How to keep the common cold away

The word 'common' in 'common cold' could be because it is reason for most absenteeism in school kids, also the most used reason for people missing work! The human rhino virus, as it is clinically known, is an air borne virus, which makes chances of its transmission from person to person quite high. How, then, does one avoid a common cold, especially in the fast approaching winter months? Here are a few tried and tested methods of preventing the common cold that could reduce the number of visits it makes to you in a year. Maintain basic hygiene We were taught hygiene as kids, so we maintain it in adulthood - or do we? Those basics are very useful in preventing a cold. Wash your hands at regular intervals, specially after being in public places, like at the gym or mall. Carrying a bottle of hand sanitizer along is quite helpful too, moreso if there are kids around. At the risk of being paranoid, maintain a safe distance from an infected person. No touching! Since the virus spreads through the air, it is also present on the surfaces around an infected person in the form of small mucus droplets, which the eyes cannot see. The virus can be transmitted through accidentally touching the surface and then touching facial features like the nose and the mouth. Touching or rubbing the eyes constantly should be avoided. Stub the cigarette Smoking is injurious in more than one way, not just to you but also to people around you. The smoke causes irritation in the airway, making it prone to the rhinovirus attack. Also susceptibility to other kind of viral infections increases. Inhaling smoke passively could also lead to throat infections. Load up on vitamin C The debate between whether vitamin C really prevents cold or not has been long on. But drinking a glass of orange juice will certainly do no harm on either side. Some doctors even prescribe chewable vitamin C supplements for curing the common cold. Reduce stress While your mind is stressing over issues, the body is busy backing it up. Therefore, the immune system is weakened with large stress loads. That makes it prone to virus attacks. Sleep for at least 8 hours in a day. Relax and unwind whenever you get a chance. Keep fit A fit body is usually capable of countering a lot of ailments. Maintain a regular fitness routine, and a healthy lifestyle. Drink a lot of water and eat right. Building a strong immune system is the best prevention against the common cold.