Do You Get Sick When The Weather Changes

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Did your parents or teachers ever tell yous to come inside before you lot "grab cold"? It's easy to come across why people recollect cold weather condition tin can make you sick — later on all, many illnesses like colds and flu are more mutual in the wintertime months.

But luckily, you can't take hold of a common cold from common cold weather itself. Read on to learn the truth behind some more mutual winter wellness myths, and become tips to stay healthy when information technology'south cold exterior.

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Everyone needs vitamin C to be healthy — it'south essential for everything from wound healing to bone health. Almost people become all the vitamin C they need from the foods they eat. And studies bear witness that taking vitamin C supplements won't foreclose the common common cold. So unless your doctor says you have a vitamin C deficiency, you tin can skip the supplements. Instead, but include some citrus fruits in your diet for a healthy dose of this vitamin.

And if you want to forestall seasonal colds, the best method is to launder your hands regularly and stay away from people who are ill.

Nope — Yous Don't Lose Most of Your Body Heat Through Your Caput

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Another common myth you lot may accept heard is that you lose most of your body heat through your head. Parents often say this to get kids to keep their hats or hoods on. Information technology's true that y'all can lose rut through your head, simply it'south only a pocket-sized pct of your overall body heat. The truth is that you'll lose heat through whatsoever office of your body that'due south uncovered.

And so by all means, clothing your lid when it'due south dank out — just don't forget your glaze, boots and mittens, besides!

Don't Worry, Y'all Tin can't Go the Flu from a Flu Shot

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Flu shots don't contain the live flu virus — and then in that location'due south no way that getting a shot tin give you the flu. In fact, getting a flu shot is the very best way to protect yourself from getting the flu.

Experts say that anybody ages six months and older needs a flu shot every twelvemonth. It's all-time to get it by the end of October, earlier flu season begins. Just if you can't get your shot by and then, it's not besides late! Influenza season tin concluding until May, so getting your shot later in the autumn or winter can still protect you. Just keep in mind that information technology takes two weeks for the shot to take full effect.

Going Out with Wet Pilus May Make Yous Dank — Just It Won't Make You Ill

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Wet hair and wintertime don't make a good pair. If it'due south chilly enough, your tresses might fifty-fifty freeze solid! Moisture pilus will definitely make yous feel colder, especially if it'due south windy. But feeling cold won't brand you lot ill all on its ain. So if you're in a rush and don't have time to blow dry, you're non risking your health. But you'll certainly feel a lot warmer with a dry out head of hair.

All Myths Aside, You May Get Sick More than Oftentimes in Cold Weather

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Cold temperatures alone tin't cause illnesses like colds and influenza — simply viruses tin do that. But we tend to spend more time indoors in the cold weather, and common cold and influenza viruses spread more easily indoors. That'southward i reason that common cold and flu season peaks in the fall and winter.

Cold weather and indoor heating likewise ways dryer air — and that tin can dry out the lining of your nose, throat and lungs and make information technology easier for viruses to make it. Cold, dry out air can also crusade symptoms on its own, like sore throat and asthma symptoms.

So while common cold air itself tin can't infect you with a illness, information technology can make you feel lousy. And your take chances for getting seasonal illnesses like cold and flu gets higher when the temperatures become lower.

How to Stay Healthy in Cold and Flu Season

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If you lot want to avoid getting sick this fall and winter, don't rely on vitamin C pills and furry hats. Instead, follow these evidence-based tips to protect yourself from viruses:

Wash your hands often with soap and water.Regular hand washing is one of the best means to stop the spread of viruses.
Avoid spending time with people who are sick.Cold and flu viruses spread hands from person to person.
If you smoke, make a programme to quit. Smoking tin weaken your allowed organization and brand yous more probable to get respiratory viruses.
Get plenty slumber.A good for you sleep schedule supports your immune arrangement and makes information technology easier to fight off viruses. Aim for at least seven hours a night.
Eat good for you and be active.A healthy nutrition and regular exercise are besides key to a healthy immune organization. Endeavour walking more and adding a few more fruits and veggies to your plate.

Getting the occasional cold or other winter illness may be unavoidable. But if you take steps to protect yourself from viruses, y'all'll have a better risk of staying condom and healthy all winter long.

Resource Links:

"Vitamin C for Preventing and Treating the Common cold" via Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
"Preventing Seasonal Maladies" via Harvard Health
"Preventing and treating colds: The Evidence and the Anecdotes" via Harvard Health
"Cold weather increases respiratory symptoms and functional disability especially among patients with asthma and allergic rhinitis" via Scientific Reports
"The impact of common cold on the respiratory tract and its consequences to respiratory health" via Clinical and Translational Allergy