Hot toddies
A boozy blend of whisky, honey, lemon juice and hot water, hot toddies are thought to
alleviate the symptoms of colds. Many people reach for the whisky bottle at the first hint
of a cold, but its contents do nothing to fight off germs. One measure of alcohol in a hot
toddy makes many cold sufferers feel better because it makes them feel sleepy and lessens
their perception of their symptoms. The steam also helps to alleviate a blocked nose. New research on honey suggests that it has healing
qualities, but no proof exists that it helps a cold.
Hot chicken soup
The tradition of feeding chicken soup to people suffering from a cold dates back to the
thirteenth century, when it was believed to revive the body and cure all ills. When
suffering from colds and flu symptoms, you need to have lots of fluid to keep hydrated and
that is why many people favour hot chicken soup. It’s nutritious, easy to drink with
a sore throat and the steam from the soup helps to alleviate a blocked nose. There is also
some research indicating that chicken soup contains a natural antibiotic, which could help
fight bacterial infection. A cold is caused by
a virus, which is not in itself helped by antibiotics, but sometimes a bacterial infection
is triggered by the cold virus, and in theory chicken soup could give that extra bit of
assistance, though the case is not proven.
Fresh garlic
Fresh raw garlic is thought to have anti-viral properties and therefore be good at
preventing colds and flu. Some people try a mixture of garlic, ginger and lemon as a
treatment. The truth is that medical science doesn't know if this advice works. There is
also a debate whether fresh garlic works better than garlic capsules. Continue using it if you believe it works for you.
Vitamin C, zinc lozenges and echinacea
Many people swear that vitamin C supplements, zinc lozenges and echinacea help to prevent
and treat cold and flu symptoms. Again, health
effects of these treatments are still unproven. Sadly, there’s no conclusive data
showing that large doses of vitamin C prevent colds. They may reduce the severity or
duration of cold symptoms but there is no definitive evidence of this. The jury is also
still out on zinc and echinacea. Some studies say that zinc works while others disagree. A
very recent US study concluded that echinacea does not cure colds. However, if you think
any of these remedies work for you, they are not harmful and may be worth continuing. These remedies are thought
to work best when taken at the first sign of symptoms.
"Feed a
cold, starve a fever"
 There
is no truth to this saying. If you get the flu, you should deliberately try to starve
yourself, although you may lose your appetite. Try to keep up your fluid intake by having
something easy to eat such as soup. This will give your body energy and will help prevent
you from becoming dehydrated. Many people with colds lose their appetite because they
cannot taste food properly and a stuffy nose makes it difficult to eat. It is important to
drink plenty of fluids to keep well hydrated.
"Sitting
in draughts and getting caught in the rain can bring on a cold"
Although getting caught in the rain will certainly not make you feel any better and could
lower your immune system, it will not cause you to catch a virus. The viruses that cause
colds and flu are spread by tiny moisture droplets. This means you can only catch a cold
or flu by breathing in moisture droplets carrying the virus or by shaking hands with an
infected person or using a cup or cutlery that an infected person is using and later
rubbing your eyes or touching your mouth. So make sure you wash your hands frequently and
stand back from people with coughs and sneezes. They
really do spread diseases.
Common sense advice on preventing a cold
You can't prevent a cold, but you can lower your chances of getting one by common-sense
measures:
Exercise regularly
Eat a healthy, balanced diet
Get plenty of sleep
Try to cut down on stress in your
life
Wash your hands frequently. This
will help prevent you catching the cold virus from another person who is infected.
Set up in 1947, BUPA is a broad-based health and care organisation with a growing
international presence. It has more than eight million customers in 190 countries and
40,000+ employees. Its main interests are health insurance, hospitals, care services for
the elderly and young disabled, health assessments, workplace health and childcare
services. It also provides recruitment services for healthcare professionals and has a
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