Healthy Living and Lifestyle Tips Cindy Sass, Registered Dietitian January 19, 2012

 A common cold is an illness caused by a virus infection located in the nose.  Adults average 2 to 3 colds per year and children 6 to 10.  There are over 100 different cold viruses.  Colds last on average for one week.  Mild colds may last only 2 or 3 days while severe colds may last for up to 2 weeks.

 The symptoms of a common cold include:  Sneezing,  runny nose, nasal obstruction,  sore or scratchy throat,  cough, hoarseness,  mild general symptoms like headache, feverishness, chilliness, and not feeling well in general.

 Not everyone who is exposed to the cold virus will get sick with the symptoms.  Cold symptoms are not caused directly by the virus but by the infected persons immune system.

 Cytokines are protein molecules that the immune system produces when you are affected by a cold virus.  Cytokines travel to the site of a infection where they direct the immune response.  These cytokines are the main cause of the symptoms you experience when you have a cold.  You want your body to produce cytokines, but not too much of them.

 Some people may be genetically designed to have a more robust cytokine response.  A weak immune system has nothing to do with getting a cold.  Perfectly healthy people can get colds if they are exposed to cold viruses

Of Getting a Cold

 “The most reliable finding in my research is that people who express more positive emotions all the time, who are upbeat, are much less likely to develop colds when we expose them to cold viruses.” Professor Sheldon Cohen

 People are as much as five times more likely to develop colds if they are experiencing significant stress such as unemployment, marital problems, or conflicts with friends.  The stress has to last a month or more before it has a significant impact.

 People who sleep more than seven hours a night are much less likely to develop colds.  People who averaged less than seven hours a night were three times more likely to develop a cold than those who averaged eight hours.

 Numerous studies have found that people who exercise during the the fall and winter, the fewer sore throats, headaches, fever and other ailments they suffered.  When exercisers get sick, their symptoms are milder.

 Nasal secretions containing cold viruses contaminate the hands of people with colds. Also, cold viruses may contaminate objects and surfaces in the environment of a cold sufferer.  Young children are the major reservoir of cold viruses and a particularly good source of virus containing nasal secretions.  Limit contact with known cold sufferers, especially during the first three days of their illness.

 Practice preventive measures which keep cold virus from entering the nose:  Wash hands after contact with cold sufferers and objects and surfaces they may have contaminated.  Keep fingers out of the eyes and nose.  Avoid having cold sufferers cough and sneeze on you or in your direction.

 Removes cold viruses from the skin of the hand and fingers.  Virus is removed by the mechanical action of washing.  Is especially important after contact with a cold sufferer or with objects or surfaces which may be contaminated.  Is particularly important after contact with young children with colds.  Germicidal hand lotions do not reliably kill rhinovirus, the most important cold virus.

Of Getting a Cold

 On a yearly basis, not just when you start to feel unwell.  Rely on real food not vitamins.  Eat more fruits and vegetables.  Lean meat and poultry, fish, whole grains, nuts and seeds, low fat dairy.  A healthy body tends to have a healthy immune system.

 Powdered extract from the American Ginseng plant.  Will not stop colds and the flu in its tracks or give immediate relief like it claims.  Has some evidence that it may reduce frequency, duration and severity of colds.

 Does not prevent colds.  In 30 studies in which people got some 10,000 colds it cut the duration of a cold by about half a day.  Most people took 1000 mg before and while they were sick.

 Probiotics may help colds.  Data from 10 randomized clinical studies involving 3,451 participants showed people who consumed probiotics for more than a week had 12 percent fewer respiratory infections than those who were treated for less than a week or given a placebo.

 Cold-Eeze,, EpiCor, Airborn, very little evidence that these have any benefit.  Vitamin D – evidence is meager.  Echinacea – most studies show it does not prevent or lessen cold symptoms.

 Have an upbeat personality  Avoid long term stress  Sleep well  Engage in moderate exercise  Wash your hands, try to avoid touching your face  Eat more fruits and vegetables.

 Take 1,000 mg of vitamin C  Eat yogurt or another source of probiotics  Take Cold Fx  A website to check out for treating your cold symptoms and other information about the common cold