7 Things You Can Do To Avoid A Summer Cold This Year

Summer is a great time to relish good times with family and friends. It is usually the best season to go out and enjoy nature, to travel, or just to hang out in cool places. So the worst thing that can probably happen at this festive time of the year is to get a summer cold, which can ruin a planned vacation and spread an infection to your family and friends.

There are more than 200 viruses that can cause the common cold. Of these, the rhinovirus is the most common type that infects people of all ages. Colds and flu often spread during school season and peak during the winter season. However, it can occur any time of the year. Although it is not as bad as flu, colds can bring on symptoms like a stuffy or runny nose, incessant sneezing, sore throat, cough, watery eyes, mild headache, and mild body ache. These symptoms may be mild and short-lasting, but in some, they can last for up to two weeks. Now that can really take away some of the fun you could have in summer, especially if you were planning to take a vacation away from home.

Ways To Avoid A Summer Cold

Make it a habit to always wash your hands.  You are usually not aware where you got your germs. This is why medical experts and other health care providers cannot overemphasize that washing your hands as much as you can is the most important way to prevent common infections such as colds and flu. It is also the simplest, most inexpensive way to prevent an epidemic that can start from hospitals, schools, and other public places. The most important times to remember to wash your hands is after going to bathroom, after coming in from the outside, before eating or preparing meals, after using tissues, and of course, whenever your hands look dirty. Make sure to wash well for at least 20 seconds,  scrubbing the backs of your hands, as well as between your fingers and under the nails. Use a paper towel to dry your hands.

Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Most of the time, we cannot run to the bathroom every time we feel we need to sanitize our hands. It is therefore a good idea to reach for an alcohol-based hand sanitizer to kill cold and flu germs if you don’t have soap and water. You can put a small bottle of hand sanitizer in your purse, in your work area, and in your children’s bags. Just make sure that the alcohol used consists of at least 60 percent alcohol.

Keep cold and flu germs off away from common surfaces. Colds and flu viruses can easily pass from people or from surfaces to you. In fact, it is estimated that about 80 percent of contagious diseases are transmitted by touch. Common surfaces that have a great potential for harboring and spreading germs include telephones, computer keyboards, faucet handles, doorknobs, sinks, and pens.  Use alcohol-based antiseptic wipes to regularly clean your desktop, phones, doorknobs, remote controls, and other common surfaces every day.

See Also: I Think I've Got The Flu! Or Just A Cold, I'm Not Sure

Keep your hands away from your face. You may forget to wash your hands often, and touching your face is the surest way to bring the germs closer to your body. Cold and flu viruses usually enter your body through your eyes, nose, and mouth. Touching the face with contaminated hands is the major way people catch colds, as well as from kissing or talking closely to another.  As much as possible, avoid kissing, shaking hands, or having close contact with someone who has a cold or respiratory tract infection.

A Healthy Lifestyle Helps Prevent Summer Colds

Here are more ways you can improve your lifestyle to avoid common colds in summer.

Boost your immunity by eating a healthy diet that is rich in phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are substances naturally found in fruits, vegetables and whole-grains.  Some of the foods that are known to help fight against colds and flu include dark green, red, and yellow fruits and vegetables like oranges, berries, and spinach. These foods contain a variety of vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A, C, and E and selenium and zinc, which can help boost immune function to stave off viruses.

• Garlic, which is believed to have antiviral properties, boosts your immune system with the help of a natural antibiotic called allicin. It works best when eaten raw.
• Ginger root, which contains powerful antioxidants like shogaols, zingerones, gingerols, 6-dehydroginerdione, and sesquiterpenes, the substances known to fight rhinoviruses.
• Honey, which has antimicrobial properties that help combat viral infections.
• Yogurt, which contains probiotics or friendly bacteria called Lactobacillus reuteri and helps prevent cold and flu virus.

Take health supplements. Experts emphasize that eating a healthy balanced diet is the best way to obtain nutrients that help fight infection and other diseases. However, in some cases, taking health supplements may be advisable, especially if you are not able to obtain the right amount of nutrients from your regular diet. Health supplements that can help avoid colds include:

• Multivitamins and minerals that contain 100 percent of the recommended daily values of vitamins A, B, C and D, chromium, copper, calcium, folic acid, selenium, and zinc.
• Probiotic supplements that help maintain the balance against harmful viruses and bacteria in the body.
• Herbal supplements, which include Echinacea, elderberry, garlic supplements, and ginseng are believed to help prevent colds and flu. Consult your doctor about taking health supplements, especially if you have a medical condition or if you are taking any medications that may interact with these supplements. If you opt to use them, take them as recommended and avoid taking them in large doses.

Live a healthy lifestyle. While some people make the mistake of relying on medications and supplements to maintain their well-being or to prevent disease, studies have shown that avoiding certain environmental and personal risk factors may have a more significant impact on their health. Measures to improve your risk of acquiring viral infections and colds include:

• Managing stress. Chronic stress can negatively affect your immune system. Learn how to relax and use relaxation skills. This will increase your interleukins, or proteins in the immune system that combat cold and flu viruses.
• Getting enough exercise. Aerobic exercise causes your heart to pump more blood and makes you breathe faster. These help promote oxygen transfer from your lungs to your blood, make you sweat and remove toxins from the blood, and help increase your body's natural anti-viral activity.
• Getting enough rest and sleep. This helps the body heal and reduce inflammation resulting from physical and emotional stress. Rest and sleep have a restorative function that helps boost your immune system.
• Quitting smoking. Smoking causes damage to your cells from oxidative stress, which increases free radicals in your body. It is also best to avoid secondhand smoke, which has a profound effect on the immune system.
• Limiting alcohol intake. Heavy use of alcohol can suppress the immune system in a variety of ways. Heavy drinkers are more likely to acquire infections and suffer from secondary complications.

See Also: Surprising Things You Didn't Know About Colds

So go ahead and enjoy summer without being plagued by a cold. Remember, you are not only protecting yourself from a virus, you are also helping your own family and friends from getting one.