Cold and Flu Viruses - Give Them The Cold Shoulder!

Most wisdom relating to colds and flu is about how to recover quickly rather than how to prevent yourself from going down with them in the first place. In this article you're going to learn a few simple things you can do to avoid the snivels and aches and pains, and come through unscathed.

What exactly causes colds and flu? Where in your body do the germs hang out? How do they get passed from person to person? These are the things you need to find out in order to stand the best chance of not going down with a cold or the flu. So read on.

The main culprit is a germ called rhinovirus. This is responsible for the common cold. There are variations, and germs and viruses mutate all the time, but this is the germ we are mainly concerned with.

It makes its home in the membranes of your nose, causing your immune system to release what are called inflammatory mediators. These then tend to cause excessive mucus gland secretion, hence blocked sinuses, runny nose and the feeling of heaviness in your head.

The irritation this germ causes to the sensitive tissues of your nose causes frequent sneezing, which sends thousands of tiny droplets, each containing the virus, into the environment. Most of the germs die quickly, especially out in the cold, fresh air. But those that can find a host will survive and infect again. This is more likely in warm, heated buildings with people everywhere, e.g. a shopping mall or office.

Most colds and flu infections are spread this way. The virus can survive on the skin for a time, especially on the hands, if the carrier has put his hand up to his mouth before sneezing or has wiped his nose on his hand. Anything he then touches, such as door handles or other peoples' hands (through shaking hands), will carry the germs until they can find another host or die through cold or lack of moisture.

Let's now examine how best to avoid becoming a host for these germs, and thereby going down with a cold or the flu. The first thing is to breathe properly. Avoid breathing through the mouth. You are meant to breathe through your nose, and that includes exhaling as well. Your nose has tiny hairs lining the inside of it and these trap any droplets carrying viruses and disease, enabling your immune system to take care of them before they can fully enter the body and take a hold.

Next, breathe deeply, not shallowly, which is the way most people breathe. Use your lungs fully, the way nature intended them to be used. We seldom do this unless we are exercising or running for the bus. Breathing deeply as a matter of course gives our bodies the best chance of expelling foreign bodies and overcoming any that do get through.

Aside from breathing properly, there are a few other things you can do to stay healthy. Become conscious of your hygiene habits. Wash your hands frequently, especially after returning home from a trip out, such as shopping. Any germs acquired from door handles and other objects handled by other people will be washed away.

And especially wash your hands after using the bathroom or restroom, which are often hotbeds of germs and viruses. Shaking hands with strangers also calls for soap and hot water as soon as possible afterwards. In the meantime, avoid putting your hands in or near your  mouth or eyes, which are other major points of entrance for germs.

Another potential point of entry for germs and microbes is a cut or wound. Always be careful to disinfect any you may acquire and dress with a bandage or swab as soon as possible until the wound is closed.

It's often thought that a flu jab can immunise people from colds and flu throughout the winter months. The fact is that a flu injection can protect you only from the specific strain of flu that it is designed to counteract. Strains of flu mutate all the time, so if the strain covered by the flu jab you've had is different from the strain of flu that you encounter then it probably won't help. However, if you think it may assist in your situation then consult your doctor for one on one advice.

If you follow the guidance set out here - proper breathing and proper hygiene - and use common sense, then you should be well placed to avoid all those nasty common cold and flu germs floating around out there.