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Last posts on private forums:  sare  2008-06-16 09:56:33 matthew 2008-04-12 21:25:59 pieniadz 2008-04-12 20:52:26
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Last posts on private blogs: matthew 2008-04-12 21:25:17 mary 2008-04-12 19:27:47 |
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You are in: Main Page / Medical articles / Diseases / How to Stay Healthy in Autumn
You may have thought plenty of times hot to stay healthy i autumn. This article gives some tips on how to deal with colds in autumn.
Warm days have come to an end and the fall begins. Let's welcome the beginning of the season of common colds. Although it isn't a serious condition, it is quite bothersome, uncomfortable and it makes life extremely difficult. Constant headaches, runny nose, annoying cough, sore throat and tiredness make people's life a misery. Almost everyone suffers from a cold, at least once a year and it may be depressing to know that there's no effective medicine for cold and we have to count on natural defense of our organism.
Why do such symptoms accompany cold?
It is the defensive reaction of the organism. When viruses get into mucous membranes of the nose and throat they stick to the cells. Their genetic code penetrates the cells and enables them to multiply. As a result, the organism starts to fight against them, nose and throat emit substances which stimulate the immune system to work. The infected cells produce prostaglandin which causes inflammation and forces white blood cells to work hard. Thin red blood vessels get wider in order to transport white blood cells into the infected place. The body temperature rises so as to support immune system. Histamine increases the production of nasal mucus which is supposed to catch and remove viruses before they get into the organism. That is why we suffer from this nagging catarrh. Viruses which cause cold are constantly attacked by monocytes and leukocytes, interferon and over 20 other proteins which are responsible for organism's protection. Proteins wander in blood plasm and mark viruses and infected cells to help leukocytes identify and destroy appropriate elements. Therefore, all symptoms are a sign of reaction of the organism into the battle of the immune system with viruses. When we start feeling cold it actually lasts at least 1.5 days. A common cold usually lasts 7 days. There are several ideas about how to treat cold, which may be helpful in getting healthy and make us feel slightly better.
Everyone should drink at least one glass of water every two hours as liquids help to dilute the mucus and make up for the loss of water in the organism. Cold can cause dehydration which we don't even notice. When it comes to hot liquids broth is the best. It is the best way to treat this disease. The research that has been carried out revealed that broth is very effective in diluting mucus. What one needs is also a rest as an excess effort doesn't help in combating cold. All we need is rest and stay at home for a couple of days, we won't pass the disease for other people at school or work. It is also advisable to wear warm clothes especially when we suffer from a slightly raised temperature or fever. Another way of fighting with cold is rinsing the throat with a solution of water with salt. Repeating that every hour or two brings relief from sore throat, salt water has astringent properties which soothe inflammations and relax muscles. It would be good to increase the intake of vitamin C in its natural form, it may help immune system work properly. Using hydrating tools which make the air humid helps improve mood and dilute mucus that accumulates in the nose and throat.
Smokers are in the worst position, they usually suffer from cold a little bit longer than people who don't smoke. It is a consequence of constant irritating their bronchi with smoke, this may result in complications such as pneumonia. In addition to that, smoking suppresses the work of immune system. Because of the fact that we can't count on medication for cold we should keep our immune system in a good condition. Last but not least, a positive thinking is very important as it may help in healing the disease.
Added by:
mary
not connected with health care system
Added on:
2008-09-18 12:09:36 ,
Updated:
2008-09-18 12:13:19
Bibliography:
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