# I keep getting colds



## Toeclip (16 Dec 2012)

No cycling this weekend again due to yet another cold! Seem to be getting a cold every 4-5 weeks, could be the same one lingering on I suppose. Would a vitamin C supplement help prevent/fight off these colds?


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (16 Dec 2012)

Nope


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## Nearly there (16 Dec 2012)

I've not had a cold for 3 years


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## the_mikey (16 Dec 2012)

It could be bad luck or you could be more susceptible to colds due to polluted air, either at work, at home or in a car for example. Other lifestyle factors may also play a part.


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## smokeysmoo (16 Dec 2012)

Nearly there said:


> I've not had a cold for 3 years


I thought something similar about a month ago.

Not stopped sniffling and sneezing for the past 3 weeks


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## Nearly there (16 Dec 2012)

smokeysmoo said:


> I thought something similar about a month ago.
> 
> Not stopped sniffling and sneezing for the past 3 weeks


I once boasted to the wife that me and my oldest daughter never get ill next day we both got food poisoning not a pretty sight


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## lulubel (16 Dec 2012)

If your diet is poor, then a good multivitamin supplement will probably help your immune system, but if you have a healthy and varied diet, you should be getting everything you need already.

Whether you get a lot of colds or not is mostly down to the places where you spend a lot of time and how many people you come into contact with. When I drove buses, I'd spend most of the winter with a cold - they'd just come one after another - but when I left that job and started working from home, the colds stopped.


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## defy-one (16 Dec 2012)

I had colds all year round when i travelled by london undrrground. Since i started using the car and bike .... no more colds/flu :touchwood


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## Saluki (16 Dec 2012)

I used to get colds but then I started taking Echinacia, 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off. It works for me and I haven't had a cold for years. I also take aloe vera (2fl oz) every morning to keep my immune system tickety-boo. Getting colds/flu and other lurgys, is a thing of the past for me.
Could the echinacia thing be worth a go, any decent herbalist should stock it and its not expensive.


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## Nebulous (16 Dec 2012)

Being in good health helps, but avoiding close contact with lots of people is also important.
All the stuff about wiping door handles, phones, gear handles, steering wheels hand-washing etc also makes a surprising amount of difference.


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## MattHB (16 Dec 2012)

There are just masses of bugs about. Get one and it lowers your defences for the following ones. Last year was the same.


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## Moodyman (16 Dec 2012)

Doesn't help if you've got kids. They bring from school and share around the home.

And despite what you read you can actually get cold from very cold weather. It's not cold as in fever/headaches but certainly a runny nose and congested chest.


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## ianrauk (16 Dec 2012)

Moodyman said:


> Doesn't help if you've got kids. They bring from school and share around the home.


 

Indeed... since our little one started nursery, the amount of colds he has bought home and I seem to be catching has rose significantly.


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## marshmella (16 Dec 2012)

No idea how old you are Toeclip but i used to have colds all the time during my 20s and 30s, i seem to have fewer since i hit my 40s...i'll just get some tissues ready..


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## Toeclip (17 Dec 2012)

I`m 63 years old and took early retirement 3 years ago and was enjoying it until this winter when these colds started to hit me. Colds seem to last just two/three days and then I`m okay for a bit and then bang they start again! Today I`m feeling much better and looking to get out on the bike tomorrow.


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## summerdays (17 Dec 2012)

ianrauk said:


> Indeed... since our little one started nursery, the amount of colds he has bought home and I seem to be catching has rose significantly.


There are another batch when they first start school too.


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## marshmella (17 Dec 2012)

Toeclip said:


> I`m 63 years old and took early retirement 3 years ago and was enjoying it until this winter when these colds started to hit me. Colds seem to last just two/three days and then I`m okay for a bit and then bang they start again! Today I`m feeling much better and looking to get out on the bike tomorrow.


Young old or middle aged the common cold doesn't seem bothered who it infects. Glad you're feeling bettet today.


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## Crackle (17 Dec 2012)

Toeclip said:


> I`m 63 years old and took early retirement 3 years ago and was enjoying it until this winter when these colds started to hit me. Colds seem to last just two/three days and then I`m okay for a bit and then bang they start again! Today I`m feeling much better and looking to get out on the bike tomorrow.


They don't sound like colds. Any sinus or allergy problems that you might have overlooked. For instance Polyps can give all the symptoms of colds.


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## Andrew_Culture (17 Dec 2012)

The finest deterrent, remedy and recovery medication is Ardbeg.


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## MattHB (17 Dec 2012)

I'm getting a lot at the moment, and I wonder if its (over)training related.

Found this and lots of other studies that are quite interesting.

http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/sports/fatigue.html


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## gavroche (17 Dec 2012)

eat plenty of garlic, honey and onions. Not all at the same time though.


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## Toeclip (18 Dec 2012)

Today I had my 6 monthly blood pressure check which was fine, spoke to the Nurse about my colds and she booked me in for a blood test this coming Friday. Probably get the result after Christmas. So thanks guys for all your help.


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## e-rider (18 Dec 2012)

Toeclip said:


> No cycling this weekend again due to yet another cold! Seem to be getting a cold every 4-5 weeks, could be the same one lingering on I suppose. Would a vitamin C supplement help prevent/fight off these colds?


 
There is generally not much you can do about this if you are already a healthy person with a good diet. You could try and cut down your contact with the general population but if your work brings you in contact with lots of people or you have kids, this will be near impossible.

Wash you r hands all the time, especially before eating anything


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## Scruffmonster (18 Dec 2012)

Toeclip said:


> No cycling this weekend again due to yet another cold! Seem to be getting a cold every 4-5 weeks, could be the same one lingering on I suppose. Would a vitamin C supplement help prevent/fight off these colds?


 
I don't know how ill you are, or what terrain you tackle, but you can cycle with a cold just fine. In many cases you'll improve your condition, as long as you put the calories back in and replenish your water levels. (Very silly to run a defecit on a day that you're ill).


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## summerdays (18 Dec 2012)

Scruffmonster said:


> I don't know how ill you are, or what terrain you tackle, but you can cycle with a cold just fine. In many cases you'll improve your condition, as long as you put the calories back in and replenish your water levels. (Very silly to run a defecit on a day that you're ill).


I'm currently recovering from a cold (reasonably rare for me), and I did cycle throughout. However there was one day when I was at my worst when I made several mistakes which could have been serious because I wasn't thinking clearly. I think I would have been better not cycling that day due to my reduced concentration levels.


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## Scruffmonster (18 Dec 2012)

summerdays said:


> I'm currently recovering from a cold (reasonably rare for me), and I did cycle throughout. However there was one day when I was at my worst when I made several mistakes which could have been serious because I wasn't thinking clearly. I think I would have been better not cycling that day due to my reduced concentration levels.


 
Of course that should be a consideration. I'm not advocating the abandonment of common sense. Carry out your own mini risk assesment, but it's generally a lot easier to cycle with a cold than it is to sit at a desk for an hour. Way healthier too. We're not kids anymore. It's perfectly acceptable to take a day off of work if you feel a bit rubbish, but still exercise on that day.


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## snorri (18 Dec 2012)

Andrew_Culture said:


> The finest deterrent, remedy and recovery medication is Ardbeg.


 It's not just due to its taste that it is commonly known as TCP


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## Andrew_Culture (18 Dec 2012)

snorri said:


> It's not just due to its taste that it is commonly known as TCP


 
Lovely stuff, only just nicer than root beer.


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## e-rider (18 Dec 2012)

Scruffmonster said:


> I don't know how ill you are, or what terrain you tackle, but you can cycle with a cold just fine. In many cases you'll improve your condition, as long as you put the calories back in and replenish your water levels. (Very silly to run a defecit on a day that you're ill).


it's quite easy to turn a cold into a chest infection if you do some proper cycling whilst having a cold - if you have a cold, take it easy on the bike - a bit of light exercise will help kick-start the immune system response.


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## Nebulous (18 Dec 2012)

snorri said:


> It's not just due to its taste that it is commonly known as TCP


 
That's Laphroaig surely?


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## snorri (19 Dec 2012)

Nebulous said:


> That's Laphroaig surely?


 It's every malt that came out of Islay IMO


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## Nebulous (19 Dec 2012)

snorri said:


> It's every malt that came out of Islay IMO


Philistine! There's a story that Laphroaig was sold to America during prohibition as antiseptic. I've always thought it smells very like TCP. I'm still happy to persevere with it nevertheless.


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## Globalti (19 Dec 2012)

Get out of the habit of rubbing your eyes and touching your nose; that is how the viruses get into your upper-respiratory tract. Wash hands as soon as you return home so as to reduce the numbers of viruses on surfaces around the house. Take zinc tablets and gargle twice or thrice daily with Corsodyl if you have a sore throat. Vicks First Defence works too, it is based on sound principles.

I do all this and haven't had a cold for a year. Have fought off a couple of sore throats without them developing into colds too.


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## dave r (20 Dec 2012)

MattHB said:


> I'm getting a lot at the moment, and I wonder if its (over)training related.
> 
> Found this and lots of other studies that are quite interesting.
> 
> http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/sports/fatigue.html


 
Thats something I fell foul of years ago when I was younger, more serious and more enthusiastic, I would train for the spring reliability trials during the winter and find there was a period just before I hit peak fitness where I seemed more vulnerable to infection, I missed two or three events due to illness a couple of weeks before the day I was due to ride them.


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## Toeclip (25 Jan 2013)

Doctor`s yesterday for blood test results, got myself some high cholesterol so more tablets to take! Doc couldn`t help me with my colds just said they same as everybody else keep washing hands and keep away from those that have colds. Anyway I`ve only had one cold this year and it started today oh well that`s life.


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## Biker Joe (25 Jan 2013)

gavroche said:


> eat plenty of garlic, honey and onions. Not all at the same time though.


 
Why's that then?


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## lukesdad (25 Jan 2013)

rub vick on yer feet.


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## ColinJ (26 Jan 2013)

dave r said:


> Thats something I fell foul of years ago when I was younger, more serious and more enthusiastic, I would train for the spring reliability trials during the winter and find there was a period just before I hit peak fitness where I seemed more vulnerable to infection, I missed two or three events due to illness a couple of weeks before the day I was due to ride them.


I used to fly to Spain every March to do 2 week road training camps in the sunshine. Sometimes I'd go, not having ridden even 100 miles since Christmas. I'd do 700+ quick, hilly miles out there, wear myself out and catch a cold as soon as I came home. I'd have another week or two off the bike, then start riding again and by May I'd be feeling pretty fit!


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## deptfordmarmoset (26 Jan 2013)

I really don't know why, but over the last few years while I've been having an anti-flu jab each autumn, I've had very few colds. I wonder whether the jab gives me a degree of protection from minor viruses so colds can't take advantage of a lower resistance.


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## dave r (26 Jan 2013)

ColinJ said:


> I used to fly to Spain every March to do 2 week road training camps in the sunshine. Sometimes I'd go, not having ridden even 100 miles since Christmas. I'd do 700+ quick, hilly miles out there, wear myself out and catch a cold as soon as I came home. I'd have another week or two off the bike, then start riding again and by May I'd be feeling pretty fit!


 
Sounds like you were doing the same as I used to do, over training, when I was younger I hadn't fully got my head around how important rest is as a part of trying to get fitter.


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## gavroche (26 Jan 2013)

Biker Joe said:


> Why's that then?


 garlic purifies your blood
honey has all the vitamins one needs
onions - I forgot what it does but supposed to be good as well.


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## ColinJ (26 Jan 2013)

dave r said:


> Sounds like you were doing the same as I used to do, over training, when I was younger I hadn't fully got my head around how important rest is as a part of trying to get fitter.


The organisers used to warn us against it on the first day of each camp, but it was so great to be cycling in warm/hot conditions under blue skies that I always overdid things. One year, I actually got ill _during_ the holiday and had to stay off the bike for a couple of days. Two days of rest, sunbathing and eating lots of fruit (for the vitamin c) did the trick. I was amazed at how much quicker I got well again out there - it would probably have taken me at least 4 or 5 days in the UK in cold, damp March.


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