insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 10 - December 2015 | Page 89

sip something lovely from the same
cup (or bottle – your choice), but
it’s going to end up in tears (and
sneezes, and coughs…).

Stay Away from People
Well, as we said, not all of our top tips are going to be possible, but this is
the time of year when people get together more than any other. It could be
a planned event such as the office party, or it could just be that more
commuters are taking the tube, train, or bus because it’s cold out there and
walking isn’t much fun. Bodies in an enclosed, confined space will easily
transmit the germs that go on to make us poorly, so staying away from
these places is the best plan to keep healthy and hearty through winter.
Wash Your
Hands
It’s a good rule for
life anyway, but at
this time of year,
it’s even more
important. Most
infections are
carried through the
air, but there are
some germs that
prefer skin-to-skin
contact, be it a
handshake, hug,
kiss, or anything
else. And what do
we like to do at
Christmas? Shake hands, hug, kiss, and anything else; so, we get colds.
But if everyone washed their hands more often throughout the day, and
dried them thoroughly (preferably using paper towels), we’d all be a lot
healthier.

Herbal Remedies, Vitamins, and
Probiotic Supplements
There are some excellent herbal
remedies, vitamins, and
supplements that will boost the
immune system and make it less
susceptible to colds. Simply add
some of these to your daily routine,
and you’ll soon be feeling much
better. Echinacea, for example, was
traditionally used by Native
Americans to heal wounds and
prevent infection. Use it for six to
eight weeks to allow it to do what
it needs to do, but don’t use it long
term since it will lose its
effectiveness. Zinc and garlic are
also both excellent ways to prevent
catching a cold. They can be taken
in pill form, or eaten (garlic as it is,
and zinc in other foods such as
seafood, eggs, and oysters). And
of course, you mustn’t forget your
vitamin C, which is famous for its
immune sys FV