THE UNIT COLD

No matter how well you take care of yourself it seems there is no avoiding the ‘unit cold’ nor at least one bout of winter colds or flu. 

There are more than 200 different cold viruses but it’s the Rhino virus that causes 40% of colds.

Most colds are spread by sneezing (infected droplets travel at up to 100mph in a sneeze or cough), or through touch. if an infected person touches their nose and then a surface, and then you touch that same surface, even several hours later, if you then touch your nose or eyes, you’ll probably catch the cold.

We don’t necessarily catch cold through being wet or chilled, however feeling cold and miserable can lower immunity.

Is it a cold or flu? Cold symptoms include bunged up and runny nose - headache - sore throat - coughing and sneezing. Flu has similar symptoms plus high temperature - a feeling of weakness and achiness - possible loss of appetite. If you can still stagger around it’s a cold. If you can’t get out of bed it’s flu.

For both colds and flu get plenty of rest and keep warm. Hot drinks, spicy food and steam infusions of menthol stimulate nasal secretion that helps relieve the blocked up feeling. Chicken soup does the same. Over-the-counter cold remedies will not cure your cold but they can relieve symptoms. Antibiotics are ineffective against cold viruses.

It used to be thought that large doses of vitamin C could prevent colds but now it is believed that this merely has an anti oxidant effect, damping down the inflammation.

Zinc lozenges have also been claimed as a cure but although zinc kills viruses, there is yet no conclusive evidence of its effectiveness where common cold viruses are concerned.

Perhaps a more pleasurable way of avoiding a cold would be to take heed of a recent US study that revealed people having sex once or twice a week had higher levels of antibodies in their saliva which could give them greater resistance to colds. But be warned, those who had sex more than twice a week had lower levels of antibodies than abstainees! 

A balanced diet, rest and regular exercise are as ever your best defence against germs. 

BEWARE THE SUPER LOCATION BREAKFAST

 Adults eat about 9 grams of salt per day. That’s something like one and a half level teaspoons. Health authorities claim that by reducing salt intake by one third, to six grams per day, thousands of deaths from stroke and heart diseases could be prevented.

Seventy percent of salt intake comes from processed foods and it’s this hidden salt that is difficult to control. For example, two slices of bread contains more salt than a packet of crisps labelled ‘Ready Salted’.

Being a flavour enhancer salt turns up even in sweet foods such as custard powder, sweet biscuits and breakfast cereals.

In calculating salt intake the amounts of Sodium stated in lists of ingredients of manufactured foods must also be taken into account - two grams of Sodium is the equivalent of five grams of salt.

Why not consider what the location breakfast, so generously provided by your producer, contributes to your daily salt intake?

A bowl of cornflakes (one gram), two rashers of bacon (two and a half grams), and a couple of rounds of toast (4/10 of a gram). You are now over half the recommended daily intake of salt and there’s still lunch and supper to come!