Friday, December 18, 2009

The Mythology of Cold and Flu Season

Right around this time each year, the media begins reporting on the latest flu that is going to become the next global pandemic. This fear is punctuated by widespread speculation, both on the severity of the flu and on how you can keep yourself safe. It can be hard to tell what is real or what isn’t.

For example, did you know that going out without a coat will not get you sick? Its true, despite what your mother may have told you growing up. And leaving the house with wet hair won’t do it either. In fact, staying in has more of an effect on sickness than going out. Bacteria mutates quickly, combining with other germs and materials in the air to form. Large indoor close quarter gatherings, with the heat turned on, is much more likely to get you sick.

Another cold and flu remedy has been orange juice and the use of Vitamin C. According to a 2007 report based on over 30 studies of Vitamin C’s effects on treating cold and flu symptoms is statistically insignificant. Basically, it can’t hurt but it doesn’t really help.

But the most startling mythbuster we found was a contradiction of the old adage “Starve a Fever, Feed a Cold.” Or was it the other way around? Let us clear up the confusion: starvation is never the answer. According to WebMD, the nutrients available in certain foods help the body stave off infection. Foods high in beta-carotene protect the body against Free Radicals—cells that disrupt your body’s natural disease fighters—and help you to recover from disease more quickly.

Foods rich in protein and calories heat the body naturally. WebMD states that inciting or exacerbating a fever is a great way to make the body inhospitable for germs. If you manage a light fever by staying well hydrated, there is no better natural remedy for getting better faster. Some doctors, like family physician Dr. George Wootan, even recommend that folks without a temperature promote their own fever by sitting in a hot tub or spa. Wootan is the author of “Take Care of Your Child’s Health.” The heat, Wootan says, raises the body’s temperature, increasing its ability to create interferon. A temperature-regulated environment like a hot tub allows the body to withstand higher temperatures, able to incite a light fever.

The last remedy that has been promoted and accepted as effective is steam. Steam inhalation has been shown to unclog sinuses and thin mucus.

Why battle with unproven at-home remedies every cold and flu season, spending hundreds at the drug store on the latest fad? Hot tubs and spas are proven to increase vitality, detoxify the skin, relieve muscle aches and help fight infections like the flu and the common cold. Cold and flu season comes every year. Be prepared with a healing wellness hot tub or at-home sauna or spa.

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