By Dr. Joseph Sliwkowski
At this time of year, physicians are seeing a plethora of patients with upper respiratory infections (URI). Although rarely serious, these mostly viral infections can cause up to 40 days of misery per year. (Average person gets 2-4 URIs per year, each lasting 10 days.) Fortunately, there are proven ways to lower the risk of keeping this situation from occurring.
Cold Hard Facts
•Study done at Carnegie Mellon University showed that sleeping 8 hours per night reduces chance of “catching a cold” by 30 percent.
•Study at Pace University showed that drinking white tea rather boosts you immune system to fight off germs 5x more than coffee.
•Study at South Carolina University showed that moderate physical activity, e.g., 30 minutes of brisk walking, could reduce colds by 30 percent.
•Study done in Japan showed that people who gargled with water 3 x per day had more than 30 percent less chance of having an URI.
•84 percent of us don’t do a proven technique to kill germs- wash hands, between fingers and under nails for 15 seconds with soap or alcohol based sanitizer.
•Study in the Annals of Internal Medicine, those who took zinc lozenge, e.g., Cold-Eeze reduced duration of a cold by 50 percent.
•Recent study, those who took supplement with Pelargonium sidoides reduced duration of a URI by 50 percent. One preparation is sold under the brand name of Umcka, which is stocked at Whole Foods. This is a leading medicine recommended by doctors in Europe.
•Homemade chicken soup can reduce congestion better than over-the-counter cough and cold medicines according to study at the University of Nebraska.
•Recent study in British Journal of Nutrition, college students who took yogurt or a supplement probiotic with Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Bifidobacterium reduced severity and duration of cold by 30 percent and 50 percent respectively. Another study in same journal, elderly that took heat-killed Lactobacillus pentosus had significantly reduce incidence of “catching a cold”.
Health care in general should be focused on “putting itself out of business” through wellness and prevention. These “Cold Hard Facts” are a way to start.
Joseph Sliwkowski, MD, is the Medical Director at Doctors Express, North Andover, a seven-day walk-in urgent care center.. He may be reached at 978-470-0800.
Visit their website, www.doctorsexpressnorthandover.com. Archives of articles from previous issues can be read at www.fiftyplusadvocate.com.
