6 Tips for Common Cold Prevention

Introduction:

In the perpetual battle against the common cold, prevention stands as our foremost defense. Rather than enduring the discomfort and inconvenience of a cold’s unwelcome visit, proactively adopting effective measures becomes paramount. This introduction navigates through six succinct yet potent strategies aimed at fortifying your immune fortress and minimizing the risk of succumbing to the seasonal scourge.

Key Takeaway:

• Prevention is crucial for avoiding the common cold.
• Incorporate habits like hand hygiene, regular exercise, and sufficient sleep.
• Ensure adequate intake of vitamins, particularly vitamin C and D.
• Stay hydrated to maintain effective mucus membranes.
• Regular chiropractic care can support a healthy nervous system and immune function.
• Following these tips can significantly reduce your risk of catching a cold.

How can one prevent the common cold effectively?

To prevent the common cold effectively, prioritize frequent hand washing, regular exercise, adequate sleep, proper vitamin intake, hydration, and chiropractic care to maintain a strong immune system and reduce susceptibility to infections.

In the case of most unpleasant experiences in our lives, prevention is better than cure – With the common cold, prevention is all we have. Fortunately, there are plenty of effective measures you can take to reduce your susceptibility to colds. Here are six common cold prevention tips to help you do just that.

#1: Protect Your Hands and Face

More often than not, common cold germs spread by hanging around on surfaces waiting for you to pick them up and give them a home. Of course there is no way to know if something you will touch has germs present. Therefore the only preventative action you can take is to wash your hands frequently with soap and water. In case you find yourself in a situation where hand washing isn’t practical, it’s a good idea to carry a small bottle of alcohol-based hand sanitizer with you when you are out and about.

Once you have cold germs on your hands, their next mission is to make it into your body by way of your eyes, nose or mouth. To reduce their chances of success, try to keep your hands away from your face if you are around someone who has a cold or you have been touching surfaces and not had a chance to wash your hands.

#2: Take Regular Exercise

While it’s not possible to eliminate the likelihood of contracting a cold, keeping your immune system healthy will go a long way to reducing the risk of infection. Regular exercise makes you sweat, breathe faster and increases your heart rate. These changes in your body are beneficial to your immune system, increasing the production of virus-destroying cells. Incorporating activities such as swimming, cycling, running, aerobics, yoga and Pilates into your personal wellness care program will help you to avoid common colds, as well as fortifying your immune system against other types of infection.

#3: Get At Least 8 Hours Sleep Per Night

Research has produced plenty of evidence to suggest that a lack of sleep increases your susceptibility to common colds. An experiment at Carnegie Mellon University in 2009 found that subjects impregnated with cold germs fought off the common cold more effectively when they slept for at least eight hours per night. Subjects who slept for less than eight hours were three times more likely to succumb to the virus. The quality of sleep that you get is also important in boosting your immune system and preventing colds. You should aim to get eight hours of good, deep sleep every night.

#4: Keep up Your Vitamin Intake

Getting your recommended doses of vitamins is essential if you want to stand the best chance of avoiding colds. Vitamin C and D in particular can help you stay cold-free. Eating plenty of fruit and vegetables will provide you with vitamin C. Topping up the vitamin D can be a bit more challenging, since the primary source of vitamin D is natural sunlight. If you live in northern climes, it may not be possible to get the sunlight exposure you need for vitamin D production. If this is the case, it’s a good idea to take a daily multivitamin supplement. This will provide your body with all the vitamins needed to help you fight off colds and maintain general wellness.

#5: Stay Hydrated

Your body’s first line of defense against colds is the mucus membranes of your mouth, throat, eyes and nose. The mucus secreted by these membranes acts as a trap to prevent germs (such as the cold virus) from entering your body and creating infection. For your mucus membranes to function effectively they need a supply of fluid. Drinking plenty of water therefore, is a crucial factor in common cold prevention. Don’t let those mucus membranes dry out. If you do, it’s like opening the door and hanging a welcome sign for the cold virus to come in and stay a while.

#6: Visit Your Chiropractor Regularly

The most important defense mechanism you have, to keep the common cold at bay, is your immune system. You can keep your immune system working optimally by taking essential vitamins and getting plenty of sleep and exercise. However, other factors can sometimes drag your immune system down and stop it from functioning at its best.

One of those factors is the condition of your nervous system. Any imbalances in the nervous system can have a detrimental impact on your ability to fight off colds and other infections. Your chiropractor can keep your nervous system healthy by correcting any slight spinal misalignment which may affect the nerves. A healthy nervous system helps to ensure a healthy immune system and therefore, makes a valuable contribution to common cold prevention.

If you catch a cold this winter, you have no choice but to suffer while it runs its course. By paying attention to common cold prevention measures though, you can greatly reduce your chances of falling victim to unwelcome and unpleasant symptoms. If you follow the six tips above, you stand a good chance of reducing your number of colds to well below the national average per year.