How to Prevent Summer Colds
Proper Use of Air Conditioners
Excessive use of air conditioners in the summer, creating a large temperature difference between indoor and outdoor environments, can often trigger colds and affect your health. It is recommended to reduce the amount of time spent in air-conditioned rooms; a 4°C difference between the indoor and outdoor temperature is generally considered most suitable. "Office workers" should not rush into an air-conditioned room upon returning home. Even when the air conditioner is on, the room should be ventilated appropriately.
Frequent Handwashing
Research shows that the hands are the most common way viruses are transmitted. Only 8% of the droplets from a person with a cold contain the cold virus; most viral transmission still occurs through hand contact. For instance, if a healthy person touches a surface that a patient has touched and then touches their own nose or eyes, they can catch a cold. Therefore, an effective way to prevent colds is to wash your hands frequently and try to touch your eyes and nose less with your hands.
Prevention with Onions and Garlic
In the summer, your diet should be light, avoiding raw, cold, and spicy foods, while maintaining a good mood to enhance your body's resistance. For those with weaker constitutions, traditional Chinese medicine such as Da Qing Ye and Ban Lan Gen can be taken to prevent colds. In daily foods, garlic, ginger, green onions, and vinegar also have remarkable effects in preventing and treating colds.
Taking Vitamin C
Vitamin C acts as a scavenger in the body, clearing various toxins, including viruses. It can also shorten the duration of a cold. Vitamin C can also reduce coughing, sneezing, and other symptoms. If a cold patient takes 1000 mg of vitamin C four times a day, their symptoms are half as severe as those who do not take vitamin C.
The easiest way to supplement with vitamin C is by drinking juice. Orange juice, grapefruit juice, and cranberry juice are all sources of vitamin C.