Some people will advise you to just ride a cold out. There are some alternative solutions to help you get through the season with fewer colds. We can't guarantee any of these methods, but various research studies seem to suggest that they have some positive benefits for reducing the number of colds you will get. 

1. Wash your hands. Wash them several times a day. The best way to schedule yourself, is to absolutely always wash your hands whenever you make a trip to the restroom. Most colds are spread from viruses we pick up on our hands, from shaking hands with other people and from touching objects such as door knobs, pens, bannisters. If you go to the restroom six times a day, you have six opportunities to start off with a "clean hand" environment. 

2. Keep your hands off your face. A lot of the viruses that are on our hands enter our bodies through our eyes. We rub our eyes, we clean our eyes--with our hands. Rather than tell you to not touch your eyes, it is simply better to advise you to keep your hands below your shoulders, and then you'll avoid contaminating your eyes, and your whole system. 

3. Keep exercising. The daily stress of intensive exercise helps to shock your body's immune system, so you are less likely to catch so many colds. At least, that's what research indicates. Keep fit, and you can avoid getting infected from the viruses that do invade your body. 

4. Take saunas. Scandinavians have found that a couple trips a week into a very hot sauna, and then douses in cold water, helps to reduce the number of colds that people get. Believe us, the Scandinavians have done a lot of research on this. Practically every Swedish and Norwegian home has a built in sauna. 

5. Drink lots of water. Fluids keep your throat moist, and viruses are less able to anchor a foothold into your system. If you fly a lot, drink even more water on airplanes, and bring along a mister, and moisten your throat on a regular basis. 

6. Stay away from children. Just kidding! But children do seem to pass around a lot of cold viruses. If you do have a lot of contact with small ones, make sure you wash your hands even more frequently, exercises, take saunas, etc. etc. 

7. And if you do get a cold, try to nip it in the bud. If you are going to take zinc, this is the best time to take it. This is the best time to rest. This is the best time for more saunas, hot tubs, extra sleep, Vitamin C. Let the cold viruses know that your body is not the best place for them to take up residence! 

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Janelle M. Barlow, Ph.D.  
Author of The Stress Manager 

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