Winter Illnesses – Fact and Fiction (Part 2)

There are a lot of claims made about the connection between winter and certain illnesses, some of which we examined in Part 1 of this post. Let’s have a look at some more of them–

Antibiotics can treat a cold – the fact is that antibiotics are ineffectual against viruses which are responsible for colds, so they do not fight colds.

So if you think that taking antibiotics will cure your cold, not only would you be fooling yourself, you may actually be taking them needlessly and unknowingly be creating antibiotic resistance.

When you really need them they may not be as effective! Cold will usually resolve by itself; run its course so to speak – rest and fluid intake are the best ways to hasten recovery.

Chicken soup is good for curing cold – this is true as grandma told us, since hot liquids do help to reduce congestion and inflammation.

It is the warmth of the drink that has a soothing effect; helping to keep nasal passages moist, prevent dehydration and thin out the mucus.  So in fact some chicken soup with veggies may the just the thing to prevent dehydration and also offer a solution for stuffy noses, sore throats and congestion.