stronger and harder to heal.
“The symptoms of a cold are not caused by a virus, but by the inflammatory response to the infection,” said Sheldon Cohen, responsible for the investigation.
Don’t sneeze in your hands
Do not sneeze in your hands. The most common reaction is to cover your mouth with your hands when we sneeze, but it is the best way to spread our bacteria and contribute to the contagion of anyone who is going to shake our hands.
It is preferable to sneeze in our sleeves, or even better, in a tissue. Failing that, ask those around you to do the same, or protect your mouth with a handkerchief (which has to be thrown away immediately) so that you do not get sick.
Rest well.
Just as it is important to be relaxed, enjoying sufficient sleep is essential to keep out of reach of colds.
The reason is again the protection of our immune system, which is the main defense against this type of infection. It is no longer just about escaping from the common cold, but also about many other diseases.
Do not smoke or drink.
Smokers are more likely to fall into the arms of the cold and the flu, as statistics show, as well as to aggravate their symptoms through inflammation of the throat.
For its part, alcohol attacks the immune system that protects our body, dehydrates our body and promotes the appearance of infections.
Caution with closed spaces.
Hospitals, airports and crowded public transport.
These are three of the places where it is most likely to catch a cold, because in them, the concentration of people is very high and the possibility of contagion, much higher.
So, although the cold seems the main cause of these ailments, it is preferable to go out to the street to take the air to expose themselves to contagion in crowded places.
Eat garlic and yogurt.
Garlic is a food that protects our immune system from a large number of bacterial infections, specifically, thanks to components such as alicin, ajoene and thiosulfinatos. For its part, yogurt helps the positive bacteria that are the ones that create the white blood cells that protect us.
Do not trust
antibiotics.
Although we should never self-medicate under any circumstances, we have to remember that antibiotics kill bacteria and not viruses, for which pressuring the doctor to provide them is not only useless, but counterproductive, since it can kill bacteria that are part of our defenses.
Zinc can help (but be careful).
A study published last year showed that the consumption of zinc supplements could prevent constipation, but that does not mean that we should throw ourselves to consume it without taking precautions, since there is still no agreement on what the dose is indicated In addition, they can hurt the stomach and cause side effects such as nausea.
The effect of this mineral, according to the most recent research, is that it prevents the entry of the organism into our body and, subsequently, prevents its reproduction.
For this reason, it is indicated that it should be consumed during the first 24 hours of the disease, with the aim of shortening the duration of the disease
