It is the peak of winter. The temperature has dramatically dropped to five and four degrees at night, with threats of winds and heavy rain looming large. Result: colds, flus and other winter-related maladies. The common cold is, as the name suggests, the most common human disease. Adults catch between two and four colds a year. Infants and young children suffer between six and 10 colds a year. A 75-year-old man has suffered about 200 common cold infections during his lifetime. Each person spends between two and three years of his life with a cold. The safest way to avoid it, most people believe, is to keep warm and eat as many fats as possible. But if you're hit by flu or a cold, vitamin C and aspirins are essential, but in chronic cases doctors may prescribe antibiotics. For ages we have been adhering to this routine, forgetting that a better approach to colds lies in diet and other lifestyle considerations. True that keeping warming, avoiding wind and putting on heavy clothes are important. But what we eat is certainly no less important. Traditionally during cold waves we tend to eat heavier and fattier meals and guzzle up flu-resistant chemicals, not realizing that in winter, as in summer, too much fat is still a health hazard. Moderation is key. Other foods should complement your winter diet. This consists of spices as well as fruits and vegetables. A handful of harankash (cape-berries), currently in season are an incredible source of vitamin C. In Egypt it is sold for peanuts unlike elsewhere where it is a rare delicacy. Research revealed that, besides its ability to reduce cholesterol and high blood pressure, it also contains as much vitamins C and A as lemons, which makes it an ideal flu-resistant and anti-inflammatory fruit. You can include it in your fruit salad and mix it with your fruit juice. It has no side effects, so you can eat as much as you can. After fruits come spices. Whether you prefer black pepper or red and green chilies spices should be an essential component of your winter diet because they generate body heat. Some people, however, have no tolerance for hot spices. But the good news is that sweet spices can be equally useful in winter. Cinnamon, that sweet, fragrant, brown powder definitely tops the list and is most commonly added to apple pies and other types of cakes. According to Herbs 2000, a specialized website on the use of herbs and spices, cinnamon among its other benefits, is a remedy for cold, winter chills and a variety of conditions associated with cold, congestion and deficiency of vital energy. The site also offers many tips in which you can use the aromatic spice to fight off colds. But when speaking of anti-colds condiments, one cannot avoid a treatise on garlic. Despite its strong odor and its adverse effects for those with colon problems, eating garlic is still a great way to avoid colds. People who take a garlic supplement each day are far less likely to fall victim to the common cold than those who do not, research suggests. These supplements also help faster recovery and the chances of re-infection are significantly reduced. If you cannot tolerate the smell, garlic tablets could serve the purpose. And don't forget mainstays like warm chicken soup and lots of water. Sauna and steam baths also come to better use in winter provided you know how to protect yourself from any wind right after. Despite popular belief, these should be frequented less in the summer because they raise the body temperature and should be avoided during heat waves.
