First, comes the sneezing, then the runny nose arrives. And before you know it, you’re fighting a full-blown cold virus. Many people try to manage a cold on their own with home remedies and still head off to the office as usual. But little did you know – some of these self-prescribing treatments don’t actually work and in fact, you could be spreading your cold virus to your colleagues – yikes!
The truth is, viruses spread quickly in contained spaces such as offices, and unlike bacteria, it cannot be treated with antibiotics. Are you unknowingly spreading your cold virus to your colleagues? Read on to find out.
Vitamin C may help but it’s not the cure-all
It's common for people to load up on vitamin C supplements and juices when the first symptom of a cold shows up, but you may be surprised to find out that there is no concrete evidence to support that vitamin C prevents or treats the common cold. That’s not to say there are no health benefits in consuming vitamin C. You may continue to take your supplements to help boost your immunity - just don't expect it to cure your cold.
Treating a cold with antibiotics could be harmful to you
Contrary to popular belief, antibiotics do not help to cure your cold virus at all – in fact, taking antibiotics when you don’t need to may increase the bacteria resistance against it. This is because antibiotics can only kill bacteria – and the cold is caused by a virus.
Piling on the layers will keep you warm but not fight the cold
Bundling up when you're in a freezing office will certainly keep you warm and toasty, but it will not protect you from a cold virus or help treat your cold. The only way to catch a cold is to be exposed to a virus, so whether you're feeling warm or cold does not actually matter!
You have to pick the right mask
You may have seen some people wearing surgical masks when they are down with the cold to avoid spreading their illness to others, but their effort is for naught if they do not choose the right type of mask. Instead of using a flimsy woven-cloth mask, go for a respiratory mask, which fits more tightly to your face and blocks 99.8% of virus particles. However, touching an object contaminated with the virus and then touching your eyes or nose can also result in you contracting the infection.
You can't sweat out a cold
Don't go lacing up your shoes for a run or cover yourself with a thick blanket when you’re hit with cold symptoms – sweating won’t help cure a cold virus.
Just because it's natural doesn’t mean that it works
Some people swear by natural remedies such as apple cider vinegar and honey, but unfortunately, most of them are just old wives' tales. It’s true that some research may have shown that apple cider vinegar contains antimicrobial properties. Drinking honey with warm water may have a soothing effect. Yet it will not get rid of your cold symptoms.
For an effective natural treatment method, there’s BETADINE™ Cold Defence Nasal Spray, which helps stop colds early. The common cold treatment, which has antiviral effects, eliminates 99% of common cold and flu viruses, and it has been clinically proven to shorten the duration of a cold for up to two days.The best part? It’s drug-free, steroid-free, preservative-free – safe and natural!
