Your Health Matters
By CLAUDIA PARKS

"How To Blow Off The Common Cold, and its bully of a big brother, The FLU!" Every year they strike more than 150 million Americans. The annual tab for doctor visits, medications, lost wages and absenteeism totals an estimated $10 billion. As we head into the peak of this sniffle season, millions of sneezing, feverish, scratchy-throated folks are wondering what they should do if they meet a virus they can't resist.

The common cold is the most mundane misery-yet still the most mysterious. Literally hundreds of different viruses can cause a cold. They belong to several families-the midwinter menaces-adenoviruses, corona viruses and respiratory viruses- invade the breathing passages and cause slight fever and bronchitis. Rhinoviruses, the culprits in most late-spring and early-fall colds, produce sniffles, scratchy throats, headaches, and runny eyes. The multitude of cold-causing viruses has stymied efforts to develop a vaccine against the common cold. In addition, it's believed that different viruses are active at different times of the year.

The FLU viruses are different from the common cold viruses. Also, to complicate matters the type of flu viruses change each year. The researchers make an educated guess as to the Type-so that a vaccine can be made. When you catch the flu, symptoms include a fever of between 100-104, a cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, head and muscle aches, and extreme fatigue. You may say, "these are the symptoms of a cold"-not exactly. You do not usually run a fever and you may feel fatigued, but nothing compared to the flu-bug! When someone asked me if I think they have the flu. I tell them if you have the flu--YOU KNOW! You will be too sick to wonder or ask or call or drive to work! MINIMIZING YOUR COLD & FLU RISK:

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. A healthy lifestyle may reduce your risk of a cold. Get lots of sleep. Eat a balanced diet. Drink plenty of liquids-mainly water-less caffeine.

TRY TO KEEP FROM TOUCHING YOUR EYES, NOSE OR MOUTH (WITH YOUR HANDS). We used to think that cold viruses were spread only by coughs and sneezes, but touch can be just as infectious. Cold-sufferers leave trails of viruses behind on surfaces they touch.

WASH YOUR HANDS OFTEN. You don't need HOT soapy water, but you do need to spend at least 20 seconds of washing and another 10 seconds of friction drying. Teach your children to wash their hands often. Pack disposable towelettes or hand sanitizer in their lunch boxes, in your purse and briefcase. At home each family member should have his own hand towel.

KEEP YOUR DISTANCE. Some flu viruses are so contagious that just entering an elevator after a flu-sufferer has just sneezed and exited can infect you.