Health Matters: Golds & Flu

What Is It?

Colds and influenza (flu) are highly contagious viral infections of your respiratory system. Both tend to have short incubation periods. This means that the symptoms begin only a few days after having been in contact with the virus. They are often transmitted by sneezing, coughing, or skin contact. The healthier one’s immune system is, the better a person can resist getting cold or flu. Stress and poor health will cause a person to be more susceptible to catching cold and flu, and the longer the convalescent time. Lack of fresh air, physical exercise and poor diet are stressors that can lower the fighting ability of the immune system.

A cold is a minor infection that affects your nose and throat. Colds can cause a variety of symptoms that differ from person to person. There is not cure to the common cold. Because a cold can be caused by over 200 viruses, it is impossible to develop a vaccine to target all the different viruses. So, we need to enhance our immune systems so that we can handle the virus without getting sick.

The flu is more serious and can lead to other problems, such as pneumonia. Flu viruses tend to be stronger, more infectious and harmful than those of colds. Up to 300,000 people a year in the United States land in the hospital because of the flu virus. And out of those, 40,000 will die. If you are a senior, or have serious heart or lung disease, you are at the greatest risk for coming down with a dangerous case of the flu. That is because your immune system might not be strong enough on its own to fend off the infection. Like the ?cold, there are many different viruses that can cause the flu. Flu vaccines do exist, but scientists often have to “guess” which of the flu viruses will be prevalent during the flu season, otherwise they may not be vaccinating against the current flu virus.

Symptoms of a cold are: stuffy and/or runny nose, sore throat, sneezing, coughing, possibly low grade fever.

Symptom of the flu are: cold symptoms, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, high fevers, chills.

Get Your Body into Cold& Flu-Fighting Shape

You can get our body into fighting these viruses by boosting your immune system, and by killing the viruses before they can attack.

Exercise for health. A healthy lifestyle is one of the simplest ways to protect yourself from cold, flu and other infections. Exercise assists in improving the immune system by improving your overall health.

Selenium. Found in wheat, rice, and other grains, selenium is part of an antioxidant that helps your body fight off infections. A shortage of selenium could therefore weaken your immune system and lead to a more severe case of the flu. Deficiencies of certain nutrients like selenium may also lead to mutations in flu bugs and other viruses, creating even more harmful germs.

Echinacea. Echinacea could be your ticket out of a cold. Experts agree—the herb can cut the time you spend sick and lessen the severity of your symptoms. Echinacea can be taken as an extract or a whole herb supplement. Whichever kind you use, start as soon as you feel sniffly and sneezy, and keep taking it for one to two weeks. But be careful—echinacea is good for short-term relief, but not long-term prevention. Using Echinacea on a regular basis for too long can actually weaken your immune system.

Soap up. Cold and flu viruses are spread by hand-to-hand contact and by touching surfaces contaminated with still-living cold and flu viruses. The recommendation is to wash your hands every couple of hours, no matter what you have been doing. You should also wash your hands after coming in contact with an obviously sick person or an object that the person has touched. A good rule of thumb is to wash your hands for 1 to 15 seconds, making sure to wash between fingers and underneath nails. When using public washrooms, after washing your hands, turn the tap off with a paper towel to prevent re-contamination.

While washing your hands could be the best way to get those viruses before they get you, don’t buy special antibacterial soap to get the job done. Since viruses cause colds and flu, the antibacterial chemical in these soaps will have no effect on them anyway. If you just want to get clean, plain old soap will do – it’s the actual motion of washing your hands that gets rid of most bacteria. Besides, antibacterial soap can actually do more harm than good. It is probably killing just as many good bacteria as bad, and creating antibiotic-resistant super bugs in the process.

Say no to mold. A damp home is just not good for your lungs. Mold and mildew may trigger inflammation in your respiratory system, leaving you more vulnerable to colds. The biggest risks are the patches of fungus you can actually see. Not only will they put you in danger of getting more viral infections, but they also weaken your resistance to bronchitis, pneumonia and allergies.

Ginseng. A recent study found that taking 100 mg of this herbal supplement twice a day for four months enhanced the power of the immune system. By giving your immune system a boost, ginseng reinforces your body’s battle against the flu.

Relax. If you are under a lot of stress, your body won’t respond properly to fight ?the flu. Studies show that chronic stress works against your immune system. So, find ways to deal with your anxieties. Try some light exercise, find someone to talk to about your problems, meditate, pray to God and read the promises found in the Bible. Remember, reducing your stress mightreduce your chances of getting the flu.

Improve your odds of staying healthy

All through the winter months, you get cold after cold. Just when you think it’s over, you come down with the flu. You feel lousy, you act grumpy, and you think life just isn’t fair. Why is it your neighbour, your co-worker, even your spouse never gets sick?

It is not necessarily stronger genes, better hygiene, or cleaner living. New research suggests your health might be your own choice – will you be happy and well or cranky and sick?

Choose cheerfulness. Having a negative personality actually puts you at higher risk for colds. In a year-long study at a Spanish university, researchers tracked more than 1,000 people and the number of colds they caught. As expected, people under stress suffered more. Those with negative personalities – often called pessimists – were more sensitive to stress, and were nearly three times as likely to catch a cold as positive, optimistic people. If you tend to be negative, watch positive people in action and study how they react to life. Then try to practice positive thinking whenever possible. At any age, you can learn new ways to respond to the stress in your life.

Find work that fits. Stress from a job that doesn’t match your personality can cause you to be sick more often. Let’s say that you have a job that allows you to make decisions and you have the self-confidence to make these decisions. Experts claim you are less likely to suffer from infections, like colds and the flu. In other words, if you are prepared mentally to handle the extra stress of more work and more responsibility, you’ll save your immune system. On the other hand, people who tend to blame themselves for mistakes are better off in an occupation that doesn’t require much decision-making. Whether you are looking for a second career or volunteer work, find work that fits your character traits, and you will enjoy better health.

Forgive others. Holding a grudge,according to an expert in psychology, has both an emotional and a physical cost. A researcher recently asked people to think angrily of someone who had hurt them in the past. Almost immediately, their heart rate, blood pressure, and sweating increased – typical signs of stress. The researcher stated that these unforgiving responses stir up negative emotions, reduce perceived control, and are physically stressful. But when she asked them to understand and forgive the people who hurt them, stress levels dropped significantly. People reported higher levels of positive emotion and perceived control, and they experienced less physiological (body) stress. A lifetime of anger and bitterness can wear away your natural resistance to infection and disease. Even though you can’t change the past, you need to change how you think about it, for the good of your health.

Cooking superstar conquers colds
. Give the cold shoulder to congestion and sore throats with a clove of garlic. Not only will it zest up your meal, it will boost your immune system – thanks to allicin. This natural compound, released when you crush the cloves, is what gives garlic its flavour and aroma. Allicin works to fight colds, the flu, and other infections by breaking down into smaller chemicals called sulfur compounds. They jump-start your immune system, helping your body get rid of harmful toxins and microorganisms naturally.

More importantly, allicin acts like an antibiotic. It’s been called “Russian penicillin” for its ability to help the body fight off infections, particularly respiratory and digestive infections. Military studies from World War II showed that soldiers who ate the most garlic had the fewest cases of dysentery.

You name it, and the allicin in garlic seems to kill it – bacteria, molds, viruses, yeasts and other parasites. Some of its victims include H. pylori, the bug behind stomach ulcers, as well as salmonella and E. coli.

Mincing fresh garlic seems to be the best way to get all of the benefits of allicin. Experts recommend eating from one-half to three cloves a day. You can also try garlic powder or supplements. Whatever type you consider, talk with your doctor if you are taking blood-thinning medication.

Treatment for colds and flu

Nutrition. Drink at least six to eight glasses of liquid daily, to prevent dehydration and constipation, and to thin secretions making them easier to clear from your respiratory tract. When there is fever, take liquids only. Liquids help keep the mucus in the respiratory tract moist and help improve white-blood cell function by reducing the concentration of substances in the blood. Warm broth, vegetable juices and herb teas are best. Fruit juices must be diluted and preferably sugar-free. Sugar counteracts the good effects of the Vitamin C in fruit juices. Vitamin C is well-known for its success in treating and preventing colds. The earlier that Vitamin C is started, the better, but even in the middle of a cold, this vitamin can be very helpful. Vitamin A, which can be taken as a supplement or derived from raw fruits and vegetables, is a vital nutrient to the mucous membranes of the respiratory system. For further immune system support, zinc lozenges can soothe a sore throat and daily supplements of zinc can help fend off a cold before it takes hold.

Various other herbs are beneficial to be used during a cold or flu. Chamomile,eucalyptus and thyme help loosen mucus and heals the throat, nasal passages, and bronchial tubes. Horsetail inhalations reduce swelling of mucous membranes. Gingko biloba leaf inhalations kill bacteria and heal the cells of the damaged mucous membranes almost immediately.

Physical therapies. Promote sweating by taking hot baths, hot foot-baths and other heat therapies. Low body temperature decreases resistance to viruses and bacteria while heat burns up and destroys the virus. A five-minute hot mustard pack on the chest is excellent to bring down fever, eliminate toxins and speed healing. Steam inhalations help healing of the throat, nasal passages and bronchial tubes. Air the sick room frequently – a cool room is better than a heated one, provided that the patient is covered and kept warm in bed. Mild walking every day in fresh air for twenty minutes can help shorten the duration of the cold by strengthening the body’s resistance.