Winter is the season of high prevalence of colds and flu, and various remedies to prevent and treat them are getting a lot of attention. The latest U.S. research reveals the answers to this series of questions about what the cold is all about and what to do after a cold. Three truths about colds A white paper on colds released by the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in October 2010 uncovered three “ones” about colds. The first “one”: the cold is a “syndrome” of upper respiratory tract infections caused by viruses, and there are more than 100 different viruses that can trigger a cold; the second “one”: Generally, the symptoms of a cold last for a week, with or without medication; the third “one”: the beginning of a cold should be the day before the symptoms appear, when the virus has already taken up residence in your body. To be more precise, the cold virus is latent in the body for 18-48 hours and then suddenly breaks out. The earliest symptoms include a sore throat, sneezing, a stuffy, runny nose, and fatigue. In English, because “cold” and “cold” are the same word, many people think that the cold is “freezing”. “That’s not true. Whether you’re underdressed, walking barefoot on the floor or leaving the house without blow-drying your hair, these things don’t cause you to catch a cold – but they do cause your resistance to drop, allowing viruses to take advantage.” Phyllis Brown, a registered nurse practitioner in the U.S., says dryness is more likely to bring on a cold because the body’s mucous membranes’ ability to fight viruses is reduced by lack of water. The number of times a cold attacks each person also varies. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children get colds 8-10 times a year, and school-going children get as many as 12, not because they have poor resistance, but because children are closer and have a greater chance of spreading the virus. In contrast, “indifferent” adults get colds 2-4 times a year, more women than men, and women in their 30s are the most vulnerable because they are the main ones who take care of children. After 60, the number of colds decreases to an average of 1 per year. It is better to take medication than to rest. The White Paper on Colds also points out that many people do not know that there is no cure for colds. Some people will take antibiotics, but in fact, antibiotics can’t destroy the virus at all, and taking them indiscriminately may aggravate the disease. The main effect of cold medicine is to relieve the symptoms and make you feel better and rest better, but it does not shorten the course of the illness. So, what are the things you must do after a cold? According to Healthcast.com, the following 9 things are essential. Step 1: Find a bed. After a cold, it’s best to find yourself a comfortable bed to lie down in. Don’t think about going to work, and don’t hold back from going out to party, have fun or exercise. Liu Yining, director of the respiratory department at the PLA General Hospital, said that sleep is the “best cold medicine” and that you must get 8 hours of sleep every day. If possible, it is best to take 1-2 days off from work to rest at home, so that you can reduce the spread of the disease to others. Step 2: Take some vitamin C. Either taking vitamin C supplements or eating fruits rich in vitamin C, such as dates, oranges, kiwis, oranges, grapefruit, etc., can help relieve cold symptoms. Generally speaking, fruits with heavy acidity have a lot of vitamin C content. Drinking orange juice can eliminate the discomfort in the mouth while replenishing vitamin C. Step 3: Eat a piece of dark chocolate. It not only replenishes antioxidants, but research at the University of London in England also shows that the theobromine contained therein has coughing effects. Step 4: Turn on the humidifier. The dry air in autumn and winter can make the respiratory tract feel uncomfortable. Placing a humidifier next to your bed or sofa will allow you to breathe more smoothly. Before use, it is best to clean it thoroughly to avoid the spread of viruses through it. Step 5: Eat liquid food. Hot soup and hot porridge are both good choices. It has been said for centuries that chicken soup cures colds, and British scholars have found this to be true because certain ingredients in chicken soup can reduce coughs, and the steam from hot soup and hot porridge helps relieve nasal congestion. Step 6: Change to a bigger glass of water. Make sure you drink 2,000 ml of water a day, some of which should preferably be an electrolyte drink. Step 7: Stay away from dairy products. Liu and Ning said that cheese and other harder-to-digest dairy products are best not to eat when you have a cold, but you can drink some milk properly. If you have a bad appetite, you can drink some yogurt. Step 8: Take over-the-counter medicines. Over-the-counter medicines such as ibuprofen, paracetamol or cough syrup can alleviate the symptoms of a cold. Although these medicines can’t fight the virus, they can make you feel better, Liu says. Step 9: Be patient and wait for it to pass. It takes about seven days for your illness to go away on its own. But if symptoms persist or get dramatically worse, it’s best to go to the hospital and ask your doctor for a diagnosis. Three things you can do to fight a cold A cold is not a major illness, but the persistent symptoms make it difficult for many people to sit still. In response, the “White Paper on Colds” gives tips to relieve the three major symptoms of sore throat, cough and nasal congestion. Sore throat: light salt water. Dissolve 7.5 grams of salt in 250 ml of warm water and gargle slowly to relieve a sore throat, every 6-8 hours. Do not use harsh mouthwashes; they may exacerbate respiratory dryness. It is best to swallow harder foods slowly to avoid scratching the pharynx. If your voice is hoarse, avoid talking or shouting in noisy environments. You can also prepare some tablets or sprays to use when symptoms are more severe. Cough: Cough syrup. Coughing is a means for the body to remove exogenous substances, but a violent cough can disrupt sleep or cause chest pain. The best thing to do is to drink cough syrup when coughing is intense. Snotty nose: hot steam. It is best to use soft tissues when blowing your nose, as this will prevent it from rubbing off. It is important not to blow your nose too hard, and the standard for the degree is to hear no buzzing sound in your ears to avoid damage to the eardrums. If it is difficult to blow your nose, you can “smell” hot steam or peppermint oil, or use nasal drops There is actually no cure for a cold, whether or not you take medicine the condition lasts up to a week, and taking medicine will only aggravate the condition. 9 things you must do after a cold: 1. sleep more; 2. take vitamin C; 3. eat a piece of dark chocolate; 4. turn on the humidifier; 5. eat fluid food; 6. drink more water; 7. stay away from dairy products; 8. take over-the-counter medication; 9. wait patiently for it to pass.