The Common Cold and Influenza

The biggest difference between a cold and the flu is the onset of a fever (small children can develop a fever with a cold)and fatigue. With the common cold, you rarely get a fever and you shouldn't feel fatigue. Colds usually last for about one week to ten days and the flu much longer, twelve days or more followed by a week or more of residual coughing and fatigue. The cold and flu are rarely dangerous among healthy adults. But, if you are over 65 or have had any complication previous that could weakened your immune system, such as heart or lung disease, you will want to seek medical as soon as you develop cold or flu-like systems.

Take vitamin C and zinc lozenges at the first sign of a sore throat or stuffiness in the head or nose. This can shorten the duration of a cold and may even stop it altogether. Take the lozenges every three hours for the first day of cold symptoms.

Don't take aspirin if you have a cold or the flu, especially don't give children any product containing aspirin with symptoms of any viral infection. This may increase the chance of the child getting Reye's Syndrome. Aspirin also depletes the body of vitamin C.

When you have a cold or the flu, you might not feel like eating. You should switch to a liquid diet by consuming hot soups and broths. This should help in relieving your symptoms and shorten the duration of your cold or flu. Chicken soup is good for the soul and your body.

If you just have the cold and not the flu, remain as active as possible. Moving around helps to loosen built-up mucus and fluids.

There are homeopathic remedies out there for cold symptoms. Look into Calcarea carbonica, Anas barbariae, and Ferrum phosphoricum. There are also herbs out there that help with colds. Astragalus helps promote white blood cells. Wild pansy, chuan xin lian, eucalyptus, and Mullein are useful for coughs and congestion.

Wash your hands often to prevent the spread of colds and flus. Discard tissues by flushing if possible. Don't shake hands if you have a cold or the flu.

Winter time increases everybody's chances of catching a cold or the flu. There is no cure for the common cold or influenza but you can take preventive measures such as taking Bovine colostrum during the cold and flu season. Hopefully you stay cold and flu free this season. If not, follow the advice above and get well soon.

Things to Do Indoors

During winter when it's colder outside and the sun sets early, people tend to spend most of their time indoors. And, most of these people spend too much time watching television. There are other activities that you can do that would be much more beneficial, educational, and fun besides watching television.

Winter time is the best time to bring out the cards and board games. Interacting face to face with your family and friends will get you to laugh and talk and enjoy each other's company. Try not to be too competitive and just enjoy the togetherness that television can't quite supply in comparison.

If you have taken a lot of photographs during the last year, this is also a perfect time to sit down and organize those photos into photo albums and scrapbooks.

Winter is also a good time to learn or practice a skill. This could be sewing, knitting, playing an instrument, learning a new language (Rosetta Stone is a good piece of software for this), tie some flies, you name it.

Reading engages your mind way more than television could ever do. Pick up some books both fiction and non-fiction to either unleash your imagination or to learn something new.

If you have children, there are also plenty of things to keep them busy and occupied during the winter months.

Let children build indoor forts using the cushions from the couch and whatever else they can creatively come up with without damaging anything, just as long as they promise to help clean up afterwards.

Young girls like to play dress up. Let them play with the make-up, jewelry, clothing, etc.

Get some finger paints and/or water-colors and let your children become artists. Make some paper machetes. Have the children write out plays and have members of the family act out the parts. Find ways for your children to become creative and build their self-esteem. Praise them for their efforts.

Cook together. Include the children in making their own meals. If they are too young to be around the stove, let them pour and mix things.

There's no reason not to enjoy the winter even if you are stuck indoors. The advice above could also be used for rainy days. Don't settle for sitting around the television during the winter months.

Winter Driving

We are already into winter and if you own a vehicle, you should have had a maintenance check-up already. If not, it's not too late to go get one. Have your battery and ignition system, radiator, radiator belts and hoses, heater and defrosters, wipers, oil, lights, brakes, and exhaust system checked. Also, take a good look at your tires to see if they need to be replaced. All-season tires may not be suitable for some areas that see a lot of snow and ice. Consider getting an extra set of snow tires if you live in an area that does see lots of snow and ice.

Here's a list of things you should have in your vehicle while driving in the winter months:

• Ice scraper/snowbrush
  
• One gallon jug of windshield washer fluid
  
• Snow shovel
  
• Booster cables
  
• Tow rope or chain
  
• Tire chains
  
• Sand for traction aid
  
• Road flares
  
• Fire extinguisher
  
• Small tool kit
  
• Gas line antifreeze
  
• Flashlight and batteries
  
• First-aid kit
  
• Extra clothing and footwear
  
• A couple of wool blankets
  
• Waterproof matches
  
• Small candle and a tin can
  
• Bottled water
  
• Energy food (trail mix, granola bars, etc.)

During winter, always check the weather before making any long trips. Plan your route ahead of time and let someone know your destination and estimated time of arrival.

Clear all snow and ice from the car before driving. Also, allow interior window fog and/or frost to clear before driving to get better visibility. Turn your lights on during snow or overcast conditions even during the day time. You may be able to see other people fine but they might not always be able to see you fine.

When roads are icy, it takes a longer to stop than normal. Make sure you give plenty of room between you and any car in front of you. If you start sliding while braking, remember to stir into slide and not away from it. Be very careful on bridges and overpasses; they can be icy even when the roads are not.

If you do get stuck or stranded during blizzard, stay with your car for safety and warmth. Only leave your car if you can see an open building or structure that is within walking distance. Staying in your car with the engine running runs the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Slightly open a downwind window while you have the engine running. You will also have to get out of the vehicle now and then to make sure the exhaust system is clear. You may just want to run the vehicle for about 10 minutes every hour and use your blankets and extra clothing to keep you warm.

If the conditions are milder, you can use the tools in your kit to try to get yourself unstuck. Be careful when leaving the vehicle. Use the door furtherest away from traffic. Do not try to over exert yourself or work up a sweat getting your car unstuck. This can lead to excess body heat and energy loss. If you fail getting your vehicle unstuck, just stay with your vehicle until help arrives.

Avalanche Awareness

According to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, there have already been 16 deaths attributed to avalanches this winter season. If you are a winter sports enthusiast like myself, you will need to take the threat of an avalanche very serious to avoid ending up as a statistic on the CAIC site.

The best way to prepare before going in avalanche country is to take some avalanche courses from qualified experts, such as the instructors from AIARE (The American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education). There is also a flash tutorial at the Teton Gravity Research site that will also get you familiar with avalanche safety, but it is not a substitute for an actual course. If you are from the Denver area like myself, you may want to look into the Friends of Berthoud Pass. They are a non-profit organization that also conduct avalanche safety courses.

Going through the courses, you will be better able to read the landscape and climate so that you can avoid danger areas. You'll learn how ground surface, gradients, slope profiles, snow types, cornices, wind, and temperature can factor into a possible avalanche. You will learn about the different types of avalanches, such as wet slab, hard slab, and soft slab. The courses will also help teach you techniques that increase your chances of surviving if caught in an avalanche.

In case you haven't taken my advice and/or haven't been through an avalanche course and you do find yourself in an avalanche situation, here's some advice. If caught in an avalanche, ditch as much gear as you can immediately, such as your backpack, skis, snowshoes, etc. Once the avalanche hits, try to move toward the peripheries (the outside boundaries of the avalanche) by rolling or making a backstroke swimming motion. You want to keep your back towards the avalanche blast; this helps from keeping your head being driven down into the snow. Try to keep your mouth tightly shut and covered with clothing if possible.

If you are truly caught in an avalanche, let it settle before trying to rescue yourself. Clear a breathing space in front of your face and try not to use up to much of the valuable air by shouting out. An avalanche can be disorientating because of tumbling and not being able to see. So, don't start trying to dig yourself out right away. Let some spit drip from your lips to see which way is down. Once you know which way is down and up, slowly dig your way towards the surface until you break free. Don't panic and don't expend too much energy and air while digging your way up.

If you are with someone who has been buried in an avalanche, do not go for assistance if it's more than 15 minutes away; the person buried will most likely suffocate before then. Go to where the person was last seen or where the person was first hit by the avalanche and mark that spot. Work downwards from that point looking for any personal articles, such as goggles, clothing, etc. that will help pinpoint the place of burial. Use an ice axe shaft, ski pole, or similar object to probe gently through the snow to find the victim. Once the victim is found, dig them free as quickly as possible and perform CPR if needed.

There is equipment out there that helps in avalanche survival situations. Take a look at avalanche beacons, probe poles, and back country shovels.

If you haven't taken an avalanche safety course, I would suggest staying away from the back country in winter season. If you do go, go with at least one friend but the more the merry and better and stay close to tree areas and away from chutes or other dangerous areas. As always, be prepared and cautious.