| Chicken Soup and Wet Heads: The
Truth About Cold and Flu Myths
Folklore About Curing the
Common Cold and Flu Revealed as Fact or Fiction
(ARA) - At some point when you were a child, your mother may have told you
not to leave the house with a wet head. "You'll catch a cold, the minute you
walk out that door," she would say. As children we laughed it off, but now as
adults we sometimes wonder, was what she said true?
With every winter
season comes a barrage of sniffles, sneezes, coughs and colds. However, most
people don't run to the doctor for every hint of a cold or flu. Instead, they
turn to the age old motherly wisdom that's been passed down through the
generations. You know, those tales that supposedly can help prevent or treat
common cold weather ailments.
But which ones are really valid? Can you
actually catch a cold from not drying your hair before going outside in the
winter?
"Many of these adages actually do have some truth to them," says
Phyllis Brown, CRNP. "However, just as many of those sayings are purely
fictitious."
To help demystify these long established sayings, here is a
list of common myths and the real truth that lies within them.
Cold
weather makes it easier to catch a cold.
Fiction. Cold weather has
nothing to do with catching a cold. Many people become ill due to the fact that
we tend to spend more time indoors in close contact with other people in heated
homes. Because of the heated close quarters, germs are more easily passed from
person to person.
You can catch the flu from getting a flu
shot.
Fiction. The flu vaccine is made from an inactivated virus, so you
cannot catch the flu from a flu shot. However, it's not uncommon to experience
some soreness at the point where the injection was administered, and on occasion
some people can feel a little under the weather for a few days.
Starve a
cold, feed a fever.
Fiction and fiction. "This is definitely not a good
idea in either case," says Brown. "It is extremely important to stay well
hydrated when you're sick. Starving a cold by not drinking plenty of water and
juice could do even more damage."
Likewise, overeating when you have a
fever is not ideal either. It is important to eat, but you should not
overindulge. Eat enough to satisfy your appetite, and make sure to drink plenty
of fluids.
Herbal remedies are helpful for treating colds.
Fact.
An herbal remedy will not cure your cold, but in many cases an herbal remedy can
alleviate many cold symptoms and allow you to feel better. For many people, head
and chest congestion are the most irritating aspects of being sick because a
stuffy nose and heavy head make it very difficult to sleep.
Humidifiers
utilized in conjunction with an herbal aroma can provide substantial relief from
head and sinus congestion as well as help soothe an itchy or scratchy throat.
The Ultra Sonic Personal Humidifier from Medisana is one humidifier that
actually comes with a eucalyptus cold therapy to specifically combat congestion
and throat irritation.
Chicken soup will help you feel
better.
Fact and fiction. It is true that warm chicken soup will make a
sore throat feel better. However, chicken soup does not have any special
medicinal healing power to cure a cold. Along with chicken soup, the notion that
hot toddies will provide relief is absolutely false. When you're sick, it is
definitely important to avoid alcohol. Beverages containing alcohol contribute
to dehydration, which can compound the effects of a cold or flu.
It's
easier to catch a cold if you go outside with wet hair.
And the answer
is: Fiction! The only way to catch a cold or flu virus is if you come in contact
with one. Having a wet head or wet feet will not make you more susceptible to
catching a cold. Wet hair in chilly weather can sometimes lower body temperature
and make you feel colder, which in turn can reduce resistance to a virus or
cold, but you will not get sick purely from having wet hair in cold
weather.
So, was your mother right? Well, not always, but she was trying
to make sure you were healthy. Knowing the truth behind the myths will help you
better prevent and treat any cold or flu bug, and that will definitely keep mom
happy.
Courtesy of ARA Content 
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