Always Bundle Up In The Cold? You May Still Get Sick, Expert Says

Main Category: Flu / Cold / SARS
Article Date: 26 Feb 2008 - 1:00 PDT

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Contrary to what your mother always told you, heading out into the cold without your hat and gloves won't guarantee a case of the flu later, says a Purdue University nursing professor. Unfortunately, bundling also doesn't offer much protection from the viruses currently sweeping the nation, says Pam Aaltonen, an associate professor of nursing and public health.

"Being chilled does not lead to illness," Aaltonen says. "Colds and influenza are caused by viruses. They are equal opportunity infectors, which means you can get sick even if you always wear a coat and hat or if you live in a warm climate. In fact, there are only a handful of states that are not experiencing widespread flu right now."

What can people do to protect themselves from illness or speed recovery if they are already sick? Aaltonen offers these tips:

- Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Dehydration makes your entire body work less efficiently, decreasing your ability to fight off disease. While soda isn't a great choice, Aaltonen says there are drink options for those who want something other than water.

"Coffee and tea do count for hydration purposes," Aaltonen says. "Just be mindful of the caffeine, if that is an issue for you, and how much sugar you use."

- Hydrate the air, if you can. It turns out hydrating the air around you can help fight off disease, whether or not you're already sick.

"Dry air dries you out each time you breathe, and you lose some of the effectiveness of your respiratory tract to block the diseases in the air," Aaltonen says.

- When others are sick, keep your (three-foot) distance. The three-foot rule is the maximum distance that most droplets containing viruses travel when a person sneezes or coughs.

"Of course staying three feet away from people isn't always practical," Aaltonen says. "We have school desks closer than that, but it's a good rule to try to follow when you know people are sick."

- Get a flu shot if you haven't and don't avoid one next year just because you became sick after taking it this year.

"Flu shots are excellent protection against illness," Aaltonen says. "Each year flu shots are formulated to fight against three types of influenza, what we think of as two A types and a B type. This year, flu season has suddenly gotten worse because certain strains have mutated. That is going to happen sometimes, but the shots do offer you more protection than no shot at all."

- If you're the one who is sick, be considerate. Disposing of used tissues for the sick puts healthy people at a higher risk of infection, so keep a wastebasket near, Aaltonen says.

"It's also important to cough and sneeze into a disposable tissue or your sleeve," she says. "Coughing into your hands just transmits those germs to the phone, refrigerator door and hundreds of other shared surfaces."

- Wash your hands, get adequate sleep, eat a balanced diet and exercise. It turns out your mother was right about the ability of all these things to prevent illness and speed recovery.

"Just doing one of these things may help you remain well or recover more quickly, but combining proper hand washing with a good diet, exercise and rest essentially arms the body with a shield against disease," Aaltonen says. "They are the best things you can do to be healthy year round."

http://www.purdue.edu