Dr. Raint Mishori of Georgetown University Hospital says many people believe it's possible to become immune to colds. But that's not the Case. “There are about 200 different viruses that cause the common cold and people think that once you get a cold, you develop immunity for the rest of your life . This is wrong.” She said.
There are many other common beliefs about colds that medical science doesn't support. How many of us believe the main cause of the common cold is exposure to cold temperatures? Even some studies have shown that people get sick more frequently during the winter.
But Dr. Mishori says it is not because of cold weather. It's because people tend to gather and the way the common cold virus is transmitted from one person to another is through handshake, through sneezing, or through coughing on one another.
While there is no actual cure for the common cold, Dr. Mishori says there are still a few things you can do to help reduce its duration and ease symptoms. Though the medical community says Vitamin C does not help prevent colds, there is definitely some proof that it helps keep them from being as bad. “So if you catch a cold and start taking about two grams of Vitamin C a day, there is evidence that it might shorten the number of days that you will be suffering with these symptoms.” Dr. Mishori stated.
In addition, medical science says honey and chicken soup are effective against colds. Especially honey. “There is increased evidence that it helps shorten the duration of the common cold sometimes even by two to three days particularly in children,” Dr. Mishori said. “Chicken soup also helps reduce the duration of the cold.”
There's also a common belief that you should “feed a cold and starve a fever.” Dr. Mishori says “not necessary”. “If you do have a cold and you don't feel like eating anything, it's not going to hurt you but you have to drink a lot and you can drink water or you can drink tea, anything that gets fluids into your body, “she said, “That's very important.”
So—if drinking fluids is a good idea—what about milk? “I will never give milk to a child who has got bad phlegm. My son used to have that and he would threw up.” Nadine Audrewy, a proud grandmother of 5, believes it's not a good idea to give milk to a child who has a cold.
Well, says Dr. Mishori, maybe and maybe not. “Dairy products do not cause increased secretions but they can thicken the secretions,” she explained. “So it's possible that discomfort is increased when you drink milk, but obviously if you are a baby and it's all you drink then you should not stop giving babies milk.”
There are many other myths about colds that do not stand the test of science. Doctors say the best advice is to continue using whatever works best for you. Even if it doesn't make the cold better, it won't make it worse either— while you wait for the cold to just run its natural course.
【小题1】A medical expert will probably agree__________.| A．people develop total immunity after a cold | B．viruses spread only in winters |
| C．a cold may be the result of human contacts | D．low temperatures are major threats to our health |
| A．drink a lot to get fluids | B．have as much tea as possible |
| C．force yourself to eat a lot | D．starve yourself to kill the virus |
| A．exposure to cold weather is the main cause of common colds |
| B．getting fluids into bodies can cure colds |
| C．chicken soup and Vitamin C help prevent colds |
| D．dairy products may increase the discomfort of a child with a cold |
| A．common yet mistaken beliefs | B．recent scientific discoveries |
| C．experience from older generations | D．conclusions proved by researches |
