Thursday Thirteen #20

Thirteen Facts about the Common Cold (since we are all sick at my house).

1. The greatest myth about the common cold is that susceptibility to colds requires a weakened immune system. Healthy people with normal immune systems are highly susceptible to cold virus infection once the virus enters the nose. In volunteers studies, approximately 95% of normal adults became infected when virus was dropped into the nose.
2. Another myth - central heating dries the mucus membranes of the nose and makes a person more susceptible to catching a cold.
3. Being cold or being sent out in the cold with no jacket/gloves/scarves do NOT lead to catching a cold.
4. Drinking milk while having a cold does not increase production of more mucus.
5. Feeding a cold and starving a fever is an old wives tale. There is no scientific proof that overeating while having a cold does anything, other than help you gain weight.
6. There is no cold vaccine due to the numerous amounts of different strains of viruses that cause the common cold it would be impossible to protect against all of them.
7. Studies suggest a person is most likely to transmit rhinoviruses in the second to fourth day of infection, when the amount of virus in nasal secretions is highest.
8. Researchers also have shown that using aspirin to treat colds increases the amount of virus shed in nasal secretions, possibly making the cold sufferer more of a hazard to others.
9. Handwashing is the simplest and most effective way to keep from getting rhinovirus colds. Not touching the nose or eyes is another.
10. Every time you cough or sneeze, you release tiny droplets of fluid into the air. Those tiny droplets can fly pretty far -- up to 3 feet.
11. Children have about six to ten colds a year. In families with children in school, the number of colds per child can be as high as 12 a year.
12. Adults average about two to four colds a year, although the range varies widely. Women, especially those aged 20 to 30 years, have more colds than men, possibly because of their closer contact with children.
13. Large doses of vitamin C have not been shown to prevent or shorten colds and may cause diarrhea.

So the moral of this story is you will get a cold, there is little to do to prevent it, except wash your hands until they are cracked and bleeding, don’t kiss your snotty kid and there is little you can take to make you feel better so just grin and bear it. Great…just great!