Cool Info Lounge

I think preventing a cold is easier in theory. I mean many people know what to to to prevent a cold but they still get it every so often. So what’s the problem? I guess it’s because they don’t do what they’re supposed to do. Just like knowing how to lose weight doesn’t make someone lose weight, right?

Look at me for example. I know what I need to do to prevent a cold (hey, I’m writing this post so I should know what i’m talking about, right? ;)) but like I said in my previous post I get a cold like almost every other month. Even right now I’m having the sniffles and my nose is so stuffy I’m breathing through my mouth. How ironic, huh?

Oh well, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t listen to me though ‘cos I do know a thing or two about how to prevent a cold although I may not always follow my own advice. Anyway…

I’m sure you remember your mom telling you to never walk in the rain, always wear a jacket, and never walk around barefoot when it’s cold, etc. Did you always listen? If you were a good kid you probably did but if you were a little brat like me you probably did those things anyway and you survived. So does any of our moms’ advice really help prevent a cold?

I don’t know, and I don’t think anyone really knows for sure but it kinda makes sense that when your body temperature is low your immune resistance is lowered which makes it easier for you to catch a cold.

But here’s the good news. If you’re living a healthy lifestyle like eating a nutritious diet, exercising regularly, and getting enough rest, you’ll have a strong immune system which certainly helps prevent a cold. And if you do get a cold it usually doesn’t last long.

That’s actually the case with me. My colds usually don’t last more than a few days, a week at most. Every once in a while I’d get a nasty cold that lasts like a month or so and my snot turns thick and yellow. Ok, ok, I know it’s gross. Sorry, just couldn’t resist! ;p

Now the emphasis is on natural alternatives to prevent a cold, like taking supplements like Echinacea, vitamin C, zinc and other herbal remedies to prevent and treat a cold.

Oh yeah, what about chicken soup? Isn’t that also something our moms always told us to eat when we had a cold? Well I recently read that chicken noodle soup broth contains anti-inflammatory properties that help unblock sinus and chest congestion. No wonder it makes us feel better!

One last thing you can do to prevent a cold is to always carry a small bottle of sanitizing gel. It comes in handy when you’re out and about and can’t always wash your hands after touching different objects like door knobs, shaking hands with different people, or blowing your own nose. It helps kill the germs on your hands and prevent a cold.

Ha… hachoo! Sorry, gotta go blow my nose now. Till next time, keep warm and keep healthy!

Posted by Tanya

Prevent a cold? Is that even possible? The common cold is the most common ailment in the US and probably the entire world. On average adults get 2 - 4 colds a year, and kids get 6 - 10 colds a year. My daughter and I can attest to that. I get a cold almost every other month and my little girl… she gets it pretty much every month.

Between her colds and seasonal allergies, her nose constantly runs all year long. As you probably agree having a cold can be pretty miserable. Your nose is all stuffed up, you keep on sneezing and coughing all day. You may also get a headache and have trouble sleeping. So you wish you could prevent a cold. But you know what? My little brat actually says she likes having a cold ‘cos she gets to blow her nose all day which is fun. Don’t you just love kids? But I kinda agree that blowing your nose can be fun, haha!

But the thing is she doesn’t always blow her nose. Often times she would just sniffle and wipe her runny nose with her hands and go on to touch other things like her toys, books, the phone, etc. and that’s exactly how you spread the cold virus. I’ve taught her not to do that but it goes in one ear and out the other (sigh!).

So how do you prevent a cold? The most obvious thing is to wash your hands often especially during cold season. Another thing you can do to help prevent a cold is to avoid touching your nose and eyes because that’s the most common way the cold virus enters your body (through your nose and eyes).

Another important thing you can do to prevent a cold from spreading is to cover your mouth when you sneeze to reduce the amount of germs floating through the air. I have to admit I’m a bad example for my daughter in this matter since often times I forget to cover my mouth when I sneeze which often gets me in trouble with my dad.

Like one time he yelled at me, “Tanya, how many times do I have to tell you to cover your mouth when you sneeze?! You’re a big girl now, you should know better!” All I could say was, “oops, sorry!” And I saw my daughter giggling from a distance.

What else can you do to prevent a cold? Oh, have you heard of this one? Many mothers would assign each sick person in their home a bag to place their snotty tissues. When the bag is full they can put it in the trash without other people touching it.

Well, I actually have a better idea. I don’t use tissue at all. I just blow my nose in my bare hands and immediately wash them. I know, I know, some of you are screaming “eeww, gross!” But I think it’s actually cleaner than using a tissue and it’s more environmentally friendly Hey, it’s your own snot you’re touching and you wash your hands righ away. When you use tissue you can still get some snot on your hands, and you may not wash them :p

Ok, that’s all for now. Actually I have more to write about how to prevent a cold but it’s late, I’m kinda tired and my nose is running (sniff, sniff!). So maybe I’ll write another post later.

Posted by Tanya