2008 Woodie Awards
How To: Avoid the Common Cold
Crash Course
Elizabeth A. Terry
Issue date: 9/25/07 Section: Life
Aaacccccccchoooo!!!
Your roommate is wheezing away and there are trash canisters full of white clouds of tissues. It's that time again, and if you haven't gotten sick yet there is a good chance you will. According to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., the average adult catches between two and four colds a year.
Getting a cold is no fun, and that run-down feeling could really make you want to give up and stay in bed. Before you and your immune system are ready to give up the battle, though, here are some helpful suggestions for beating the fall cold and flu season. Some of these tips may seem like common sense, but think of them as helpful reminders.
-Wash your hands. Duh. What may come as a surprise to you is that just throwing them under some warm water and rubbing soap on them for three or four seconds doesn't do the trick. According to the Centers for Diesease Control and Prevention "it is best to wash your hands with soap and clean running water for 20 seconds."
Tip: Try singing a song in your head, like "Happy Birthday," twice while you wash your hands to keep track of the time. Also, if soap and clean water are not available, you can use an alcohol-based product, like Purell, to clean your hands.
-Get sleep! As simple as it sounds, your immune system will love you for sleep because sleep gives your body time to heal and repair itself.
-There is always the classic vitamin C, as well. Consuming oranges, orange juice, or just a multivitamin every day will help stave off the colds going around campus. When buying vitamins keep in mind the recommended dietary allowance is 90 mg a day for men and 75 mg for women aged 19 or older.
Tip: Make sure you have plenty of all vitamins! Dark green vegetables like spinach are packed with vitamins A and C, and berries are full of antioxidants that can help keep you healthy too. WebMD.com indicates that the Omega-3 fatty acids found in lots of fish, like tuna and salmon, can also help keep your body healthy.
-Don't start smoking. Yet another reason to avoid smoking: it leaves your immune system vulnerable for colds and your body needs more vitamin C than usual.
-Also, watch your zinc intake. Zinc lozenges are quite popular during cold season. Zinc is found in meats, seafood, eggs, and whole-grained foods. Zinc is important, according to WebMD.com, because it prevents the cold viruses from entering the body through the nose and lungs. Zinc may also prevent the virus from duplicating, ultimately leading to the prevention of a cold.
Tip: If you do come down with a cold, drinking warm tea is a great way to soothe a sore throat. Add some honey for a bit of sweetness, and to coat your throat.
-Take care of yourself in the winter. With school back in session it is easy to get stressed out and forget to do little things to take care of your body. Studies have shown that people who exercise regularly are less likely to come down with a cold.
Tip: The idea that getting cold or wet gets you sick is a myth. One which Jonathan Blum, M.D. from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute wants to put to rest. "People stay indoors more in the winter, which puts them closer to each other," Blum writes on the institute's website. "[Also], the air is much drier, which enhances the survival of some viruses."
-Stay hydrated. Remember that the human body needs about eight, eight-ounce glasses of the wet stuff a day.
Here's to staying healthy!
Your roommate is wheezing away and there are trash canisters full of white clouds of tissues. It's that time again, and if you haven't gotten sick yet there is a good chance you will. According to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., the average adult catches between two and four colds a year.
Getting a cold is no fun, and that run-down feeling could really make you want to give up and stay in bed. Before you and your immune system are ready to give up the battle, though, here are some helpful suggestions for beating the fall cold and flu season. Some of these tips may seem like common sense, but think of them as helpful reminders.
-Wash your hands. Duh. What may come as a surprise to you is that just throwing them under some warm water and rubbing soap on them for three or four seconds doesn't do the trick. According to the Centers for Diesease Control and Prevention "it is best to wash your hands with soap and clean running water for 20 seconds."
Tip: Try singing a song in your head, like "Happy Birthday," twice while you wash your hands to keep track of the time. Also, if soap and clean water are not available, you can use an alcohol-based product, like Purell, to clean your hands.
-Get sleep! As simple as it sounds, your immune system will love you for sleep because sleep gives your body time to heal and repair itself.
-There is always the classic vitamin C, as well. Consuming oranges, orange juice, or just a multivitamin every day will help stave off the colds going around campus. When buying vitamins keep in mind the recommended dietary allowance is 90 mg a day for men and 75 mg for women aged 19 or older.
Tip: Make sure you have plenty of all vitamins! Dark green vegetables like spinach are packed with vitamins A and C, and berries are full of antioxidants that can help keep you healthy too. WebMD.com indicates that the Omega-3 fatty acids found in lots of fish, like tuna and salmon, can also help keep your body healthy.
-Don't start smoking. Yet another reason to avoid smoking: it leaves your immune system vulnerable for colds and your body needs more vitamin C than usual.
-Also, watch your zinc intake. Zinc lozenges are quite popular during cold season. Zinc is found in meats, seafood, eggs, and whole-grained foods. Zinc is important, according to WebMD.com, because it prevents the cold viruses from entering the body through the nose and lungs. Zinc may also prevent the virus from duplicating, ultimately leading to the prevention of a cold.
Tip: If you do come down with a cold, drinking warm tea is a great way to soothe a sore throat. Add some honey for a bit of sweetness, and to coat your throat.
-Take care of yourself in the winter. With school back in session it is easy to get stressed out and forget to do little things to take care of your body. Studies have shown that people who exercise regularly are less likely to come down with a cold.
Tip: The idea that getting cold or wet gets you sick is a myth. One which Jonathan Blum, M.D. from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute wants to put to rest. "People stay indoors more in the winter, which puts them closer to each other," Blum writes on the institute's website. "[Also], the air is much drier, which enhances the survival of some viruses."
-Stay hydrated. Remember that the human body needs about eight, eight-ounce glasses of the wet stuff a day.
Here's to staying healthy!
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