10 ways to beat seasonal sniffles as colds and flu are on the rise
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Respect the Covid lessons - we’ve all upped our hand-washing and accepted mask-wearing because good hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette is a must in the war against viruses.
It’s a big lifestyle change recommended by GP and TV doctor Phil Kieran. “Colds and flus are transmitted via respiratory droplets. These can hover in the air, particularly after sneezing, which has a high aerosol effect. If we all covered our mouth and nose, transmission would be far less.”
To minimise the risk of getting the bugs in our respiratory tract, Dr Kieran urges the use of a tissue, then binning it and cleaning hands. And if you’ve cold/flu symptoms, soldiering on to meet family/friends is – as we all know in the Covid era – clearly not a good idea.
Thanks to lots of pandemic-induced research we know ventilation – or lack of it – plays a huge role in the likelihood of our catching viral infections. “Meeting up with friends is very important for our mental wellbeing but doing it in more ventilated places will reduce our risk of catching colds,” says Dr Kieran.
Pharmacist Laura Dowling, aka Fabulous Pharmacist, says once you’re well wrapped up, you can’t catch a cold from being out in the cold. With too-dry air breaking down the mucous membrane in the nose – a defence barrier against infection – she advises against “being indoors in stifling environments with heating on and windows closed”.
“For adults and children, it primes us with antibodies that help prevent us getting flu and ending up very ill or with complications,” says Ms Dowling.
Pointing out that the flu vaccine is free of charge for two to 17-year-olds, the over 65s and anyone who’s immuno-suppressed, she says the Irish public has really come around to the idea of vaccines as prevention.
It’s incredibly important for the overall health of our immune system, says Dr Kieran.
“Long-term sleep deprivation suppresses the immune system,” he says, adding that recent research suggests no set amount of hours is recommended for everyone across the board. “But you should be getting enough to feel fully rested and ready to get up when you do wake.”
Dowling believes sleep is undervalued in our society. “And yet if you go to bed just one hour earlier every night, you end up with an entire extra night’s sleep at the end of the week.”
A 2009-published study found poorer sleep efficiency (percentage of time in bed actually asleep) and shorter sleep duration in the weeks before exposure to a rhinovirus – the main cause of common cold – were associated with lower resistance to illness.
To keep your immune system healthy, eat an array of fruit and vegetables, including green leafy veg, to ensure plenty of Vitamin C, advises Dr Kieran.
“And make sure you have enough fibre to keep your gut bacteria happy. Our gut bacteria play a role in overall immune health,” he says, confirming that he takes a probiotic. “I used to have IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and it has helped dramatically. The probiotic I take has vitamin D too, which I’d recommend everybody take. We’re incredibly far north and even in summer we don’t get a lot of vitamin D.”
He says studies show people with chronically low vitamin D levels suffer worst from viral illnesses.
Dr Kieran rates exercise next after sleep and a healthy diet for positive health effects. Make it regular, at least three times weekly – anything that raises the pulse and gets a sweat going – and aim for 150 minutes minimum a week.
“Exercise improves heart and lung function and has independent beneficial effects on the immune system and on gut bacteria,” says Dr Kieran.
He also recommends ‘exercise snacks’ – even just four-second bursts of exercise have been shown to improve fitness. “Just get up and start walking around your house as you talk on a work call. If you have hand weights, do some arm exercises, gentle squats or stretches.”
A 2018 review article in the journal said contemporary evidence from epidemiological studies shows that a physically active lifestyle reduces the incidence of bacterial and viral infections, as well as non-communicable diseases like cancer. Researchers said this implies immune competency is enhanced by regular exercise bouts.
Alcohol is an immuno-suppressant, says Dr Kieran. “It’s important to continue with moderation through the winter period,” he says, explaining that the upper weekly limit for women is 11 units, while for men it’s 17 units.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has mentioned limiting alcohol intake as one of the suggestions to keep us healthy and fight Covid-19 if we’re unlucky enough to get it.
It’s another WHO recommendation for fighting the virus. And a 2017 study published in bio-medical journal found cigarette smoke generally weakens immunity against infections.
“The single biggest thing that can make you more susceptible to cold viruses is smoking – so stop,” says Dr Kieran, adding that vaping can increase susceptibility-risk to viral illness. “Vaping isn’t the harmless thing we were hoping it would be.”
According to US-based academic medical centre, Mayo Clinic, recent research suggests some echinacea supplements may shorten the duration of a cold by about half a day and may slightly reduce symptom severity. “But these results were too minor to be deemed significant,” said Dr Brent Bauer.
Meanwhile, a recent study published in medical journal found some evidence suggesting zinc might prevent symptoms of respiratory tract infections and shorten duration. Researchers said further studies are needed.
Researchers in Philadelphia found that after petting a dog, study volunteers showed a significant rise in salivary levels of an immune antibody called IgA, a key player in our immune defence.
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