Health Options Alan Titchenal  & Joannie Dobbs                    Wednesday, December 11, 2002

It's hard to be jolly when you're sick

It seems contradictory that the season to be jolly and the season to catch a cold overlap completely. Most definitely, life is not always fair.

Question: Why are colds more common now?

Answer: There is no single answer but much speculation. Colds can be caught any time, but in the northern hemisphere cold season typically starts up gradually in September, stays high in November through March and gradually declines through April.

Cold weather is not a direct cause. Rather, people spend more time indoors in proximity with others, increasing the likelihood of sharing viruses. Also, children are back in school, where they can easily pick up a cold virus and bring it home to the rest of the family.

Q: Why do children catch more colds than adults?

A: There are about 200 different cold viruses. When we are challenged by a particular virus, the body develops specific antibodies and we are protected from that virus in the future. Children need to be exposed to a virus before they develop this resistance.

Q: Why do people seem to catch more colds around the holidays?

A: The holidays add time pressures, with shopping and partying on top of the usual work schedule. When this causes too much psychological stress, immune defenses can weaken, leaving a person more susceptible to a virus.

Q: Does exercise stress increase the chances of catching a cold?

A: Regular moderate exercise appears to be protective. However, extreme physical efforts such as running a marathon can tax the immune system, leaving a person more susceptible to a cold until they recover from the effort.

Q: How can a person reduce exposure to cold viruses?

A: Frequent hand-washing may be one of the best preventive measures. The most common way to pick up a cold virus is by touching the nostrils or eyes with fingers that have picked up the virus from an environmental source -- a doorknob touched by someone with a cold, for example.

Q: Can nutrition help a person prevent or survive a cold?

A: Yes. The first nutritional defense is to maintain a strong immune system. A balanced diet that includes the nutrient and phytochemical properties of fruits and vegetables can help. Also, don't over indulge in fats and sweets. This does more than protect your waistline. Consumed in excess, these two major ingredients of holiday treats have been shown to suppress the immune system.

The use of vitamin C or zinc to prevent a cold remains a matter of scientific debate, but it is becoming more clear that both may help decrease cold symptoms.

Zinc taken as a lozenge or nasal spray appears to help cut the duration of a cold, but only if taken within 24 hours of first noticing cold symptoms. Taking high doses of zinc to prevent a cold, however, is not a good idea, as too much zinc can reduce copper absorption and impair immune function.

The best formula for preventing a holiday cold = clean hands + good diet + moderate exercise + enough sleep + low stress + well-timed zinc. Sorry, no guarantees.