What's The Big Deal With Common Cold Prevention?

Have you ever wondered why people make such a big deal out of common cold prevention? Surely you've already heard the answer, though admittedly it's hardly ever stated in response to the above question. Just so you know, all the fuss about fighting the common cold is due to the lack of an established cure. Yup, after all these years, the medical community has made no progress in finding a cure that works for sure.

Granted, they have come up with some methods of treatment. Then again, the most these treatments can do for the infected is to keep their symptoms in check and prevent further complications. In other words, even if the best of these remedies can help, none of them can do a thing to eliminate the virus. Hats off to the docs, eh?

So what are we to do? Sit back, accept the failings of the health care industry, and suffer from the cold virus whenever it chooses to strike? Why in the world would anyone want to do that?

Though the common cold will typically run its course after a week or two, it's still not something that people want to deal with if they can help it. And that's why common cold prevention has made so much noise in the medical community. We've come to realize that if we can successfully fend off the cold virus, then the lack of an established cure won't matter.

Lucky for us all, though there has yet to be a proven way to cure the virus, there are already tried and tested means of keeping it at bay. The best part? Many of these methods are not just geared for fighting the common cold ?they're also capable of holistically improving our health and well-being.

Some of the more common methods include adjusting our diets to accommodate more healthy foods, sleeping the recommended eight hours a day, and adhering to that universal remedy, drinking lots and lots of water. All this is aimed at building an immune system strong enough to withstand the effects of the cold virus.

Other methods, while not directly addressing our overall health, encourage us to practice good hygiene as a means of common cold prevention. Washing our hands and using disinfectant on a regular basis are two of many prevention techniques that stress hygienics.

These methods work, and have the scientific evidence to back them up as well. No surprise, then, that people make such a big deal of common cold prevention. When it comes to that particular malady, prevention truly is worth much more than a pound of cure.

The Best Method Of Common Cold Prevention?

People often wonder what the best method of common cold prevention is.

Many mistakenly assume that they have to buy a whole slew of drugs and antibiotics to treat the malady a foolish premise, since antibiotics serve to kill bacteria, not viruses, and no drug has ever been proven to cure the common cold.

Others think that common cold prevention requires something more extreme, such as a complete lifestyle overhaul. And while no one in their right mind will deny that eating well and sleeping right can do wonders for overall health and well-being, it's far from the easiest method of prevention out there.

But is there a way to fight the common cold that is both easy and effective?

Short answer: Yes.

Long answer: read below.

One of the best ways to prevent the common cold that people tend to overlook is avoiding contact with those who suffer from the virus. Why do you think the common cold is more prevalent in people who spend most of their time in close quarters with one another? It's because the chances are much greater that these people will somehow pass the cold virus back and forth to each other once one of them becomes infected.

You can relax, though. This doesn't mean you have to avoid cold sufferers (much less healthy people) like a plague, so you don't have to run and duck for cover whenever your sick friend comes within 10 feet of you to say hello. All this means is that you have to be a bit more conscious when you're around those who are infected. That's the number one step to common cold prevention.

So what do you have to do when you're around them? For starters, you can ask them to carry a tissue or handkerchief along with them to avoid spreading germs, so that you don't have to carry on a conversation at a safe distance. You can easily inhale the cold virus after your friend coughs or sneezes, so he'd better have something to block his spray.

Also, think twice before sharing anything with him food, drinks, or that handkerchief he sneezed in ?since they are sure to be covered with germs that may put you on the fast track to infection. Washing your hands frequently would be a good idea as well, since the cold virus can be transferred through hand contact. And even if you refrain from touching your friend's hand, who's to say you won't get the virus on yours when he passes you your keys or he hands over the money he owes you?

This is also why you should keep your hands away from your nose, mouth, and eyes. These areas are most vulnerable to the cold virus, so infection becomes more and more likely with each scratch (nose), pick (teeth), and rub (eye).

And finally, never underestimate the common cold. Exposure to incredibly small doses of the virus is enough to cause infection. Stay vigilant!

While evasion may not be the best method of common cold prevention (that probably still belongs to building a strong immune system through living a healthy lifestyle), it's still one of the most effective ways to prevent the common cold. And compared to others, it's relatively easy too.