Try out the tips

Colds: Better to prevent them than be annoyed

You don't have to "take" every cold with you.

(Bild: pictworks/stock.adobe.com)

Never catch a cold again! Oh, how nice that would be. Although colds cannot always be prevented, they can often be prevented if you know how. Read on to find out how. Try it out now and enjoy the positive effects.

We have a few tips for you that will at least make it harder for viruses to take hold:

• Keep mucous membranes intact: They are the body's own protective barriers against all kinds of germs. However, heating air in particular quickly dries them out, making it easier for pathogens to penetrate. To prevent this, moisturizing nasal and throat sprays are available from pharmacies.

• Many people still remember washing or disinfecting their hands regularly as a tip from the difficult coronavirus era and this is still good advice! Anyone who sneezes, blows their nose or touches objects with a foreseeable high germ load should wash their hands with soap afterwards (or disinfect them on the way).

• Wear a mask - another relic from the coronavirus era and anything but popular with many people. Nevertheless, its effectiveness cannot be denied. Proof of this: During the pandemic winters when FFP2 masks were compulsory, there was a demonstrable massive drop in colds. So if you want to protect yourself against colds, you may have to endure the odd surprised look, but you will probably be rewarded with a largely cold-free winter.

Simple measures such as washing your hands help.

(Bild: stock.adobe.com - Maridav)

• Strengthen your immune system: Once the germs have made it into the body, the body's defenses become active. These can be supported by antioxidants such as vitamin C (e.g. in oranges and red peppers) and E (in vegetable oils and nuts) or selenium (e.g. in fish, meat and wholegrain products), vitamin D (in fatty fish, eggs, hard cheese) and zinc (especially in beef, seafood, nuts, pulses), which promote the proliferation of immune cells and have an anti-inflammatory and antiviral effect. Fermented foods such as yoghurt, kefir and sauerkraut contain healthy bacteria that improve the immune system.

• Ventilate frequently: Fresh air not only benefits your general well-being, but also reduces the risk of cold viruses in the room.

• Regular exercise strengthens the immune system. Walks, cycling or yoga stimulate blood circulation and increase the number of immune cells in the body.

• Laugh more often! It promotes the production of immunoglobulins (antibodies). These proteins, which circulate in the blood, are an important part of our immune system and are able to protect the body from pathogens. Cheerfulness also increases the activity of immune cells such as T and natural killer cells. These are responsible for fighting infected or abnormal cells. Laughter also promotes blood circulation and thus contributes to a better supply of nutrients and oxygen to the body, which also supports the immune system.