Winter months are here, and with them comes those annoying runny or stuffy noses and persistent coughs. The common cold is tough to avoid when the majority of activities are relegated to being indoors. Quarantine conditions would need to be implemented in the workplace to remove any chance of one of 200 very contagious viruses entering your respiratory tract and giving you a week of grief.
Adults average two to three colds a year, but that number goes up when they work around children. Despite the near-inevitability of getting sick, there are tried-and-true methods for reducing risk of catching a cold and decreasing the amount of true sick days taken during the season.
Hand washing is key. Most diseases enter the body when hands touch the nose or mouth. In addition to minimizing that type of contact, wash hands before and after eating (including snacks) and after bathroom visits. Use soap and warm water for a good 20 seconds. Hand sanitizers work well, too; during the cold season it is wise to carry a bottle of sanitizer around all the time.
Avoiding excessive fatigue and stress is also essential to preventing colds. Suffering from these symptoms is more likely to cause sickness than simply being exposed to the elements. Stay well-rested.
When you do catch a cold, do everyone a favor (including yourself) and stay at home, away from public places, keep warm and drink plenty of fluids. Tips for prevention of colds also work well for shortening the duration of colds.
WebMD provides extensive resources on the common cold, including home remedies, studies on treatments like zinc and Vitamin C, and the difference between a common cold and more dangerous influenza.
On that note: be sure to get a flu shot this year and every year to insure yourself against a potentially debilitating disease!
