WHY DO YOU CATCH A COLD OR THE FLU?

WHY DO YOU CATCH A COLD OR THE FLU?
WHY DO YOU CATCH A COLD OR THE FLU?

By: Bill Gookin, No. 3a in a series of occasional reports on wellness and dehydration

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.

Traveling, especially across time zone changes, is fatiguing enough. There are plenty of germs being circulated in the air conditioning and plenty of opportunities for a chill or other forms of physical stress; just the right formula for getting sick! Fight back with prophylactic doses of VITALYTE™. Any time you are in high risk situations or feel the sore, aching muscles, “gritty eyes” or puffiness around the eyes that are the early symptoms of a cold or the flu ... VITALYTE will help your chances that you won’t even get sick!

Like thousands of others who have discovered how effective it is, whenever I feel the symptoms of a cold or the flu coming on ... dry, gritty and puffy eyes and aching muscles for no other reason or even more advanced stages like congestion, stuffy nose, headache and cough ... I start a regimen of VITALYTE, perhaps backed by analgesics like ibuprofen (Advil™), aspirin or acetaminophen (Tylenol™) and Vitamin C, and am feeling better in a short time and “all well” much sooner!

Try it; you’ll really appreciate the difference VITALYTE™ can make !

* For 40 years athletes have known us as Gookinaid, but we are not just a drink for athletes. Now the world knows us as Vitalyte™, a drink for everyone. Same fast, effective formula...band new name!

** This article is the opinion, advice and testimonial of the author and your results may vary. If you have a medical condition involving dehydration or electrolyte imbalance, you should consult a physician before following this advice.

*** Documentation on file.