Avoiding Sickness During Winter

Have you ever wondered why people get sick more often during winter? There are two common theories that are heard a lot ... going out in the cold makes you sick, being inside more exposes you to other peoples colds and flu's. Do these theories make sense scientifically? What can you do to avoid catching a cold or flu?

Colds and flu's are usually caused by a viral infection. Bacterial infections are far less common. You can't catch a cold simply by going out in cold weather. But you are far more likely to spend time inside during winter and this makes you more susceptible to catching another person's virus. Obviously you don't want to start trying to avoid other people but you can try to spend more time outside when the weather is appropriate. This is also good for you psychologically as often people can begin to feel a bit depressed if too much time is spent inside.

Many sources say that a good hand washing routine is one of the most effective ways to reduce your chances of catching a cold. What exactly constitutes a good hand-washing routine? Regular soap and water is fine, you don't need to use special antibacterial soaps but an alcohol based gel hand cleaner can be very convenient as they allow you to clean your hands quickly without having to use water and dry your hands.

According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) and other sources flu vaccines are very effective at preventing infections from the viruses that they target.

Eating overly sugary foods has been shown to temporarily suppress the immune system so this might be yet another good reason to cut back on sugar in your diet. Even if it doesn't stop you from getting sick it may help with your waistline.

Having a generally healthy diet with lots of fruit and vegetables will also help but At the end of the day there is nothing you can do to completely prevent colds and flu's. Even if you follow all of the latest recommendations you still may get sick. However most of the preventative mentioned above aren't all that difficult to do so why not put the odds on your side?