Magazine
Healthy through the season of colds
Autumn and winter - season of colds … Myth or truth?
It’s the same every year - summer is over, you just enjoyed the last warm days and at some point your nose starts to run, your throat tickles and somehow you don’t feel well. But can a season really be the reason for catching a cold? According to statistics, colds occur most frequently in the cold season, but a connection with the cooler temperatures is not assumed.
How do you get a cold?
From a medical point of view a cold is a viral infection because it is caused by viruses and not by bacteria. Viruses have easier access to the body through a
weakened immune system, and in case of nasty weather,
the pathogens feel most comfortable and multiply.
Viruses spread through droplet infection. When someone close by
is coughing or has pathogens on his hands, viruses can enter your body via the mucous membranes.
Air conditioning, dry room air or crowds of people then favour the spread of the viruses and you get the feeling that you could get infected virtually everywhere.
For the increasing number of infections in the colder months there are the following theories:
- In cooler temperatures, the blood vessels contract, resulting in a lower blood flow. The transport of cells responsible for the defense against viruses is slowed down, thus the protection against harmful pathogens is reduced.
Viruses spread via droplet infection. The risk of developing a cold respectively rises in closed rooms with many people. Dry mucous membranes resulting from heated rooms increase the susceptibility to viruses.
- If we shiver or feel cold, the body detects this as stress and the immune system is weakened by stress.
The conclusion is that sinking temperatures are not responsible for the onset of a cold, but rather the combination of different factors such as contraction of blood vessels, droplet infection and stress. And if the immune system is already weakened, the risk of getting a cold rises.
If the immune system is stable, the body can usually manage a cold. But if you got a really bad case of cold, you should not take it lightly. A protracted infection can lead to far worse diseases, such as heart muscle inflammation.
How can you avoid getting a cold?
Nobody wants to get sick or has time for it ... you wanted to do so many things after work and on the weekend and then when you come back to work, there’s a pile of uncompleted stuff. But is it possible to prevent contagion?
Since sinking temperatures are not responsible for a cold, but rather a combination of the factors described above, warm clothing alone won’t help ... but it can’t hurt of course. According to a hypothesis, a cold is favoured by contracting blood vessels, so if one keeps the body warm, whether outside or in the house, one reduces the risk of catching a cold. However - it’s a fact that a healthy immune system is the best protection against colds.
... or is there perhaps a proven home remedy or a miracle from grandma's times?
Unfortunately it’s not that easy, but there are many ways to build and activate the body's immune system.
- Healthy diet as a basis
Vitamins and micro nutrients add to a healthy
immune system.The adequate amount of vitamins
and trace elements can be ingested thourgh a balanced
and varied diet.
Whose menu mainly constists of fastfood and sweets
is holding bad cards. But the famous "Superfood",
a combination of different seeds and Co., is also
not necessary.
According to the known nutritional pyramid, the daily menu should mainly consist of fruits and vegetables and a diet rich in fiber. Particularly citrus fruits, with their high percentage of vitamin C, and nuts have a positive effect on the immune system. If there is no time for a vitamin-rich diet, the Panta rhei Immunedrink can prevent a possible vitamin deficiency.
- Exercise is good for you
Sport keeps body and mind fit - in order to support
the immune system, endurance sports in the open air is best
suitable. No matter if you decide for running, hiking or cycling
your body and you will profit from sufficient exercise
… but don’t overdo it!
Choose the kind of sport that gives you the most comfortable feeling.
Begin with that kind of sport, but also talk to your physician
about your plans and whether all sorts of sport are suitable for
you.
- Keep calm …
… in some situations, it is not always that easy
to keep cool. But according to studies it’s most healthy
to avoid stress in the first place, which also applies in regards to the cold.
If the body is subject to constant stress, or even chronic stress, states
of exhaustion can occur which provide ideal conditions for
viruses entering the body and spreading out.
- Drink, drink, drink
Our body mostly consists of water. If we drink too
little water, we get tired quickly and feel
exhausted.
But not all liquids are alike. Thus it’s best to keep up the
body’s liquid reservoir with water, tea or
unsweetened fruit juices. According to a hypothesis, colds
favoured by dry mucous membranes that can’t properly remove
viruses and bacteria anymore.
- Beauty sleep
Not only are you looking more freshly and
healthy after a good night of sleep – the body is also more powerful.
According to studies, seven to eight hours of sleep are ideal to
support the immune system and reduce the risk
of infection.
- Smoking
It’s well known that smoking is bad for your health. If you have a cold, the smoke dries your mucous membranes even more and weakens your immune system. In addition, the tobacco favours inflammatory processes and adversely affects the purification system of the respiratory tract. ... Another reason to quit smoking, right?
- Desinfection
One can hardly believe with how many viruses and bacteria the body
comes into contact on a daily basis. Cold vira can be transmitted by
handshaking, but also when you come in contact
with door handles or objects that have been "contaminated"
„by an infected person. Because the cold spreads through droplet infection,
it is sufficient if an object has been sneezed on or
is even close to a sneezing person. Thorough hand-washing is
the measure of all things to avoid an unaware transport of germs
üfrom your hands via the mucous membranes into your body.
- Wellness …
… not only is it good for body and soul, but also a
successful measure to build up and strengthen
your immune system. Regular warm and cold showers or visiting a Sauna
stimulate the blood circulation, strengthen the heart
and body circulation and thus reduce the risk
of getting a cold.
Taking all these tips into consideration, the
risk of infection can be minimized but not eliminated
completely. In the end, not all people are able to constantly pay attention,
as they are exposed to daily stress, work in open-plan offices
or have a weak immune system in general.
We keep our fingers crossed that you won’t catch a cold this autumn and winter. If it happens anyways, give yourself a few days of rest. Then you won’t infect others and hopefully get well again soon.
For more information on how our Panta rhei Immune Drink works, click here.
Or help your immune system right now and test the Panta rhei Immune Drink.
(Source: Fit for Fun)
