When you catch a cold, rhinoviruses are usually to blame. Common cold season usually starts at the end of summer, in September, and winds down sometime in April. You're most likely to catch a cold in the fall and winter.
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Diet and Lifestyle Tips
Below are diet and lifestyle-related tips for preventing or stopping colds from happening:
- Stay hydrated: Mucous membranes are your body's first line of defense against cold-causing pathogens. Dried-out mucous membranes are more vulnerable to viruses that cause the common cold. Drinking plenty of water keeps them hydrated and fortifies your immune system.
- Eat a nutrient-rich diet: A nutritious diet filled with fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, leafy greens, healthy fats (e.g., avocados, olive oil), and whole grains strengthens the immune system. Reach for foods rich in vitamin C, such as guava, kiwifruit, oranges, strawberries, and yellow bell peppers, and those high in zinc, such as seeds, nuts, and legumes.
- Don't smoke or drink too much: Smoking cigarettes or consuming too much alcohol weakens your immune system and increases your odds of catching a cold and having a slow recovery.
- Get enough sleep: People are more likely to catch a cold if they're run down and sleep-deprived. Not getting enough rest weakens your immune system and makes you more susceptible to viral infections that cause the common cold. Adults should aim for about 7–9 hours per night to keep immune functions at their best.
- Keep stress in check: Stress suppresses the immune system and increases vulnerability to cold-causing viruses. Finding ways to manage stress—such as laughing with friends, deep breathing techniques, mindfulness, meditation, yoga, and walking in green or blue spaces—calms the mind and strengthens your immune system.
- Exercise regularly: Staying physically active boosts the immune system, lowers stress hormones, reduces inflammation, and strengthens the body's defense against viral infections. Aim for about 30 minutes of daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity to help prevent colds or other illnesses from developing.
- Cultivate social connections: Spending time with friends and family is vital to staying healthy. Loneliness and social isolation can weaken your immune system. Nevertheless, face-to-face contact with sick people is often a surefire way to catch a cold. While in-person social interactions support immune health, connecting remotely via Zoom or FaceTime may be wiser when the flu and cold season peaks from November to February.
Other Evidence-Based Tips
Below are evidence-based ways to prevent catching a cold that isn't necessarily related to daily lifestyle choices or dietary habits:
- Hand hygiene practices: Washing hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is a highly effective way to remove countless viruses, including those that cause the common cold. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are a good substitute if soap and water are unavailable.
- Avoid touching your face: Viruses can easily enter our bodies through the eyes, nose, and mouth. Not touching your face reduces the odds of catching a cold. Unfortunately, not touching your face is harder than it sounds! Do the best you can to curb this unconscious, habitual behavior.
- Disinfect surfaces: Cold-causing viruses can survive on inanimate surface areas for hours. Regularly disinfecting commonly touched surfaces like doorknobs, faucet handles, and on/off light switches helps reduce viral transmission.
- Promote air circulation and ventilation: Ensuring good airflow in indoor spaces reduces the concentration of airborne viruses. Cracking the windows when weather permits makes breathing in viral particles less likely, especially in enclosed environments.
- Use a humidifier: Dry air dries out mucous membranes in the nose, making it easier for cold viruses to enter the body. Keeping indoor air water-filled with a humidifier can help maintain mucous membrane moisture levels and reduce the risk of cold-causing viruses entering your system.
Vitamins and Supplements
In 1971, Linus Pauling proposed that vitamin C could help prevent colds. Since then, randomized clinical trials have failed to corroborate Pauling's theory. Although it's unlikely that vitamin C can prevent colds, a 2023 meta-analysis found that taking vitamin C supplements can reduce the severity of common cold symptoms by about 15-26%.
In addition to vitamin C, below are other natural supplements/home remedies that support immune health and might reduce the likelihood of catching a cold:
- Zinc (within 24 hours of first symptoms)
- Echinacea (don't take every day)
- Vitamin D (10-15 minutes of daily sun exposure safely boosts vitamin D)
- Elderberry
- Probiotics
- American Ginseng
- Garlic
- Quercetin
- Astragalus
Always consult with a healthcare provider before taking natural supplements to make sure a dosage won't interfere with the medications you're taking or have adverse effects based on your medical history.
Ways to Naturally Prevent Colds
Although wearing layers can hold in body heat and prevent you from "being cold," bundling up won't necessarily prevent "catching a cold." The best way to naturally prevent colds is to build immunity to fight off all the viruses that can cause colds by doing the following:
- Sleep
- Hydrate
- Eat healthy
- Exercise
- Reduce stress
- Wash hands
What About a Cold Coming On?
When you feel a cold coming on, the best thing to do is help your immune system stay strong. This includes getting plenty of rest, drinking lots of water, sipping tea, and eating healthy foods, including chicken soup, which can help alleviate congestion and soothe a sore throat. Zinc lozenges or echinacea drops can help if taken at the first sign of a cold coming on.
The age-old aphorism, "feed a cold, starve a fever," is half true. You should "feed a cold" by eating healthy foods, but you don't want to "starve a fever." Not eating isn't going to help you get better faster, regardless of whether you have a cold coming on or are feeling feverish.
Immunocompromised and Constantly Getting Sick
Below are some tips for avoiding catching a cold or getting the flu this year for anyone who's immunocompromised or gets sick constantly:
- Don't miss a dose of prescribed medications: Consistently taking prescription medications for chronic conditions regulates immune function.
- Wear a mask in crowded spaces: Use high-quality masks (e.g., N95) to reduce exposure to germs, especially during cold and flu season.
- Avoid close contact with sick individuals: Maintain at least a 6-foot distance from anyone showing symptoms of illness.
- Prioritize hand hygiene: Wash hands frequently with soap and warm water or use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
- Up-to-date vaccines: Ensure vaccinations, including flu and pneumonia shots or boosters, are current. And discuss personalized immunization plans with a healthcare provider.
Is Flu Prevention Different?
Although common colds and the flu share many of the same symptoms, the flu can be far more dangerous, particularly for younger children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems.
While many tactics for protecting against cold viruses and influenza viruses overlap, flu prevention typically involves two additional layers of protection not available for preventing or treating the common cold:
- Flu shots: Annual flu vaccine effectiveness varies from year to year. On average, getting a flu shot can reduce your risk of catching the flu by about 40% to 60%. Vaccinations not only help prevent influenza virus infections, but they also reduce illness severity and the risk of serious complications if you get the flu.
- Antiviral medications: If prodromal (early) flu symptoms make you feel like you've been "hit by a truck," a healthcare provider may prescribe antiviral drugs like Tamiflu (oseltamivir). Antivirals are most effective within the first 48 hours of experiencing flu-like symptoms. Tamiflu is designed to treat influenza viruses and isn't prescribed for the common cold.
Summary
To avoid catching a cold, wash your hands often with soap and water. Avoid touching your face, especially your eyes, nose, and mouth. Eat a nutritious diet, get enough sleep, drink plenty of fluids, and stay active. Taking care of your health boosts immunity and prevents colds.