Avoid Getting a Cold this Winter

Avoid Getting a Cold this Winter
by Bronwen de Klerk

It has often been said that there is no ‘cure’ for the common cold. That doesn’t mean that a cold can’t be prevented. We are more likely to contract a cold when our immune system is compromised. This could be due to stress, bad diet or lack of sleep. How often haven’t you started to get a scratchy throat and runny nose after working late over a greasy take-away meal, trying to meet a deadline?

You are more likely to get a cold in winter since most cold viruses thrive better in colder temperatures, when there is less humidity in the atmosphere. So, when the temperature outside starts to decrease and your immune system is already compromised, you are bound to come down with a cold.

There is often confusion between the symptoms of colds, flu and seasonal allergies. There are notable differences as can be noted in the summary below:

Characteristic	Cold	Flu	Seasonal Allergies
Chest infection/cough	Common - mild to moderate	Common - can become severe. Pneumonia is a common complication	Rare
Fever	Rare (except in young children)	Usually high - may last 3-4 days	Not present
General aches & pains	Mild	Usual - can be severe	Rare
Headache	Rare	Common	Rare
Sneezing/red, watery, itchy eyes	Usual, but more prevalent in allergies	Rare	Usual, especially sneezing - these symptoms come on quickly, without the warning signs of a cold, and can last longer
Sore throat	Usual	Occasional	Occasional
Stuffy nose	Usual	Occasional	Occasional
Tiredness	Mild	Severe	Rare
Duration	7-10 days	Up to a month	As long as allergen is present

Taken from: Prescription for Nutritional Healing by Phyllis A. Balch

As mentioned previously, it is better to prevent a cold. You can do this by eating a healthy diet and taking a good multi-vitamin and mineral with some extra vitamin C*. Some foods that contain high doses of vitamin C include:

Red chilli peppers, guavas, red sweet peppers, parsley, turnip greens, green sweet peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, red cabbage, strawberries, papayas and oranges

Once you have already contracted the virus, it is best to let it run its course. Taking any sort of medications that will suppress the symptoms prevent the body from naturally eliminating the virus. All you should then do is try and support your immune system by taking high doses of vitamin C* and avoid taking alcohol, sweets and greasy foods.

Sometimes the stress we put on our bodies is unavoidable e.g. we need to work late to meet a deadline. In these times it is important to take care of the things that are in our control. For instance, we can try to eat a healthy take-away meal and we could take some extra vitamin supplements.

It is estimated that healthy adults get an average of two colds per year, so don’t get despondent if you follow all the rules and still get sick. Just take it as a sign that your body is asking for a little time-out.

* Consult your natural health-care provider for exact quantities of supplements you should be taking.

When to consult a doctor: If congestion develops in the chest as chest (lung) infections can be serious. Also if your fever is high for more than three days, if yellow or white spots appear in the throat, if the lymph nodes under the jaw and in the neck become enlarged, and/or if chills and shortness of breath occur.

Disclaimer
This newsletter is not intended to replace the services of a suitably qualified practitioner. Any application of the recommendations set forth in this newsletter is at the reader's discretion and sole risk.