How to Prevent Frequent Colds: Lifestyle
Even though common colds are impossible to cure, there are some things you can do to make your condition less painful and more pleasant. Here are some tips you may use to prevent frequent colds:
§ Drink plenty of liquids. It can be anything – juice, tea, soup ¬– just make sure it’s warm. When your body produces mucus or when you have a fever, you are likely to lose lots of fluid, so drinking fluids helps you restore the balance. Try to avoid anything that contains caffeine and don’t smoke as this can lead to dehydration and worsen your condition.
§ Chicken soup works wonders. This is one of the colds remedies that withstood the test of time. Chicken soup (or chicken broth) inhibits the movement of the immune system cells (neutrophils) responsible for the way your body reacts to inflammation, and accelerates the movement of mucus, which significantly decreases the congestion and helps get rid of the viruses.
§ Get plenty of rest. If you experience some cold symptoms or have taken some medications that affect your speech and performance, it’s best to stay at home and give yourself some rest. It will help you feel better and prevent others from catching a cold from you. Get as much sleep as you want and continue the treatment.
§ Keep the right temperature. If it’s possible, adjust the humidity and temperature in your room. It should be warm, but not too hot or stuffy. Moist air is also more efficient if you are coughing or have nasal congestion, but if you use an air humidifier make sure you keep it clean.
§ Relieve your throat. The simplest way is to gargle with some warm salt water (you can also use household soda) or drink lemon water with honey.
§ Use over-the-counter colds remedies, such as saline nasal drops. These drops can be bought literally anywhere, and they are quite efficient and safe. Some saline nasal drops can be used even for babies colds. The procedure of putting the drops into your child’s nostrils may be a tricky one, but if you manage to do it, you will ensure a night of peaceful sleep to both your child and yourself. Babies colds can be really hard to deal with, so make sure you do everything possible to help your little son or daughter.
Common colds can be caused by a variety of viruses, and no vaccine has been created do deal with all of them. However, there are some steps you can take to prevent frequent colds from affecting your health:
§ Wash your hands thoroughly. Your hands have to be clean, especially when you come back home from the street.
§ Keep your house clean. All the personal belongings of the members of your family should be clean; the same can be said about the places you share (bathroom, kitchen, etc.).
§ Use paper tissues. You need to have a tissue ready every time you feel like sneezing or coughing. Don’t use the same tissue over and over again (it’s really common sense), and make sure you wash your hands afterwards.
§ Keep your stuff to yourself. Drink and eat using separate utensils, even if you are a family. If there is a sick member in your family, he or she needs to use disposable cups or an individual glass.
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