Winter is coming, and along with the cold weather, we get Halloween, pumpkins, football, snow, and more! However, the cold weather also brings some unpleasantries, including respiratory illnesses, like the common cold. As cold season approaches, now is a great time to remind ourselves of what we can do to minimize risk of infection.
Keeping it Clean
First and foremost–wash your hands. We all know that it helps, that keeping our hands clean reduces the risk of getting sick, and that it is simple to do, but it remains worth repeating–wash your hands! Using warm water, soap, and twenty seconds of your time is an effective way to keep yourself from getting sick.
Keeping clean isn’t just about yourself, it’s about your surroundings. We interact with a million things every day, and if we are sick, we spread germs on everything we touch, potentially infecting those around us. Sanitizing wipes can be a big help for cleaning high-touch areas, some of which I will list below:
- Doorknobs!
- Lightswitches!
- Refrigerators!
- Toilets (for more than just cold germs)!
- TV Remotes!
- Cellphones!e
- Toys!
Between washing your hands and wiping off surfaces, you’d think you’d be covered, right? Well, there is one more area of focus worth addressing still: machine washables. Things like stuffed animals, blankets, sheets, pillowcases, and clothes can all carry germs, and during cold season, they can be a source of infection. Washing these items in the warmest water permissible, and with a helping of soft soap, will eliminate any potential germs. Kids especially can benefit from this, as they are often the ones spreading mucus, saliva, and general ick all over their surroundings.
Vitamin D For the Win!
In a stunning turn of events, getting an adequate amount of vitamins can actually help you! What was previously believed by many young children to be an old wives’ tale has now been backed up by scientific studies, including a literature review conducted by over 50 Professors and Adjunct Professors across four different countries, published in an issue of “The Lancet.”
In the literature review, over 1500 different clinical studies were examined, all of which included either a control group or a placebo group, or both; these groups were then contrasted with other groups taking Vitamin D supplements. Specifically, they looked to see if a regular intake of Vitamin D can help avoid respiratory illnesses.
What the literature review found was that participants who took moderate doses of Vitamin D daily saw “a small but significant protective effect of vitamin D supplementation on the risk of having one or more ARIs [acute respiratory illnesses].” Now, this does not mean parents need to give their kids Vitamin D supplements, but it does mean that the immune system benefits from regular Vitamin D intake. The best natural sources of Vitamin D, per Harvard’s School of Public Health, are listed below:
- Cod liver oil
- Salmon
- Swordfish
- Tuna fish
- Orange juice fortified with vitamin D
- Dairy and plant milks fortified with vitamin D
- Sardines
- Beef liver
- Egg yolk
- Fortified cereals
On top of eating these foods, regular time outdoors can increase the absorption of Vitamin D due to UV light.
Colds Aren’t Fun
While getting a cold and missing school may initially seem like a dream to young children, it still is important to note that it is less than fun to have a cold. Getting a cold comes often with fevers, sore throats, coughs, headaches, chills, fatigue, and more. These symptoms can make it hard to sleep, to eat, or to do anything most kids (myself included) find fun.
Another thing to remember: there is no cure for the common cold. Plenty of remedies have been devised–everything from eating chicken noodle soup to boiling orange peels–but there is no cure. That is partially why the tips and tricks we talked about are so important!
So, if you are worried about cold season, or know someone who is, make sure you follow these handy guidelines and stay safe.
