Ellington

When I walked into the post office this morning, I was scolded for going out in the cold with wet hair.

I felt a rush of guilt, since I feel like I am already in the early stages of a cold. How could I go out with wet hair and jeopardize my health like that? I remember my grandma getting mad at me for going out with wet hair when I was younger. And obviously I never learned! Why wasn't I wearing a hat? Or a scarf? Well, I thought it was supposed to be warm this week!

Fortunately, the consensus of the medical community is that going outside in the cold with wet hair does not cause colds. It will certainly make your body temperature feel colder, though!

There are many things you can do to decrease your chances of getting a cold, even if pulling out the blow dryer isn't necessarily one of them.

*Wash your hands.
*Don't touch your mouth, nose or eyes.
*Sneeze over your shoulder or into a tissue, not into your hand.
*Get plenty of fresh air.
*Get exercise (but avoid strenuous exercise if you're already feeling sick).
*Drink lots of fluids. Hot water with honey and lemon soothes a sore throat.
*Gargle with salt water.
*Get extra vitamin C. I'm a big fan of Emergen-C supplements at the first hint of a sniffle.
*Eat right: whole grains, colorful fruits and veggies, lowfat yogurt.
*Get plenty of sleep.
*Turn the heat in your house down a few degrees to avoid drying out your nasal passages.

What are your cold-avoiding tips and tricks?

Previous Comments

ID

116699

Comment

I think washing your hands is the most important tip of all. That alone would save people a lot of misery.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2008-01-31T22:16:57-06:00