10 Myths On How To Treat A Common Cold, Part Two

Now Part Two of the 10 myths on How to Treat the Common Cold Did the preceding two leave you cold?

3) Vitamin C Cold Remedy

You can’t go wrong with vitamin C. It has plenty of health benefits. The body needs vitamin C to maintain a healthy vigor. Its lack will cause scurvy. It is thought that vitamin C may inhibit calcium absorption when taken in excess. Unfortunately, it is not a cold remedy.

Vitamin C does not kill viruses. However, by helping the patient to remain healthy it will not be taken amiss.

4) The Common Cold Is Caused by the Weather

At one time it was thought that people should avoid going out in extremely cold weather. But here again, it should be noted that the common cold is caused by a virus, not by the cold weather. However, viruses can be spread when people congregate in heated places while avoiding the cold.

Even so, some evidence suggests that not bundling up adequately in very cold weather can put stress on a person’s system that makes it more susceptible to viruses. Pneumonia may be caused by a virus, a bacteria, or even a parasite. Many deaths have been attributed to over-exposure to the elements. Most famously, as noted in this Library of Congress quote:

William Henry Harrison (1773-1841), who served the shortest presidential term, gave the longest inaugural address. Harrison was inaugurated on March 4, 1841, on a cold, wet day and, refusing to wear a hat or coat, caught cold. He then attended three inaugural balls in the evening. Harrison’s “Tippecanoe” ball was held at the District’s Carusi’s Saloon with approximately 1,000 people paying ten dollars each to attend. The president’s cold lingered and then turned more serious, until, on April 4, 1841, he succumbed to pneumonia becoming the first president to die in office.

Next time you are tempted to wander around out of doors on a cold winter’s day, don’t forget poor President Harrison.

5) Treat a Common Cold with Hot Toddies

We have already noted that Chicken Soup can soothe some of the common cold symptoms, even if don’t do anything in respect of a common cold flu prevention treatment. In the same way it may be thought that a body-warming alcohol, served up as feature of a hot beverage, ought to pack a punch as a common cold cure!

Also like the chicken soup myth, this is not the case. As much fun as it might seem to treat the common cold with a few drinks, hot toddies are, in fact, more detrimental than advantageous to someone fighting the common cold. It can result in dehydration because the alcohol draws fluids out of the cells, and can actually make symptoms seem worse, or to last longer than expected.

Read on for the next instalment…

<< 10 Myths On How To Treat or Stop A Common Cold, Part One
10 Myths On How To Treat and Prevent the Common Cold, Part Three >>