Echinacea is sold as an immune boosting herb. The evidence for its effectiveness is good when good quality supplements are used. There is evidence that ... ]]> Every year the cold season arrives, and every year we hope to avoid catching a cold. But can we do anything to prevent getting infected? There are two approaches that we can take.

AVOID THE VIRUS

Colds are caused, mainly, by rhinoviruses. These are spread either by air born means or by direct contact between infected surfaces and us. To avoid catching cold we need to avoid the virus somehow. This is easier said than done, short of hiding in a sealed bunker for three months of the year.

Try to avoid sick people. This is not always practical, but places like movie theaters at the height of the flu season are good place to avoid. It is possible to be carrying the virus for a week before and after you have symptoms, so an infected person may not be visibly sick anyway.

Normal hygiene measures will go along way. Wash your hands often.

When using a public restroom it is best to use one of the paper towels to open the door with, as not everyone washes their hands in there. Some people take antibacterial wipes with them for use here and on shopping trolleys and the tables in food courts.

If a family member is ill you obviously can’t avoid them, but do make them use there own eating utensils and cups. Wash down the kitchen and bathroom thoroughly every day and let them have their own towels. Use paper tissues, not handkerchiefs. If you are going to use cloth handkerchiefs then boil wash them.

Get a flu shot, this will not protect from every cold doing the rounds, but it will prevent you from getting the most common flu viruses.

BARRICADE THE BODY

By this I mean get your immune system in tiptop health. If you are healthy when you come across the virus you have a far greater chance of not catching it, or of getting a mild dose of whatever it is causing. A lot of this advice you know already.

Stop smoking, smokers are more likely to catch a cold initially, and also more likely to suffer from complications of a cold because the lungs are weaker.

Make sure you have a good diet. Vitamin C and Zinc are particularly important for immune system functioning. Fruit and vegetables will provide plenty of vitamin C, but in this age of reduced red meat consumption many people are short of Zinc. Zinc supplements are sold for just this reason.

Get plenty of sleep; the body is building its defenses whilst you sleep.

Drink plenty of water; this is always good for your health, allowing the body to flush out toxins.

Echinacea is sold as an immune boosting herb. The evidence for its effectiveness is good when good quality supplements are used. There is evidence that prolonged use does reduce its effectiveness, so a lot of people reserve it to take only during the flu season or at the first sign of a cold to fight the cold off more easily.

IF YOU CATCH IT

Help other people avoid catching your cold by staying at home if you can. Always cover your mouth if you cough or sneeze with a tissue and dispose of them carefully. Wash your hands often, but particularly before food preparation if you still have to do it. Don’t share eating and drinking utensils. Don’t go visiting relatives that are already ill with heart, lung or immune conditions.

Perhaps the most important reason for highly vulnerable groups to ... ]]> Scientists have categorized the flu virus into three different main strains, A, B and C. These three strains are combined in a flu shot to give the maximum possible effectiveness. When injected, the shot contains only inactive or dead virus cells. These cells have usually been grown in chickens’ eggs. Because the virus is in an inactive form there are few, if any, side effects. Of course, those who are allergic to eggs should never be given flu shots.

A flu shot typically takes about two weeks to have its full effect. It works by triggering the response of a person’s immune system to produce antibodies against any invading flu virus. The immune system can then recognize and attack the virus with the appropriate antibodies when necessary.

Unfortunately, the flu virus can, and does, mutate in both its A and B strains. Thus, last year’s flu shot may not be totally effective against this year’s particular mutation. Anticipating the type and possible difference of any forthcoming virus is a difficult job for researchers. The slightest change in the virus is the major reason for needing an annual flu shot. The other reason is that immunity inevitably decreases over time.

Who should have a flu shot? Those over sixty-five years of age, anyone with a chronic disease of the heart, lungs, kidneys or liver, anyone whose immune system has been weakened, and small children over the age of six months, may benefit from a flu shot.

However, a different vaccine in the form of a nasal spray has been shown to be extremely effective, particularly with children. This vaccine is unlike the shot in the arm in that it uses an active weak form of the flu virus rather than dead or inactive cells. This means that slight flu symptoms may be produced in the short term. But it is still worth considering since children are undoubtedly the most contagious flu carriers as well as potentially its severest victims.

Perhaps the most important reason for highly vulnerable groups to consider flu shots is that, whilst the flu itself may feel exceedingly unpleasant, with its attendant feverish symptoms, it may be misdiagnosed as a heavy cold if, for some reason, communication regarding precise symptoms proves difficult. This situation can be especially dangerous if complications such as bronchitis or secondary bacterial pneumonia set in. Such complications are particularly serious for people with weak immune systems and can, in certain cases, prove fatal.

In today’s hectic world, especially in heavily populated areas, it makes sense to consider having a flu shot before the seasonal winter viruses occur. This is certainly the case if you work with vulnerable people, look after small children, are elderly, or cannot afford to take the necessary time for recovery that a bad case of flu will inevitably require.