Preventing a cold

Sophie Matzik is a freelance writer for the medical team.

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Healthy nutrition, hygiene, adequate sleep: if you want to prevent a cold, you can start at various points. A flu-like infection cannot always be prevented. However, you can significantly reduce your risk of infection. You can find out how to do this here!

ICD codes for this disease: ICD codes are internationally recognized codes for medical diagnoses. They can be found, for example, in doctor's letters or on certificates of incapacity for work. J00J06

Preventing a cold: hygiene

The most important measure to prevent a cold is hygiene. Cold viruses can survive on the skin or on the surface of objects for long periods of time. Therefore the following recommendations:

• If you have touched someone with a cold or touched potentially contaminated surfaces (e.g. doorknobs, handrails in buses and trains, banisters), you should not touch your face and wash your hands as soon as possible.
• Keep a distance from people with a cold as far as possible and avoid direct contact, e.g. hugs).
• Do not drink or eat from the same dishes as a person with a cold.

If you yourself have a cold, you can at least protect your fellow human beings: If you have a cold, wash your hands every time you blow your nose. Do not leave used handkerchiefs lying around; dispose of them in the trash immediately.

Particularly with children, hygiene must be observed in order to be able to prevent a cold. For example, the little ones quickly infect each other through shared toys.

Preventing a cold: diet

Diet also plays a role in preventing a cold. In general, you should eat as varied and balanced as possible. Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and dairy products contain many vitamins and minerals. They help the body to build a powerful immune system. Meat and animal fats, on the other hand, should only be consumed in moderation. This also applies to alcohol.

Do vitamin C supplements help?

Many people swallow vitamin C supplements at the first sign of illness. In this way they hope to be able to prevent the permanent onset of a cold. Unfortunately that doesn't work. Vitamins support the immune system in the long term. However, once the virus has spread in the body, it has to form specific antibodies against the bacteria. Vitamin C then no longer has any immediate effect.

Preventing a cold: recovery

Sufficient rest and relaxation can also help prevent colds. Make sure you get enough sleep. Too little, restless or irregular sleep is a burden on the body. Viruses can be fought less well, the disease is often more severe. But not only against colds, but also against many other diseases, sleep is an essential factor in prevention.

Cold and other infections are also favored by stress. If you have a stressful day, you should try to take breaks to relax.

Also try to reduce stressors. These include, for example, work pressure, anger with colleagues and relationship problems. But positive life events such as a wedding or a welcome change of job also mean stress.

Regardless of the type of stress - it can affect us not only emotionally, but also physically. Among other things, it reduces the effectiveness of the immune system. With prolonged stress, you are therefore more susceptible to catching a cold. You can prevent this by trying to change or eliminate stressful behavior or situations. Learning relaxation techniques such as meditation, autogenic training or progressive muscle relaxation also helps. Such practices can go a long way in preventing colds.

Preventing a cold: cold and damp

Even if the term "cold" suggests it: Cold alone does not give you a cold. However, cold viruses have an easier time playing at low temperatures. On the one hand, the pathogens then simply feel more comfortable than when it is warm. On the other hand - and much more importantly: when it is cold, the mucous membranes are less well supplied with blood. Therefore, there are fewer immune cells, for example in the nasal mucous membrane, available to intercept invading germs.

In order to be able to prevent a cold, you should always pay attention to sufficiently warm clothing in winter. At very low temperatures, a scarf in front of the mouth protects the airways.

The temperature factor also plays a role in summer: If you spend a long time in cold water or wear wet or sweaty clothes for a longer period of time, the cold virus will help. Therefore, you should always change wet or sweaty clothes immediately, even in summer. You should also avoid drafts and not swim too long in cold water. For the cooler evening hours, you should always have a jacket with you to prevent an annoying cold.

Preventing a cold: more tips

Doctors recommend, for example, ventilating the apartment regularly - especially in winter. With the exchange of air, cold viruses that accumulate in the air are carried out. In addition, you should exercise at least once a day in the fresh air. A walk of around half an hour is enough.

In the cold winter months, a warm foot bath can also help if you want to avert a cold. Increasing footbaths, possibly with additives (such as lichen needle extract), are particularly helpful. Regular hot and cold showers can also strengthen the immune system and prevent a cold.

It also makes sense to wear gloves in winter. This not only keeps your fingers warm, but also prevents pathogens from reaching your hands, for example from door handles or handles, and from there possibly reaching the mucous membranes (for example when you hold your mouth). But that only applies if you don't put your gloved fingers in your face!

So there are many ways to prevent a cold. You cannot reduce the risk of infection 100 percent with these measures, but you can at least avoid a large part of the common cold viruses.

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