Okay, now this is certainly not an exact “science”. However, we know that some of the following strategies have been shown in various studies to perhaps help you reduce your need for boxes and boxes of facial tissues and just in general feeling “lousy” for a week or so after succumbing to the “common cold”.
Get enough sleep and rest can help you and your immune system. Not an easy task in our every multi-tasking society.
A healthful diet abundant of (colorful) fruits and vegetables with their numerous phytonutrients can’t hurt, according to some researchers. Believe it or not, there is even a study finding “chicken soup” can perhaps help to fight a cold.
Second, ask your health care provider to measure your Vitamin D level and make recommendations on an appropriate daily dosage for you. Studies have linked lower levels of Vitamin D with more getting colds more frequently and conversely those in the same study that had higher levels may be associated with significantly fewer colds.
Wash those hands. Know the “happy birthday” song; in other words, if you can recite this song, then you have adequately spent enough time washing your hands with warm, soapy water.
When soap and water and a faucet is not available, use alcohol hand sanitizer (60% or greater concentration) to try and kill cold germs on your hands and fingers.
Stay home if you are spewing forth with cold germs via sneezing, runny nose and coughing. You will be doing your friends, colleagues, classmates and co-workers a big favor!
Use facial tissues not your hands when you sneeze as well as trying not to rub your nose and eyes to reduce transmission of viral particles that cause colds.
Lastly, make sure you actually have a cold, it could be an allergy! Most allergies are associated with itchiness of the eyes, nose and throat and are associated with a good response to allergy medications. Allergy symptoms are also generally occurring in a pattern, such as after petting/brushing a pet, sweeping or cleaning, for example.
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