Why you should eat herring instead of lemon when you have a cold, whether frequent hand washing will save you from a runny nose, and how cabbage and garlic will help you stay healthy in the autumn cold - these and other questions are answered by the science department of Gazeta.Ru.
A sharp deterioration in the weather, a chilly wind, the first snow, as well as heating problems that arose in some residential buildings - many of us felt much worse against the backdrop of all these events. And it’s not even about longing for the suddenly gone summer: sore throat, runny nose and fever quite realistically and tangibly spoil our lives every autumn. The science department has figured out what the common cold really is, and also found out what the latest scientific research offers to treat the common cold.
What is a cold?
The answer to this question seems to be familiar to everyone since childhood. A cold is when a sore throat, runny nose and nasal congestion interfere with normal breathing, tears flow, and the temperature fluctuates around 36.8 - 37.2 ° C. You can catch a cold on the street, leaving the house in cold and damp weather without a hat and in unseasonable shoes. However, is it really so?
In fact, all of these symptoms are characteristic of viral diseases, which we recklessly combine under the name "cold".
There are about two hundred viruses that cause similar symptoms - adenoviruses, rhinoviruses, herpes simplex, influenza and parainfluenza viruses, respiratory syncytial virus ... That is why the antibiotics that we so often abuse are ineffective in most cases with a "cold". Microorganisms - namely, antibiotics fight against them - become the cause of poor health in only 5% of cases.
Obviously, if the disease is provoked by viruses, then it is impossible to catch it by simply getting your feet wet -
Viruses do not appear from hypothermia. But it can accelerate the development of symptoms, but for this it is necessary that the virus is already “dozing” in the body.
Spicy seasonings such as cayenne pepper or garlic can also be helpful. Peppers contain a substance called capsaicin, which irritates the upper respiratory tract, skin, and mucous membranes, thereby helping to clear accumulated mucus from the sinuses. Garlic is also rich in allicin, a chemical compound that has antibacterial and antiviral effects.
You should not even resort to the help of echinacea - a plant from the aster family, widely used in folk medicine. In 2013, the authors of which assure: the beneficial effect of echinacea in the treatment of colds does not exceed the effect of placebo.
But preparations containing zinc, managed prove its effectiveness: scientists conducted experiments and found that,
If you take a zinc medicine within 24 hours of the first symptoms of a cold, you can speed up the course of the cold and reduce the severity of symptoms.
However, it should be remembered that zinc should not be taken for a long time - this threatens with side effects, such as nausea and an unpleasant aftertaste in the mouth. Zinc in the form of nasal sprays should also not be used - the effectiveness of the substance in this form has not yet been proven.
Wash your hands and kiss
To minimize the likelihood of family members being infected with viruses, scientists recommend hand washing. During the day, a person - especially a cold - inevitably touches his nose and eyes, as a result of which viruses from the mucous membranes get on his hands. Washing your hands with disinfectants will help get rid of viruses and prevent them from passing them on to others.
Surprisingly, from closer contacts - for example, from kisses - you can not abstain. On the lips and in the saliva of a person, the number of "cold" viruses is negligible compared to what is contained in the sinuses,
so one or two kisses a day won't do anything to your husband or wife.
Despite all the strict recommendations that scientists and doctors give, some traditional methods of treating a runny nose - warm milk with honey or gargling with a solution of chamomile - will definitely not make you worse. Caution is needed when taking medications, and especially antibiotics, which should be prescribed by a doctor.
Colds in the summer heat are not at all uncommon, as it might seem at first glance. Doctors state that many bacteria and viruses that cause an inflammatory process in the upper respiratory tract become active in the summer, and the prerequisites for the onset of a cold, despite the abundance of vitamin food and the sun's rays, are quite enough in the warm season. Therefore, so that the vacation is not spoiled by illness, it is worth taking care of the health of the family in advance. How to do this, what methods can be used to protect yourself and loved ones from the summer cold?
The cause of inflammation of the respiratory organs can be various pathogenic viruses and bacteria in the environment. In addition, conditionally pathogenic microorganisms that live in the respiratory tract, but are activated only when local immunity is suppressed, can also play a role. The result of the impact of these pathogens on the human body can most often be:
- laryngitis (inflammation of the larynx) - manifested primarily by a dry cough and hoarseness of voice;
- pharyngitis (inflammation of the pharynx) - accompanied by severe pain, sore throat, debilitating cough;
- tonsillitis (inflammation of the "tonsils"), in which there is redness and enlargement of the palatine tonsils, as well as severe pain when swallowing.
The following factors contribute to the weakening of the body's anti-infective defenses and the occurrence of colds in the summer:
- sudden changes in temperature (when leaving a cool room or car interior on the street and vice versa);
- local hypothermia of the respiratory organs (eating ice cream, ice drinks);
- drafts with which people try to escape from the heat;
- prolonged exposure to high temperature.
Summer colds tend to last longer than winter ones. In cold weather, fearing the occurrence of complications, patients tend to "lie down", "solder" with warm drinks and strictly follow all the doctor's recommendations. In summer, everything happens the other way around. If there is no high temperature, a cold person continues to go to work, drink cold water, sit under the air conditioner. After all, what can happen?! It's summer outside, there's nothing to be afraid of - many people think. But this is a big misconception.
Unresolved factors that suppress the immune system continue to have a negative effect on a weakened body, further undermining health. In such conditions, it becomes very difficult to overcome the infection. Therefore, summer colds drag on and serious complications often develop if measures are not taken in time.
What to do in order not to catch a cold in the summer
Rule number 1. Avoid drafts
Being in a draft quickly leads to hypothermia, especially if the body is sweaty. Therefore, when ventilating the premises, try not to be in the path of the air flow. In public transport, do not sit near open windows.
Rule number 2. Drink and eat cool, but not icy
You can not drink ice water in one gulp or eat large pieces of ice cream. A sharp hypothermia of the respiratory organs leads to vasospasm, deterioration of the blood supply to the mucous membrane and a decrease in the concentration of secretory immunoglobulins (protective antibodies) in the covered mucus. And these are all risk factors for colds, because. ideal conditions are created for pathogenic microorganisms.
Rule number 3. Try not to abuse the conditioner
Beware of sudden temperature changes. Do not cool the interior of the car, apartment and office too much. In rooms where there are children, it is advisable not to use such cooling devices at all.
Experts advise adhering to the optimal temperature difference between outdoors and indoors, which in summer should not exceed 4-5 ° C.
Rule #4: Wash your hands with soap
No matter how trite this advice may sound, it is always relevant. During the day, millions of bacteria and viruses settle on the hands, which can easily get into the oral cavity, and then into the respiratory tract, causing the development of an infectious disease. To avoid this, it is enough to carry out mechanical removal of pathogens. So wash your hands with soap every time you plan to eat.
Rule number 5. Eat a balanced diet - this will help strengthen the immune system
The last recommendation is perhaps the most important. The immune status of a person is a mirror image of the formed lifestyle and eating habits. If the food consumed does not provide the body with all the necessary nutrients, health problems soon arise.
As you know, in the daily diet of an adult and a child, proteins, healthy fats, dietary fiber, vitamins and mineral compounds should be present in sufficient quantities. The company took this principle as a basis, creating a unique product - a universal balanced nutrition Resource ® Optimum.
Resource ® Optimum contains the optimal range of nutritional ingredients. Each of them is absorbed by the body much better in the presence of the others than separately. Therefore, cells receive more substances necessary for the full functioning of the substances and can better resist infections.
When should you try Resource ® Optimum?
Imagine the situation: vacation is just around the corner, and you caught a cold. To quickly restore strength and shape, Resource Optimum will come in handy.
The second frequent situation: they suffered the disease on their feet, "dragging out" it with antibiotics. But despite the recovery, weakness and asthenia remain. Remember Resource Optimum!
We arrived at the sea, and after 2-3 days the temperature rose! It is impossible to eat, strength is at zero, vacation is in jeopardy. But Resurs Optimum is in a hurry to help - the mixture replaces a full meal and strengthens strength for faster recovery.
The composition of this treatment and prophylactic product includes:
- Casein and whey proteins. They consist of amino acids, which are necessary for the synthesis of antibodies and the body's defense against viruses and bacteria. In addition, amino acids are the material for "building" new cells and repairing tissues, including those lining the airways.
- Omega acids, which are the most important structural elements of cell membranes. Violation of the stability of these membranes leads to cell death. The cells of the immune system are no exception, therefore, in order for the body to resist infections at the proper level, it urgently needs omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.
- Vitamins and minerals. As you know, the use of vitamin-mineral complexes improves the performance of cellular immunity and helps to reduce the frequency of colds. Against the background of good nutrition, vitamins are better absorbed.
- and prebiotics. These components create conditions for the accumulation of protective biomass in the intestine, sufficient to suppress any pathogenic microorganisms. It may seem, what does the prevention of summer colds have to do with it. It turns out that the state of local immunity in different organs is interconnected. If everything is in order in the intestines, the beneficial microorganisms that inhabit the respiratory tract also feel great.
And if immunity has already let you down earlier in the summer, you should think about the preventive intake of the product in advance so that the long-awaited vacation is not spoiled.
Thus, Resource ® Optimum is a nutritious cocktail with an optimal composition for strengthening immunity. In addition, Resource ® Optimum serves as a meal replacement and is easy to prepare anytime, anywhere. The pleasant vanilla taste of Resource ® Optimum will appeal to both adults and children (the food is suitable for boys and girls over 7 years old). Therefore, be sure to remember about Resource ® Optimum, especially during holidays and summer vacations, when illness is not at all welcome!
Country gifts will help protect you from colds.
Flu, influenza. People are seriously concerned about the problem of vaccination, obediently follow the advice of doctors: drink rimantadine, dibazol, amixin, lubricate the nose with oxolinic ointment, etc. Today we will talk about how you can use some herbal remedies to try to protect yourself or alleviate your condition if the disease has already arrived. As Nikolai Malyshev, chief infectious disease specialist of the Moscow Government Health Committee, noted in an interview with MK, no one has yet canceled folk remedies: do not forget about onions, garlic, lemons.
Let's start with prevention. To maintain the body's defenses, you need to pay serious attention to foods containing vitamin C. You should lean on citrus fruits, cabbage, parsley, apples, if possible, it would be nice to include persimmon, dogwood, asparagus, kiwi in your daily diet.
As for drinks rich in vitamin C, experts recommend paying attention to a decoction of rose hips, cranberry juice, an infusion of dried fruits and currant leaves, and cabbage pickle. Strengthening the immune system is facilitated by the use of fruits and vegetables rich in phytoncides: in addition to lemon, onion and garlic, one should not forget about white cabbage juice, pomegranates.
During a trip in public transport, doctors advise, it is useful to keep a peel of a lemon or orange in your mouth, a piece of calamus root, a clove - this will help destroy viral particles that have flown into the nasopharynx. You can also carry a handkerchief moistened with aromatic oils of lavender, wormwood, fir, lemon: the handkerchief should be periodically applied to the nose, especially if someone sneezes or coughs nearby - the volatile substances contained in these oils kill germs. Doctors advise people who are already ill with the flu to drink more drinks rich in vitamin C, as well as all kinds of fruit juices, berry infusions, and herbal preparations. It is useful to drink such anti-influenza tea: they take willow bark, chamomile flowers, lime blossom, St. John's wort, rose hips in equal parts. A teaspoon of the collection is poured with a glass of boiling water and insisted for 10 minutes. Strained infusion drink before meals 3 times a day for 0.5 cups. Useful for influenza and onion juice mixed with honey in a ratio of 1:1. It is drunk in a teaspoon 3-4 times a day. At high temperatures, raw beet juice, lemon juice with honey (1 lemon per 1 tablespoon of honey) and, of course, raspberry jam are also shown.
Based on materials from the magazines "Women's Health", "Own Dacha", the newspapers "Dachniks" and "Komsomolskaya Pravda".
Author - Elena Sitnikova
echo.msk.ru/programs/vosadu/1348/#element-text
So, in the "cold" season, you need to pay attention to immunity. Stick to simple rules.
1. Be sure to sleep well
Those who sleep less than 7 hours a day get a cold almost 3 times more often. It does not work on weekdays - wallow in bed on weekends. After a busy day at work, try to get adequate rest. But just do not try to improve disturbed sleep with the help of sleeping pills. These pills are the enemies of the immune system. To help him and sleep - the right regimen of the day, evening walks, a good orthopedic pillow.
2. Don't go on a fasting diet
In winter, the body makes reserves to protect itself from the cold. If you deprive him of the necessary fat deposits, immunity suffers first of all. Fat-free diets are especially harmful, since the walls of lymphocytes and macrophages - our protective cells - are composed of lipids, that is, fats.
Including from cholesterol, which many supporters of a healthy lifestyle are so afraid of.
Remember: in the winter diet should be enough protein, both vegetable and animal origin. After all, immunoglobulins that ensure the body's resistance to diseases are proteins, the synthesis of which requires the entire set of essential amino acids. If you are going to lose weight, then do it from mid-March.
3. But don't overdo the calories either.
Excess fat suppresses the immune system. A large amount of protein overloads the gastrointestinal tract and kidneys. Excess sugar is a direct path to obesity, which is an even greater enemy of immunity than excessive thinness.
4. Drive away bad emotions
The likelihood of catching a cold and flu increases many times if you are stressed or in a depressed mood. And also a cold is evidence that a person has overloaded himself beyond measure, so everything unnecessary is pouring over the edge, from his nose.
Hint: step back, take a break, take a time out for a day or two.
5. Be active, but know when to stop
Experts have noticed that in athletes during a period of high-intensity loads, some immunoglobulins simply disappear - the body gives all its strength to get closer to the record, it no longer has time to protect itself from infections.
Hence the frequent colds of the champions. Many fitness enthusiasts work out so hard that they also fall into the risk group.
Remember: heavy exercise during the cold season reduces immunity. Limit the number of approaches to the simulators, in February it is better to go to yoga, Pilates, stretching, sports dancing.
And have sex more often. High libido increases the amount of antibodies in the blood.
6. Get hardened
A cool shower, contrast dousing of the legs is a stress for our skin, from which the body defends itself with a spasm and the release of a large number of antibodies. True, many doctors warn: too cold temperatures (bathing in an ice hole, dousing with ice water) should not be abused.
7. Wash your hands often with soap
And if not possible, periodically wipe them with disinfectant wipes. Up to 90% of all cases of infection with all colds occur through the hands: when we shake hands, open office doors, hold on to the rails in the subway.
A person who does not part with a handkerchief, touching his nose, “stains” his hands with particles of the virus, and then leaves it on objects. The virus can wait for its next “victim” on the doorknob or on the handset for several hours.
It has been noticed: the one who wipes his hands with antibacterial gel 5 times during the working day, coughs less and suffers less from the flu.
The autumn-winter season is a period of mass morbidity of the population. Cold, viral infections, and vitamin deficiencies predispose to colds. In order not to spend huge amounts of money on medicines and not undermine health, you should find out how not to catch a cold in cold weather. Simple recommendations will help to avoid the development of immunodeficiency.
The peak of ARVI falls precisely on the period of cooling. Why is this happening? This is due to the seasonal decrease in immunity. Lack of sun, fresh fruits and vegetables, autumn depression and overwork affect the body's defenses. In order not to get sick, you need to follow these tips:
- Do not overcool, dress for the weather. The most dangerous hypothermia of the head, legs and hands. If it is cold or windy outside, then you should wear a hat, scarf, warm socks and shoes, gloves. But it is also impossible to wrap up too much to sweat.
- Avoid crowded places during an influenza epidemic.
- Observe personal hygiene. After coming from the street, you need to wash your hands with soap.
- Eat properly. The body must receive the necessary nutrients.
- Take vitamins. To prevent colds, you need to take vitamin C.
- Get enough sleep. You need to sleep at least 8 hours, go to bed before 23.00.
- Avoid stress. Emotional overstrain negatively affects the functioning of the immune system.
If your hands or feet are frozen outside, then when you come home, you need to take a warm bath, drink hot tea and wrap yourself in a blanket.
Proper nutrition
Strong immunity is the key to health. The immune system will protect against viral and bacterial infections, help avoid antibiotic treatment.
Vitamins of group B, C, selenium, magnesium and zinc are important for strengthening immunity.
In the period of cold weather, the body wastes energy to a greater extent, so it needs even more nutrients. The menu should include the following products:
- citrus;
- any fresh seasonal fruits (apples, bananas, pears, kiwis);
- vegetables (carrots, pumpkin, beets, broccoli, bell peppers, sauerkraut);
- nuts;
- seafood, including seaweed;
- olive oil.
From drinks, preference should be given to rosehip infusion, freshly squeezed juices, compotes from frozen berries, apple or pear drying. You can use bee products, bee pollen is especially useful for immunity.
It is important to maintain a healthy intestinal microflora, the absorption of nutrients depends on it. At night it is useful to consume sour-milk products. You can drink probiotics.
Warm clothes and shoes
In autumn, the weather is unpredictable, so it is worth taking a spare blouse or windbreaker with you to protect yourself from the wind. It is better to cover your head with a scarf or put on a hat. You need to put aside blouses with a deep neckline and give preference to turtlenecks with a high neck.
Instead of a miniskirt, it is better to wear pants, and warm socks under the boots. If the legs are warm, then the whole body is warmer. Before going outside, you should always look at the thermometer.
Hygiene
Many respiratory infections are transmitted not only by airborne droplets, but also by contact. SARS can be picked up through unwashed hands, which is why personal hygiene is an important part of cold prevention.
Washing eyes and nose
Mucosal lavage belongs to non-specific antiviral preventive measures. It is necessary to use a lot of warm liquid, rinse the nose with saline or saline.
Getting rid of waste and toxins
Slags and toxins can lead to a decrease in immunity, so you need to get rid of them. These harmful substances can be excreted by the kidneys, stomach and intestines.
To speed up the elimination of toxins and toxins, you should use the following products:
- oatmeal on the water;
- bran;
- rice water;
- millet and corn porridge.
It is worth drinking at least 1.5 liters of water per day, you can take diuretics.
hardening
It is necessary to temper, especially for those who are often sick. Hardening helps to strengthen the immune system, makes the body less sensitive to cold weather.
Preparing for winter is desirable from the summer. The regularity and sequence of actions is important. You can pour on your feet, wash your hands or bathe using cool water. Over time, the temperature of the liquid should become lower.
If there are chronic diseases of the ENT organs, then it is worth consulting with a doctor about hardening.
For strong immunity, you need to walk in the fresh air for at least 30 minutes every day, even if it's cold outside.
Charger
In a healthy body healthy mind. If a person maintains a good physical shape, he feels healthier and more alert. You need to do morning exercises, jogging after waking up, walking and cycling in the fresh air are useful.
If possible, go swimming. Together with sports, do not forget about a full vitamin diet.
Taking vitamins
It is better to get vitamins from food, but sometimes you can not do without vitamin complexes. To boost immunity, you should use the following drugs:
- Vitrum.
- Centrum.
- Multi-tabs Immuno plus.
You can also take Superia, Complivit, Revit, Alphabet. As part of vitamin complexes for immunity, there must be vitamins A, B, C, E, zinc and selenium in high concentrations.
Good dream
The body needs proper rest in order to gain strength. To do this, a person needs to get enough sleep at night. The optimal duration of sleep is 8-10 hours. If you sleep for 6 hours or less, then the risk of getting sick with the onset of cold weather increases significantly.
For 8 hours of night sleep, the body manages to get stronger after a working day. Do not go to bed later than 24:00.
Preventive medicines
There are medicines that stimulate the immune system, directing the action of the immune system specifically to fight pathogens. These drugs include:
- Echinacea tincture. This is the oldest and most proven remedy. The composition contains ethyl alcohol, so it is not suitable for children under 7 years old, pregnant and lactating.
- Immunal. The drug was developed on the basis of echinacea tincture. Available in the form of tablets and drops for oral administration.
- ImmunoStimul. The drug enhances antiviral protection and stimulates the immune system. The effect is noticeable on the 2nd day of application, it is contraindicated in children under 18 years of age.
During outbreaks of influenza and SARS, antiviral drugs based on interferon should be used. These are Laferobion, Viferon, Interferon, Grippferon. You can use antiviral vaccines.
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