10 Ways To Win The Cold War

It’s pretty much peak cold and flu season, but there are ways to put the shivering, aching misery on hold

Everyone in the office has come down with it, and now you can feel the telltale cold-y signs: scratchy throat, bunged-up nose and throbbing head. It’s no secret that you need to drink plenty of fluids, keep warm and take painkillers, but there are countless other ways you can minimise the duration and severity of your symptoms – while protecting those around you too. Welcome to your cold and flu survival guide.

1 KEEP IT TO YOURSELF

Although you don’t have to go into complete quarantine (socially isolated people actually report worse cold symptoms), try to minimise physical contact with family and friends. Bed (or couch) rest helps your body heal, but also keeps the virus trapped in one room, so make sure you have your own towel and even reserve your own spot on the couch. Remember cough etiquette too. Covering your mouth and nose blocks transmission of the flu virus, which otherwise hangs in the air, infecting people up to a metre away. Cough or sneeze into a tissue (or in an emergency, your elbow), then bin it and wash your hands. If someone you know goes down with flu, they’ll be infectious for about five days, 10 in the case of children. If you’re nursing a sick child, put their chin on your shoulder so you’re not in the line of fire when they cough.

2 POP A PROBIOTIC

You may struggle to see the gut-cold connection, but 70% of your immune system resides in the gut, so supporting this with good bacteria is essential. Take a good-quality daily live-bacteria supplement, such as Metagenics UltraFlora, to aid healthy digestion and support your immune function.

3 MAKE FRIENDS WITH VITAMIN C