Myth Busting For A Health ier Cold And Flu Season (NAPSA)—When you get the sniffles, you want to get better. A recent study confirms that Americans can’t afford the lost days of work or family time from being sick. That’s why it’s important to pin down what you have—for example, cold or flu—so you don’t treat the wrong ailment and find the treatmentis ineffective. “Severity is really what makes the difference,” said SS LS ~ ‘ A ~G WARE As Neil Schachter, M.D., author of “The Good Doctor’s Guide to Colds and Flu,” professor of medicine and community medicine and medical director of respiratory care at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. “With a cold, people think about whether they’re well enough to go to work or school. With the flu, there’s usu- ally no question, you’re down and out and in bed.” There are countless mythscirculating the globe ranging from how one acquires a cold or the flu to how it can spread. Dr. Schachter reveals some of these common myths about colds and flu and provides some truth to clarify what one should do to defend him or herself from viruses this winter season. According to Dr. Schachter, the most prevalent myth is that you can catch the flu from a flu shot. He points out that the actual flulike symptomsa person feels from receiving this vaccine is the immune system’s response. These symptomsshould not last for more than 24 hours. Another interesting myth is that kissing spreads colds. It may be surprising, but saliva is actually the safest way to have contact with a person during a cold because it does not contain any viral particles. Secretions from the eyes and nose contain the highest proximity of the cold virus. We often hear that we should avoid cold weather to prevent ourselves from getting a cold or the flu. However, these conditions are caused by a virus and have noth- Not every ailment is flu; make sure you know what you have before you start treating it. ing to do with the temperature outside. You can protect yourself by boosting your immunity. Dr. Schachter suggests doing so by using a natural dietary supplement that helps keep immunity high, such as Cold-fx”. Just now coming to drugstores in the US, it is the top-selling product in Canada and has good science behindit. He also suggests lifestyle modifications: * Quit Smoking: smoking paralyzes the cilia in airways, altering mucus production and damaging the cell’s ability to destroy bacteria. * Control Weight: excess weight has been found to lower immunity, which makes an overweight person more susceptible to colds and the flu. Drink in Moderation: an excess amount of alcohol consumption paralyzes the cilia and also increases the production of mucus. * Control Stress: stressful events have been shown to lower immunity. People should take at least a 30-minute break each day and do something specific that they enjoy. This advice can help you stay healthy this season and all-year long. For more information on how to stay healthy, pick up a copy of “The Good Doctor’s Guide to Colds and Flu.”
