Holiday cheer won’t be the only thing spread this season. This is the season that colds spread rapidly, often leaving people sniffling and depressed.
“If someone touches you and they have cold, you can easily get it. Particularly if they’ve just wiped their nose,” says internist Dr. Marc Siegel. There are several measures you can take to avoid colds, ensuring that you enjoy your holiday to the maximum.

Unless you go out of your way to avoid colds, you could end up ruining your holiday. According to the National Institutes of Health, although cold symptoms generally last one to two weeks, the common cold is the leading cause of doctor visits, and of school and job absenteeism. Colds are spread by a virus which hops onto surfaces such as our hands and thrives there for up to three hours.
“If you want to avoid colds, don’t get too close to people with colds, especially if they’re sneezing a lot. If you shake hands with someone who has a cold, make sure you wash your hands afterwards,” says Dr. Marc Siegel.
Every time you shake hands, make a mental note to wash yours. Running lots of water over your hands thoroughly dilutes the virus and sends it down the drain, helping you avoid cold. Another effective measure to avoid colds is to resist the temptation to touch your nose and eyes, where cold germs can enter your body.
“It’s a good idea to take measures to help avoid colds. Anything that breaks down your nasal barrier makes you susceptible to infections. Smoking is one of those things. Changes in temperature also make you susceptible to cold,” Dr. Siegel. Smoking destroys the cilia – the little hair-like fibers inside our noses and lung tube cells that keep mucus from clogging the lining of the nose and lungs.
And while you’re holiday party hopping this season, proceed with some caution. If you want to avoid colds, don’t eat after double dippers at holiday buffets. The person who nabs a second and third dollop of dressing on the same carrot stick may be passing the virus to those who eat after him.
Dr. Siegel recommends “To avoid colds during the holidays, get your regular sleep, get your regular exercise and your regular meals.”

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