Preventing colds

[reviewer]

Now that we're heading into our cold and flu season, what are you doing to reduce your risk? I am an avid hand-washer and I use hand sanitizer frequently.

[disgruntled]

good question.... currently i am still trying to fight something off, so obivously my premeptive strike did not work


i have heard that cold FX stuff works..... i have not tried it.

[DOCBROWN1705]

Anything with high levels of antioxidants (Green teas, Leafy vegetables, etc...) Vitamin B and C are a must, as well as exercise. Being sanitary is always good , however its more a matter of keeping your immune system up!

[sirdarksol]

Zinc and Vitamin C are necessary for the immune system, as is Vitamin E.
Chicken soup has been proven to shorten the length of a cold, likely due to a nearly perfect balance of amino acids in the soup, combined with warm moisture (colds prefer cool, relatively dry areas to live in).
My opinion is maintaining a generally healthy diet and active lifestyle is the best thing to avoid a cold or flu. Of course, I get the cold every year, so that's how well it works for me

[Hatori]

As a practitioner of Systema I employ several Russian Health methods that have been passed down from Vladimir Vasiliev. The main one is the water training. I pour a bucket of cold water over my head every morning and every night. When you body reacts to the cold water, it increases your core temperature very rapidy to almost fever levels. This burst of heat within the body kills any viruses including dormant ones.Your temperature then returns to normal. By following this routine, I have successfulyy avoided a single cold since starting this training. Now we are entering the interesting stage as we are almost in winter and you can imagine the looks I get from my neighbours as they watch me standing outside in the dark, semi-clothed pouring a lrage bucket of water over my head!

[disgruntled]

how wet do you have to get? like how much water are we talking? i hate being cold.... in fact there are few things in this world that make me more upset or sad. especially when i am trying to sleep.

if it is just a matter of dunking my head in water in my bathroon i think i can handle that...... but if the ultimate aim is to raise the body temperature, wouldn't a hot shower work as well?

[sirdarksol]

That wouldn't lower your temperature quick enough for your body to react as strongly as Hatori is suggesting. If there is anything to this, it would require something pretty severe.

[Hatori]

A bucket of water over your head raises your body temperature extremely high and extremely quickly which is waht you want. A hot shower won't raise it sufficiently or quick enough. Also you don't actually feel cold (well you do initally) but then your core temp goes through the roof so you actually feel HOT!!!

[DOCBROWN1705]

Im a little curious....so lets say its minus 35 cel. you just got up, and your body temp is up from sleeping.... so you go outside, dump the water on your head, and go into shock from the mass temp change.... go unconscious, get hypothermia and die......
In the summer time.... I could see it working (maybe)... but I think it might cause more harm than good if you live in a cold climate.

How long have you been doing this?

[Jewel]

Hatori, that's interesting, and I haven't heard of that before.

I wash my hands all the time, and I take Vitamin C supplements. I also bundle up outside, because I get cold very easily.