The winter months in the northern hemisphere has a beautiful white snow-filled landscape. With the cool weather comes an increase in common illnesses such as coughs, colds, flus and other respiratory problems. You know the feeling when the symptoms of a cold or flu come up on you. Perhaps it’s a little tickle in the throat, or maybe a slight headache or just feeling a bit under the weather. Then it often turns to sneezing attacks (which spreads the germs to others!!) followed by the more familiar signs of runny nose, watery eyes, sore throat, cough, fever, aches and pains, feeling irritable, tired and out of sorts.
So, how do we “catch” a cold and why doesn’t everyone get it? Why do some people always seem healthy and others are ill many times in the year?
Our body has a wonderful system of checks and balances and a healthy immune response depends on many factors including stress levels, dietary factors such as excess sugar, junk foods or alcohol consumption, occupational factors, frequent air travel and state of mind to name a few.