WHY DO YOU CATCH A COLD OR THE FLU?

Yes, I know ... we all say “Everyone has one.” or “Its the flu season.” But, why you? Basically, four conditions must be right (or wrong) for you to catch a respiratory illness: first, of course, you need to get the germ, usually a virus. No problem; there are plenty of them around us at all times. Some are just more virulent than others at certain times and sometimes the conditions make it more likely that “everyone” will get sick. Second, your resistance must be down. Granted, some viruses are more virulent than others, so your resistance may not have to be down as much for them, but generally you need to have gotten fatigued, lowering your resistance. Third, it helps (or hurts) if you manage to stress your system at this time, as in getting chilled. A 1998 Australian study of athletes and the levels of the blood cells that fight infection showed that getting chilled in the twenty to thirty minutes after a hard workout drastically lowered the levels of these “germ fighters” and often resulted in the subject coming down with a cold. They recommend that the athlete get a warm or hot shower right away rather than staying sweaty and getting chilled. Fourth, you must be dehydrated. There’s a problem; almost everybody goes around at least partially dehydrated. Do you usually drink the recommended daily allowance of water? It helps greatly to make certain that you’re getting the necessary electrolytes so the water can do some good. Plain water also dilutes your blood and the kidneys have to get rid of the excess water. Being partially dehydrated reduces the ability of all cells to function effectively and dries the nasal and throat passages, reducing your ability to stop the viruses at your first line of defense.