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January 15, 2004
Prairie Fare: Got a Cold? Have Some Chicken Soup
If you haven’t had a cold this season, count yourself lucky because we’re surrounded by people with colds. That usually means we’ll get our turn. While many over-the-counter medications help relieve symptoms like sniffling, sneezing and coughing, so far no one has discovered a cure. Colds are hard to avoid. They are caused by a variety of viruses, tiny organisms that need a “host” (like you or me) to live. Colds are readily spread by touching a contaminated surface like someone else’s hand or a doorknob and then touching your nose, mouth or eyes. What can you do to protect yourself from all this misery or at least shorten the duration? From a nutrition standpoint, vitamin C tablets, zinc lozenges and even chicken soup have been studied as to their effects against colds. As with anything, there can be too much of a good thing, with the possible exception of chicken soup. Keep caution in mind with any supplement, because they are not as strictly regulated as drugs or food. “Dosing” yourself with vitamin C remains controversial. Some research suggests vitamin C supplements might reduce the length of a cold while other research says it has little effect. You might consider having some orange juice for your vitamin C instead of a tablet. Researchers have reported that zinc lozenges might reduce the chances of getting a cold. Zinc is a mineral that can have toxic effects in high doses, so stay within the limits of the recommendations. Maybe we need to go back to basics and remember what “Mom” or “Grandma” used to tell us: “Have some chicken soup so you’ll feel better.” Researchers have found that chicken soup can help clear mucus from nasal passages and relieve congestion better than other hot liquids. Actually any hot liquid helps clear stuffy heads more than cold liquid, but chicken soup “worked better” than hot water. Maybe it’s the protein, vitamins, minerals or some unknown factor that makes it work. “Mom” probably also told you to wash your hands often so you wouldn’t get sick. She was right again, and there’s plenty of research strongly in favor of regular handwashing to help keep us healthy. “Operation Stop Cough” was a study conducted with Navy recruits. The recruits washed their hands at least five times daily. The researchers kept track of the number of trips to a medical clinic over two years. With the handwashing program in place, there were 45 percent fewer respiratory illness cases. If you’re feeling a cold coming on, you might want to follow the standard advice: “Drink plenty of liquids and get plenty of rest.” For your liquids, you might enjoy this chicken soup recipe. And, in the words of moms everywhere: “Wash your hands before you eat.”
### Source:
Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu |
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North Dakota State University |
