I’m battling my 4th cold this year and it’s not technically winter yet!
Does my immune system need a boost? Should I eat more oranges? Should I stop catching public transport and start carrying hand sanitiser? Maybe my chakras need realigning. There are more myths surrounding the common cold than in an Ancient Greek textbook. The common cold is an infection in the upper respiratory tract caused by a virus. Symptoms include coughing, sneezing, runny nose, headache, sore throats and blocked nose, and usually last up to two weeks. There is no cure for the common cold because different viruses can cause a cold so it’s tricky for scientists to isolate the culprit. Over-the-counter medicines don’t attack the virus, they just make the symptoms more bearable so we can get a good nights sleep while our bodies battle the invading virus. Belief: Colds are cause be being cold Fact or Myth: Myth How often did your mother tell you as a child to wear a jumper or you’ll catch a cold? Turns out being cold doesn’t give you a cold, but during cold weather people tend to spend more time indoors and close to other people. This close proximity helps the virus spread in cold weather. Also, there is less humidity in autumn and winter which helps the virus spread. Belief: Having Vitamin C with prevent you catching a cold Fact or Myth: Myth Vitamin C won’t stop you catching a cold, but it may help you recover faster. A 2013 study revealed that taking 200mg of Vitamin C per day reduce the duration of colds by about 8% in adults and 14% in children. That’s about 1 day shorter. But that’s for people who have that much Vitamin C everyday – not just when they feel a cold coming on. Most doctors recommend eating a healthy diet rather than taking supplements everyday because we can get enough Vitamin C (as well as other nutrients) from fruit and veggies. Doses of Vitamin C above 400mg start to come out in your urine, so there’s no point having that much – unless you want nutrient rich (and expensive) pee. Belief: Regular hand washing will prevent you catching a cold Fact or Myth: Fact The common cold spreads via airborne particles or by touching secretions from an infected person. This is why you should cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze on the train. Wash your hands regularly, especially after touching handrails, keyboards, phones, buttons, and door handles, and before eating or touching your own face.
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