Cold Myths

With what seems like a month-long cold and with all members of our household battling colds, I have noticed many articles on cold myths.

Here are some Myths I found most interesting:

1). Vitamin C helps: it does not help the cold. Vitamin D and probiotics apparently help, though.

2). Milk is bad: the belief that milk causes a build-up of mucous is false and, in fact, eating yogurt with probiotics (see number 1) helps.

3). A weak immune system raises chances for a cold: one thing a cold doesn't do is discriminate; those who have stronger immune systems are just as susceptible to colds.

4). Kissing with a cold is bad: the quantity of the virus on the lips is so low that it would be nearly impossible to catch your loved one's cold.

5). Don't treat a cold: colds spread by nose blowing and coughing, so getting treatment not only helps but lessens the spread.

Information via ListVerse

Top 6 things To Do with a Cold:

1). Drink 8-10 glasses of fluids (water, tea, sports drinks, ginger ale)

2). Inhale steam to losen congestion

3). Blow your nose, but the proper way, by holding one nostril so mucous doesn't go into ear passages

4). Use saline nasal sprays or make your own with warm water and salt (easy to do it yourself but recently popular is the neti pot)

recipe: Mix 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda in 8 ounces of warm water


5). Stay warm and rested so body can direct energy toward the cold


6). Gargle salt water for sore throats

Information via WebMd