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| Cold Virus |
For a while now they
have known that the cold virus replicates better at the lower
temperature in your nose (33 C) compared to the higher temperature in your lungs (35 C).
That's why a cold virus is more likely to settle in your head than
your lungs, and may be one reason why we get more colds in the
winter. However, now they have done a study that shows when your nose is colder, you don't have as many immune cells in your nose respond to the
cold virus. Therefore, the virus is more likely to grow and develop into a cold. (By the way, did you know that one in five people is carrying around a cold virus in their nose that is just waiting to multiply?) So there are at least two factors that suggest when you are colder, you are more likely to get a cold.
While I found the study interesting, what I found the most
interesting was the fact that maybe grandma had it right. Being cold may make you more likely to get a cold. She may
have not had the carefully controlled lab studies to back her up, but
she knew what she knew.
Everything old is new again.
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A couple more things:
--The latest findings about the
suppressed immune response of the nose came from studies done in rats and human
nose cells grown in the lab. More work is needed.
--I have given only a very condensed
and most general idea of these studies. To learn better what they're
all about, here are some links:
I saw a spin of that on the news--where they suggested that wearing a scarf around your nose and mouth may help prevent colds due to your higher susceptibility of catching a cold from the colder temps. I was thinking that my mom's and grandmother's observations were pretty accurate--if you get chilled, you are more likely to get a cold ...
ReplyDeleteOne of the researchers said that she wears a scarf around her mouth and nose.
DeleteNo, I always wore my coat (hating the cold) but the one told to me daily was going out in the cold with wet hair would make me sick. I've never been much of a morning person, still not, so the idea of getting up even earlier to have time to dry my hair wasn't going to happen.
ReplyDeleteI read this news about the cold virus but disregarded it until you brought it up. See my nose is always cold yet I rarely ever get sick. I think the difference has to be how we take care of ourselves. Do we eat properly, get enough sleep, etc? It may be that we are carrying the cold virus around with us and that a cold nose makes us more susceptible but it's how we care for ourselves that probably makes all the difference in whether we will get sick or not.
Your right. Our overall health is more important than anything else. But with all things being equal, the researchers were saying a cold nose is more likely to let a cold virus replicate than a warm one.
DeleteWhen you talked about your cold hair, it made me think about my son. He is letting his hair grow a little, and he said when he went out the other day his hair froze. Did that ever happen to you?
Very interesting about covering your nose and mouth. I'm going to suggest that to my kids who are walking around on campus, in the cold all day.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it would hurt. Wonder what they will think about that idea?
DeleteI am amazed at how much the older generations knew without the benefit of modern science. (I say that tongue in cheek..lol) One of the older ladies in our community -- she was in her 90's when she recently passed away -- told me about her grandfather's medical notes. He was a country doctor of old. This conversation came up when I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and arthritis. She said he made notes saying that those with rheumatism needed to avoid sugar because it caused inflammation all based on his observations of his patients. Amusingly enough all these years later my new "scientifically" educated doctor is saying the same thing.
ReplyDeleteThey had to rely on their powers of observation years ago because they didn't have all of the tech stuff that they have today to rely on.
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