Cold Prevention
Of all people, children have the highest risk factors for contracting the common cold. One reason for this is that children experience the most exposure to cold viruses, because they attend school with lost of other children in small, enclosed spaces. Another reason is that they share equipment and supplies with their classmates, who spread colds by touching those objects with contaminated hands that haven’t been washed carefully and frequently enough. Kids also spend a lot of time playing outdoors, and they don’t always dress properly or keep their coats closed despite their parent’s advice. Children’s high susceptibility to colds is also due to the fact that their immune systems are not as developed as adults’ are. Women ages 20 to 30 are also at an increased risk for the common cold because they are at childbearing age and tend to spend a lot of time around young children.
Both adults and children are at an increased risk of developing a cold when the weather is dry and chilly during the winter months. Cold viruses survive better in this weather.
Stress can play a major role in putting you at risk for the common cold too. When you’re stressed out, you get run down, leaving your immune system more vulnerable. Being sleep deprived can pose a similar risk factor.
While there is no proven-effective cold vaccine currently available, there are certain precautionary methods you can take to reduce your risk of contracting the common cold. For one, you can wash your hands frequently to avoid bringing cold germs from contaminated objects you’ve touched in contact with your eyes, nose, or mouth. You can also pass this message along to your children, who probably aren’t too meticulous about this sort of thing. You may also want to look for a daycare center or school that has a good reputation for its hygiene.
In addition to keeping your hands clean, you can employ cold prevention tactics by keeping your counter tops clean. Refrain from sharing glasses or utensils with y our spouse or kids. Use only disposable cups, plates, and utensils when someone in your household has a cold. If one of your family members has a cold, it’s also important that he or she uses his or her own bath towel, and that no one else in the family shares it.
In general, try to avoid spending long periods of time in close spaces with someone who has a cold. Stay away from second-hand smoke for obvious reasons, but also because it can spread droplets containing one of the 200 viruses that cause the common cold.
Monitor the humidity level in your home to keep you and your family members’ sinuses from drying out.
Remaining physically active is another way to help keep a cold away, or shorten its duration. Taking vitamin C and Echinacea may also fortify your body’s immune system against the attack of the common cold virus.
Eating dark-skinned fresh fruits and vegetables that contain anti-oxidants can additionally bolster your immune system so it can fight its hardest when a cold virus comes your way.