Concern over common cold spread, as well as the spread of other viruses in schools, hospitals and other public places, should lead to increased focus on good health habits. There are over 200 viruses that cause common colds and washing with soap and warm water kills them. One of the best habits to remember in order to avoid coming down with a cold is to wash your hands before you touch your face, particularly your nose or mouth.
The rhinovirus, the virus that is most easily grown in a laboratory setting and the subject of most studies, can live for up to three hours on skin and surfaces. Once the rhinovirus enters the nose, it grows easily and infects the lining of the nose, causing sneezing, congestion, coughing and often a low grade fever. Scientists estimate that rhinoviruses cause approximately 30-35 percent of adult common colds. For unknown reasons, some people become infected with rhinoviruses and never develop symptoms, but may still be responsible for common cold spread, since the virus can still be found in nasal secretions.
Common colds are one of the leading causes of missed school days and doctor visits, even though that doctor visit may be unnecessary. Studies indicate that viruses and common cold spread in the waiting rooms of hospitals and doctor's offices. These viruses become airborne when a person sneezes or coughs. So, another good health habit to remember, when you have a cold, is to cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze.
According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), children have about six to ten common colds per year. Adults typically have less, with the average around three, but the range varies widely. Those who work with the public and in hospitals have more than those who work at home or in small offices. People who have asthma are more susceptible to common colds than the average person. Recent studies have shown that asthmatics produce less anti-viral proteins, a function of the immune system, than normal. Supporting the belief that efforts to maintain a healthy immune system can reduce the number of colds a person has per year and thus reduce common cold spread.
Experts believe that children have more common colds than adults because daycare and school settings lead to close contact with other children. Children often forget to cover their mouths when coughing or sneezing and washing hands is not a priority for them. Many elementary schools now request that parents supply tissues and waterless alcohol-based hand washing products in an effort to reduce common cold spread in schools. Additionally, since the rhinoviruses can live for several hours on surfaces, recommendations for preventing common cold spread include cleaning phones, stair rails, door knobs and other areas that people touch frequently with a disinfectant.
Expert opinions vary about the effectiveness of vitamins, minerals, herbs and other plant products for preventing and/or treating the common cold. Thousands of clinical studies have been performed, but results are not always reproducible. For example, two recent studies support the use of zinc nasal gels to reduce the duration of common cold symptoms, but one contradicts those findings and suggests that it is unethical to recommend a product that can cause permanent loss of the sense of smell to treat a temporary condition like the common cold. All of the studies were performed by reputable researchers, with no motive other than to help and inform the public, but when scientists cannot agree on an appropriate treatment, it leaves the general public more confused.
Health supplements that are safe and can help prevent common colds by supporting normal immune system function include; vitamin C (which works best when taken with calcium and magnesium), zinc supplements (which at normal dosages and taken in tablet form do not cause adverse side effects), green tea (a subject of numerous studies), Andrographis paniculata (which reduces flu symptoms and the likelihood of developing complications from viral infections), and many other natural substances.
Article Source: Health Guidance
About Author : Patsy Hamilton was a health care professional for over twenty years before becoming a health writer. Currently she is writing a series of articles about type II diabetes, a subject of personal interest. Read more at http://www.diabetes-type-two-info-guide.com.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Common Cold Spread
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Are You at Risk for Heart Disease? Learn How to Fight Back
Heart disease is a silent killer, According to the National Institutes of Health, it will kill nearly 500,000 people this year. If more Americans took control of their health, this statistic could be reduced by as much as 87%, that means 435,000 people would literally save their own lives each year. Your lifestyle, diet, and environment subtly and profoundly affect your heart -- by restoring or depleting over 30 essential nutrients. For optimum heart health, your body needs the correct balance of these 30 nutrients. In the context of a wholesome diet and healthy lifestyle, supplementation is the easiest, most effective way to promote maximum heart health.
A diet high in fats has been recognized as a primary villain and risk factor in cardiovascular disease. The difficulty many people have in understanding the risk of a high fat diet is not so much in the total fat but in the types of fat included in the diet. On the one hand there are two types of fats - one of which is good, one of which is bad. Saturated fats are one of the villains when it comes to the bad fat part of the formula and this type of fat is commonly found in almost all foods. Unsaturated fats are far less harmful. It is recognized that approximately 95 percent of the population is deficient in essential fatty acids.
Essential fatty acids are involved in energy production, the transfer of oxygen from the air to the bloodstream, and the manufacture of hemoglobin. They are also involved in growth, cell division and nerve function. Essential fatty acids are found in high concentrations in the brain and are essential for normal nerve impulse transmission and brain function.
Essential fatty acids are also involved in the manufacture of prostaglandins, substances which play a role in a number of body functions including hormone synthesis, immune function, regulation of the response to pain and inflammation, blood vessel constriction, and other heart and lung functions.
Symptoms of essential fatty acid deficiency may include fatigue, dry skin, immune weakness, gastrointestinal disorders, heart and circulatory problems, growth retardation, mental problems and sterility. It is likely that a lack of dietary essential fatty acids plays an important role in the development of many common diseases.
There are many types of essential fatty acid supplements available, including flaxseed oil, fish oils, evening primrose oil, black currant oil, and borage oil. These are available in capsule and free oil forms. Some experts advise avoiding fish oil supplements because they may have toxic contaminants. Fish oil supplements should not be taken during pregnancy due to the damaging effects of high doses of vitamin A.
Several risk factors have been linked to heart disease. These include unchangeable factors such as an early family history of heart disease. If a family member developed heart disease relatively young, before age 50, your risk is increased. Usually, however, heart disease is more likely to strike a woman after menopause.
Certain medical conditions play key roles. High blood pressure increases your risk of both heart attack and stroke, so controlling it is very important. Diabetes also increases your risk of developing heart disease, especially in women. Unfortunately, many diabetic women have a nerve disorder which makes them less sensitive to pain, so they might miss the heart attack warning sign of chest pain.
Keep in mind that lifestyle plays a crucial role. Smoking and fatal heart disease go hand-in-hand. If you smoke, quit. Oral contraceptives used by smokers might cause trouble too, so if you smoke and take the pill, you might be in greater danger of having a heart attack than someone who doesn't. Obesity and a sedentary "couch potato" outlook also add to your risk.
What counts is not how many risk factors you have, but what you do to change them. Maintain a lean weight and good blood cholesterol level. Cut the saturated fat content from your food and increase your intake of essential fatty acids. Eat less meat and chicken. Bulk up on vegetables and fruits. You'll be eating healthier and you will probably lose some weight!
Most importantly, exercise! This is critical to good health. Too often, we say we don't have time. Make time. Put yourself first and work out, even if you have to schedule it into your appointment book.
For years, we were told women didn't have to worry about heart disease. Now that we know the truth, we must all make the changes needed in the name of healthier and happier hearts.
