Myths About the Common Cold
By Sara Butler
It's back! Cold season is here. The chiropractors at The Joint Chiropractic believe that the best way to fight back against the common cold is to know what you're dealing with and you can't do that without cold, hard facts. The problem is, the common cold has been around for so long, it's built up its own kind of folklore and the myths surrounding some ideas about the common cold persist, even though we know better. Here are a few of the most common myths about the common cold and the truth behind the fiction.
Myth No. 1: You Should Feed a Cold
How many times did you hear from your grandmother that it's best to feed a cold but starve a fever? The truth is that when you're sick, your appetite often takes a back seat. You don't necessarily need to make sure you eat, but you do need to make sure you're getting enough fluids and enough calories so your body can fight back against the germs invading it.
Studies in mice have found that it takes mice longer to recover from illness on a low-calorie diet. So, the best course of action isn't to go on a super strict diet at the height of cold and flu season. Instead, make sure to give your body the nutrients it needs to stay healthy.
Myth No. 2: If You Don't Wear a Coat, You'll Get Sick
There's no amount of outerwear that's going to help you avoid the viruses that cause the common cold or the flu. In fact, you're more likely to come into contact with these viruses indoors rather than out. The truth is, if you go outside more during the height of seasonal sickness, the exercise helps to bolster a healthy immune system and that really can help you avoid the ill effects of the common cold. But you'll probably be more comfortable if you're in weather appropriate clothes when you do it.
Myth No. 3: Going Outside with Wet Hair Makes You Sick
Another favorite of grandmothers everywhere, going outside with a head of wet hair isn't likely to make you sick. A few icicles may form, but that's about the worst of it. Just as with the coat myth, the common cold is only caused by a virus, not the weather. So unless you get hypothermia from going out in frigid temperatures wet, then you're not increasing your vulnerability.
To fight back against the common cold, you first have to know what really matters! Forget the myths and deal with facts to help you stay healthy.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Roswell, Ga.
