Autumn and winter are the seasons when people are most prone to catching colds, especially for those with weak immune systems and poor physical fitness. Many people believe that colds in autumn and winter are caused by being exposed to cold temperatures. But is this really true? Let's take a look at some common misconceptions about colds.
【Misconceptions about Treating Colds in Autumn and Winter】
Misconception 1: Colds are caused by being exposed to cold temperatures
Many people believe that catching a cold is directly caused by the cold weather. Some even claim that wearing less clothing leads to catching a cold. But this is not true!
Low temperatures are not the direct cause of colds. Low temperatures can lower the body's immune system, causing the condition of people who are already infected with a virus but have no obvious symptoms to worsen.
Misconception 2: Only people with poor health catch colds
Many people think that catching a cold is a sign of poor health. But in fact, regardless of physical fitness, everyone can catch a cold, although the severity may vary. Some people may experience more severe symptoms, while others may only have mild symptoms.
An average person will catch a cold about 200 times in their lifetime, with an average of 3 times per year. The average duration of each cold is about 9 days. Adults catch colds 2-4 times a year, and women are more prone to catching colds than men.
Misconception 3: Not taking medication prolongs recovery
Many people believe that when they are sick, they should take medication to recover faster. This is true for some diseases. However, colds are self-limiting diseases, and regardless of whether medication is used or not, most colds will improve within a week.
For adults, cold medicine can improve symptoms and make the cold period less uncomfortable. But taking cold medicine does not make the cold go away faster. The effectiveness of cold medicine for children is not yet clear, and it may have more side effects.
【Dietary Remedies for Colds in Autumn and Winter】
1. Honey Jujube and Licorice Soup
Ingredients: 8 jujubes, 6g licorice root.
Method: Boil the jujubes and licorice root with two bowls of water until it reduces to one bowl. Strain the residue. It can be consumed as a beverage, twice daily.
Effect: It has the functions of tonifying the middle and benefiting qi, moistening the lungs, and stopping cough. It is suitable for chronic bronchitis, cough, dry throat, and sore throat.
2. Ginger Sugar and Perilla Leaf Drink
Ingredients: 5g perilla leaves, 3g fresh ginger, 2 scallions (white part), 10g brown sugar.
Method: Wash the ginger, perilla leaves, and scallions, and boil them in water. Add brown sugar and stir until dissolved. Drink it.
Effect: Induces sweating and relieves surface symptoms, dispels cold, and invigorates the stomach.
【Traditional Chinese Medicine Methods for Treating Colds】
1. Rubbing Palms
Rubbing palms is a very simple thing that can be done anytime and anywhere. If we have a cold, we can choose to rub our palms to treat it.
Rubbing our palms can promote blood circulation, immediately warm up the body, and also unblock meridians, promote metabolism, and ultimately achieve the effect of treating colds.
2. Massaging Yingxiang Acupoint
Yingxiang acupoint is a common acupoint in the human body, but if we have a cold, we can press this acupoint to relieve symptoms.
For example, when we have a stuffy nose during a cold, massaging this acupoint can relieve this symptom. Just massage for ten minutes a day to see results.
3. Massaging Sanyinjiao Acupoint
Massaging the Sanyinjiao acupoint can promote blood circulation and warm up the body, which can prevent and treat colds.
We can gently press the Sanyinjiao acupoint with our fingers to unblock our meridians and prevent and treat colds.
