The first thing you need to know about colds is that there is no cure. How to prevent getting a cold this winter focuses on suggestions for “prevention.” When you resolve to make your whole life healthier, you will reduce your risk for illness.
Change your habits
Simple habit changes top the list for how to prevent getting a cold this winter: Wash your hands frequently, don’t use your hands when you cough or sneeze, and don’t touch your face. This makes sense because studies show that most colds are spread through direct contact between people.
When your co-worker sneezes into her hand, and then touches a shared telephone, those germs she just put on the phone can last for hours or even weeks. If you can’t wash your hands often, rub them together hard for a minute. That action can at least help to break up any lingering germs. Another option is to use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Most people instinctively cover their face with their hands when coughing or sneezing. A better idea is to use the inside of your elbow, an area that won’t be touched by anyone else. Since colds enter your body through your eyes, nose or mouth, try not to touch your face during winter.
Change your diet
Start drinking more water in order to flush and rehydrate your system to remove any lingering poisons. You know you’re getting enough fluids by checking the color of your urine. If your urine color is yellow, then you aren’t hydrating properly. You want the color to be as close to clear as possible.
Adding a daily cup of low-fat yogurt is another way to reduce your risk of catching a cold. It is believed that the beneficial bacteria in yogurt stimulate the immune system that fights disease.
Another change to your diet should include eating more phytochemical rich foods. Dark green, red, and yellow vegetables and fruits are rich in these vitamins that will supercharge your immunity system.
Because heavy alcohol consumption suppresses the immune system, heavy drinkers tend to be more susceptible to catching colds. Alcohol also dehydrates the body by promoting the loss of body fluids.
Change your lifestyle
If you haven’t already, stop smoking. Statistics are clear about smokers catching more severe colds than nonsmokers. Nonsmokers forced to inhale second-hand smoke are also at a higher risk.
People who exercise regularly and are heart-healthy increase their body’s natural virus-killing cells. Aerobic exercise speeds up your heart rate and adds more oxygen to your lungs and blood stream. Add a hot steam sauna at the end of your workout and you might kill any lingering germs from a recent exposure.
Get enough sleep every night and learn how to relax more. Some studies are showing evidence that developing relaxation skills can strengthen “interleukins” found in your immunity system. If you keep your interleukins soldiers strong, they will fight illness.
How to prevent getting a cold this winter may not be full-proof, but these tips will help. No one wants to spend time in the winter laid-up sick in bed when there are preventative measures that can be taken. When you make a few habit, diet, and lifestyle changes, you just might make it through the winter without a cold this year.
