Five ways to fend off ‘Christmas cold’ this winter – so stop touching yourself
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On top of the freezing temperatures, and snowy and icy weather, there is also a mystery bug infecting everyone.
With millions of Brits holding off on switching on their heating over fears they can’t afford the energy bills, it's no surprise so many of us are getting sick.
The British winter typically claims the lives of around 50,000 people every year, so what can you do to combat the effects of the cold?
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A leading GP and Olbas Expert, Doctor Roger Henderson has shared his five top tips to combat the ‘Christmas cold’ this festive season.
His advice includes cutting out alcohol to keeping your hands off yourself.
Dr Henderson says: “Are you one of those people who really look forward to Christmas and some well-earned time off work, only to spend much of it with a cold or flu? Well, you’re not alone – it happens much more than you think and it’s likely to be due to a number of reasons.
“One of these is that our immune system may ‘dip’ when the stress of work stops, and so make us notice body symptoms that we had previously ignored when under stress.
“There’s also the fact that people are more likely to be close together indoors at this time of year rather than outside, often in air-conditioned buildings, and so are more exposed to the colds and sniffles of friends and work colleagues.
“Throw into the mix mingling at office parties, too much alcohol, lack of sleep and not getting enough fresh air and exercise, and you can easily end up suffering from a Christmas cold at just the wrong time.”
Parents' top tips to help excitable children get to sleep on Christmas Eve
To try to reduce your risk of having your festive season spoiled by a cold, try these simple tips:
1. Limit how much alcohol you drink
Too much can lead to vitamin deficiencies, which can affect your immune system and your ability to fight infection
2. Get enough sleep.
Sleep is the body’s natural way of recharging its batteries. So, if you start to feel under the weather, help your body to recover by getting more sleep.
3. Hands off yourself
The cold virus is often carried on the hands and then enters your body through your eyes, nose or mouth. So, minimise the risk of catching a cold by washing your hand regularly.
To get rid of germs, rub your hands together vigorously with lots of soap and warm water for at least 15 seconds.
4. Get moving!
Exercise is the perfect way to give your immune system a boost.
5. Decongestants
These can help ease symptoms of a blocked nose as can using steam inhalations. and can help if your symptoms mainly affect your nose.
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