The first colds are lurking. Here’s how to prevent them.
In September, the first colds begin. Preventing them is possible. What should be done and what should be avoided.
Stuffy nose and loud sneezing: these are the first signs of the common cold, an appointment with the cold season that every year affects a third of Italians.
The first arrive already in September, together with autumn: the temperature decreases and the viruses that cause it, of which there are more than 250 strains, take advantage of the temperature range to infiltrate the tissues that protect the nose and throat.
If our immune system isn’t strong enough to cope with it, we risk spending a couple of days, or even weeks, in bed with a fever.
Or at least slowed down in our daily routine by muscle pain, sore throat and headache, watery eyes, temporary loss of smell and taste.
A nice annoyance, especially because drugs (usually analgesic and antipyretic anti-inflammatories such as acetylsalicylic acid or paracetamol) are not able to knock out the virus but only to alleviate the symptoms.
All that remains is to play the card of prevention, then, and the best system is surely to strengthen our immune system, turning it into an impenetrable shield for the virus.
Then it will be enough to put into practice some simple hygiene rules and avoid direct contact with those who have already been infected to spend the long winter season away from colds.
A help from vitamins & co.
It is scientifically proven that the immune system can be stimulated and strengthened by a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, able to provide the right amount of vitamins, mineral salts, flavonoids, polyphenols and antioxidants.
Keeping our defenses high is the best prevention: green light, therefore, to foods rich in beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A capable of keeping the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract healthy. It is contained in potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, tomatoes, spinach, broccoli and turnip greens.
Vitamin B, very important for the functioning of the immune system and for the production of antibodies that defend the body from infections, is found instead in egg yolk, brewer’s yeast, milk, soy, wheat germ, brown rice, fresh beans, lentils, hazelnuts, almonds, cabbage, cauliflower.
And then the “classic” vitamin C (present above all in citrus fruits, kiwi, pineapple, peppers, tomatoes, cauliflower, broccoli and in some green leafy salads such as lettuce and radicchio) which, in particular, is able to accelerate healing times and, if taken before symptoms together with the bioflavonoid quercetin (present in apples, red grapes, green tea, red onion, propolis) may be able to nip a cold in the bud.
But also vitamin D, contained in almonds, sesame, wheat germ oil, sunflower, sesame and olive oils, cereals, milk, salmon, tuna, and vitamin E (almonds, hazelnuts, wheat germ and extra virgin olive oil), are very useful against colds.
Help in the fight against colds also comes from polyunsaturated fatty acids (such as linoleic acid) and zinc: taken at the first signs of infection they reduce their incidence and duration.
Several herbs can counteract this annoying seasonal illness. The best known and most effective is certainly echinacea, able to activate the immune system against bacterial and viral infections. If it is combined with propolis, another natural antibiotic, the effect is doubled.
What to do and what to avoid
The viruses responsible for colds spread from one person to another through droplets of “flugge”, or those emitted during a sneeze, able to travel at over 150 kilometers per hour and cover a distance of 6 meters. In a social life like the modern one, contagion is almost assured. Almost, because it is enough to put in place some precautions.
| What to do | That? |
|---|---|
| Wash your hands often | The virus settles on the skin and any type of surface (computer, telephone, desk, bottles, glasses, etc.), where It survives for a few hours. By touching an infected object, the virus passes on our hands and, from here, to the mouth or nose, the routes to the lungs |
| Avoid crowded places | Supermarkets, restaurants, cinemas, but also work environment and school, They are hotbeds of infections, where microorganisms proliferate and They transmit with simple contact. When you can’t stay away from it (this is the case of work), just keep away from people infected with colds |
| No smoking | The smoke paralyzes the vibrating cilia that line the inside of the respiratory tract and have the task of removing foreign bodies. So the virus, instead of being expelled, arrives directly, and smoothly, to the lower respiratory tract (bronchi and lungs) |
| Avoid sudden changes in temperature | It is not the cold that makes us sick, but the sudden and sudden temperature changes between the heated rooms and the outside. A real stress for our immune system that In the long run, it weakens. In this way the doors of the our body to viruses and bacteria (and, therefore, not only to a simple cold but also to more serious infections) |
More useful tips…
Remember to drink plenty of fluids: water is always precious, but it becomes indispensable when you are sick because it allows you to eliminate toxins and rehydrate. Drink at least two liters a day to replenish the one lost with sweat.
Try not to subject yourself to unnecessary stress and force yourself to rest. Seven to eight hours of deep, undisturbed sleep helps fight colds, as demonstrated by a group of researchers at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, USA.
Finally, try to do some physical activity regularly: it helps to develop the immune system and to be more resistant to viruses and bacteria.
Joycelyn Elders is the author and creator of EmpowerEssence, a health and wellness blog. Elders is a respected public health advocate and pediatrician dedicated to promoting general health and well-being.
The blog covers a wide range of topics related to health and wellness, with articles organized into several categories.