Review: hand washing the best way to avoid colds

With the flu season in full swing, researchers from the University of Alberta and the University of Auckland have tried to figure out the best ways to fight off the common cold.

There is a good amount of research linking those who practice cardiovascular exercise and run regularly to falling ill less often. That’s not to say going out for a run while sick is always a good idea, but keeping active when you’re healthy is pretty good at keeping it that way. Still, eventually everyone seems to get sick.

On average, Canadians get a cold once of twice each year, and everyone has their own way of dealing with them. The new review in the Canadian Medical Association Journal looked to what works and what doesn’t at getting you back on your feet after being sidelined with a cold.

The review found that the usual idea of loading up on Vitamin C to beat back illness is mostly myth. They found no data that suggests taking in more Vitamin C helps the average person, although there may be reason for some runners to supplement with it. Vitamin C was found to be beneficial in keeping away colds in people under heavy physical stress and serious athletic training, such as high-performance marathon runners.

The researchers found that the single best way to avoid getting sick was to just wash your hands often. Regular hand washing was best at keeping healthy. Zinc supplements were also found to be useful.

Most over the counter medicines were useless aside from minor symptom relief, although that is all some of them claim to help with. Echinacea and Vitamin D were found not to help. Vapor rubs helped relieve cough, but no more than that.