A 5 step plan to cut down on colds this winter

Those helpful people at Benylin have prepared a five step plan to help you combat the threat of colds this winter.

1. Ask your pharmacist

Pharmacist Raj Rohilla says: "The common cold is a viral infection passed on through coughs and sneezes, which cannot be treated by antibiotics. However, while a cure may not be possible, medicine can aid and speed recovery, thereby limiting discomfort. Always ask your pharmacist for advice on the best course of treatment to relieve your symptoms. Several actives in particular may help to alleviate symptoms. For example, paracetamol is used to reduce fever and take away pain whilst phenylephrine can help to alleviate common cold symptoms such as congestion."

Rohilla offers his top tips to cut down chances of contracting a cold or passing the virus on to others:

• Always cover your mouth or nose when you cough or sneeze
• Use disposable tissues not cloth hankies that harbour germs and infection
• Boost your immune system with Vit. C and Zinc at the first sign of a cold

2. Eat well to boost your immune system

Nutritionist Alli Godbold says: "Eating as healthy a diet as possible, as well as supplementing meals with immune-boosting nutrients during the winter, can make a real difference to whether you catch a cold and how long it lasts. As with all diets, the emphasis is on balance. But strive to keep saturated and hydrogenated fats to a minimum as these clog-up the lymphatic system and suppress immunity."

She adds: "The ideal immune-boosting diet must provide sufficient protein, so eat plenty of beans, lentils and fish. Essential fats from oily fish, nuts and seeds, and their cold pressed oils are also immune boosting. Eating five portions of fruit a day also helps fight infection and try to include more wholegrain foods, such as brown rice, in your diet. These are higher in nutrients than their refined counterparts and help to develop the beneficial bacteria that help to fight infection."

Godbold advises:

• Boost fruit intake by starting the day with an immune boosting berry smoothie
• Enhance the nutritional content of salads with a dressing made from lime juice, orange juice, garlic, ginger and cold pressed sunflower seed oil
• Snack on nuts and incorporate beans, pulses and seeds into meals to increase your protein intake
• Take a multi-vitamin supplement daily to ensure you are getting the optimum nutrition

3. Maintain a high standard of everyday hygiene

Virologist Rob Lambkin confirms that the cold virus isn’t just airborne; microbes are present on surfaces around the home and the workplace, which can be picked up by hands. Simple hygiene improvements can seriously reduce the possibility of passing on these viruses, which can survive for several hours and can be transferred, leading to infection, by rubbing of the nasal mucosa or eyes with virus-contaminated fingers.

Lambkin says: "Simple things, such as covering your mouth when you cough, or washing your hands when you sneeze can stop you passing on colds and flu, but maybe more importantly you can protect yourself. Wash your hands frequently particularly when you have been near someone with a cold or flu and importantly keep your fingers away from you nose and eyes".

Lambkin advises:

• Wash you hands frequently
• If your friends, relatives or co workers have a cold encourage them to use a handkerchief when they sneeze and cover their mouths when they cough
• Likewise encourage sick co-workers to go home
• If someone at home is sick use surface disinfectants to reduce the risk to you

4. Exercise appropriately to boost the immune system

Fitness expert Chris Husbands offers some advice on how to manage a cold or the flu through exercise: "When we are under attack from cold viruses, our bodies release antibodies to tackle them. But if through lack of exercise, this is too much for them, our immune system loses the battle and we develop a cold."

Combining the type of exercise you do is something Husbands recommends: "Make sure your training programme covers a variety of elements. Include some level of cardiovascular activity (aerobics, running, brisk walking etc.) as this encourages the body to get rid of waster products more efficiently and supports lymph drainage. The lymphatic system is a happy hunting ground for cold viruses, increasing your blood flow daily will keep this system constantly flushed and refreshed, helping keep colds at bay."

"Also, do some resistance training (weights or body exercises such as press-ups) and finally, improve your flexibility by stretching. Remember to always warm up and cool down before and after each session."

Husbands offers tips for optimum fitness:

• Work out regularly, 2-3 times a week for between 20 mins to an hour
• Train at home, work, outdoors and not just in the gym
• Vary the type of exercise you do – this not only combines cardiovascular activity with resistance training but keeps exercise interesting
• Look for opportunities to incorporate exercise into your daily routine - take the stairs rather than the lift and cycle or walk to work
• Exercise at your desk to keep supple - for example flex hands and fingers regularly, stretch arms over your head, turn your torso

5. Lie-in and listen to your body

Rest up; the more you are awake, the more you are exposed to infections

Sleep expert Chris Idzikowski advocates sleep as a hugely important ingredient in fighting off winter colds and flu. He explains: "Sleep is intimately linked with the immune system as it’s partly controlled by the 24-hour biological clock and this clock has an impact on the activity of the immune system. It works so that the immune system is most active during waking hours, the time when everyone is most exposed to infection. Poor sleep means you’re awake more and when you’re awake more, you expose yourself to more infections."

"Sleep is also very important in recovering from a viral infection. Deep sleep, when your brain is resting and you are inactive, gives more energy resources to the immune system to tackle an infection. Enabling good sleep both prevents an infection from gaining the upper hand and reduces the duration of the illness by strengthening the immune system."

Idzikowski advises:

• Try to get at least 8 hours sleep per night to boost your immune system
• Avoid eating late and excessive caffeine or alcohol intake before bed
• Get into a good routine, try to go to bed at the same time each night
• Try to unwind before bedtime e.g. have a warm drink, soak in the bath
• Ensure your bedroom is a quiet and relaxing place to sleep

This article was published on Thu 13 January 2011