Lorn Healthy Options health tip: Fighting off infection - Avoiding colds and flu this winter
It’s that time of the year again, bitter dark days and the inevitable cold and flu season.
Lorn Healthy Options fitness advisor Cameron Johnson.
Good sleep patterns, regular but not excessive exercise, and a healthy balanced diet all boost our immune system and place us in a strong position to neutralise an invading virus before it takes hold.
This is especially important when we learn that we had around 18,000 deaths in the UK over the last two years associated with the flu, which can be devastating for those suffering with a chronic health condition.
Avoiding all respiratory tract infections is virtually impossible, but perhaps we could employ some tactics to reduce the risk of a virus entering our system.
Respiratory infections tend to spread easier in the colder months as we spend more time indoors in close proximity to others.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for the common cold as there are more than 200 forms of the virus and each one has a different shape on its surface.
This is why we can contract several different colds during any given year despite our body working hard to create antibodies against each invader.
The cold and flu virus are spread by breathing, coughing or sneezing near others or by coughing or sneezing on your hands and then touching areas where others may contact.
Door handles, tables, or shaking hands are all common ways to spread the virus and the most common entry points are the mouth and nose.
You probably remember your parents telling you to put on a jacket or you’ll catch a cold, and they could have been right.
Being cold can make you more susceptible to catching a respiratory infection as cold air reduces the efficiency of the protective response from nasal cells.
This protective response mops up the virus in mucus before the virus has a chance to bind with healthy cells in the nasal walls.
In fact, research finds that a drop in nasal tissue temperature from room temperature to four degrees can reduce the efficiency by over 40 per cent.
Avoiding the outdoor cold and replacing it with curling up on the couch with the heating on isn’t the best solution.
Research shows homes tend to be drier in the winter due to our heating systems and the dry air allows the cold/flu viruses to spread more easily.
Make the most of the short days by getting outside and expose yourself to what little sun we have at this time of year. Remember to wrap up and layer up with a hat, gloves and scarf to minimise heat loss when outdoors.
Due to our position on the globe, we don’t experience much UV light at this time of year and so our vitamin D production is limited and this can weaken the immune system.
Supplements such as Vitamin D and C, iron and zinc can help to keep the immune system supported but always check with your doctor first before taking a supplement.
Wash your hands regularly as the common cold can live up to an hour on your hands, whereas the flu can live up to 48 hours.
If someone who lives or works with you is starting to show cold symptoms its likely they were infectious at least 24 hours prior to this time and will continue to be contagious until some 4-5 days after they are feeling at their worse.
So even when someone is starting to feel better, they may still be able to infect others. Avoiding close contact with such folk during this time will obviously reduce your risk of infection.
If you are the person suffering and can do so, please stay at home and certainly avoid those who are more vulnerable or immune suppressed.
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Latest News
JOBS
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ObanSalary On Application
Childcare and Education Worker - ARB15733 - Argyll and Bute Council
PA29 6XG£28,322 to £29,436 per annum
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