Will I Catch A Cold?

We have all heard the old wives tale... will I catch a cold if I go out with wet hair, or don't dress warm enough in cold weather. It drives me CRAZY when I hear people say these things, I always think why?? How will the virus find me if I have wet hair, or wet clothes? How does the virus know?! Just today I was sitting with a moms group friend, the weather was 95 degrees F outside and the kids were running through the sprinklers. She says to me "I hate letting my children get so wet and cold, they will catch cold that way". I said... really??!

I am the non-confrontational type, and I wasn't about to sit and explain that colds come from viruses and contact with another person who has a cold, etc., etc. So instead, I will blog about this old wives tale here... why not?

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases states that the common cold is typically caused by an assortment of over 200 different viruses. You may have heard the term "Rhinovirus", which is one common type. The Coronavirus is another...

The reason... the ONLY reason that we get colds during the winter, when the weather is cold and wet, is because we have a tendency to stay inside during this type of weather. A larger number of people in a small space, touching the same door handles, phones, chairs, etc. will likely cause more people to catch a cold from one another.

"There is no evidence that you can get a cold from exposure to cold weather or from getting chilled or overheated. "

There is also no evidence that diet, exercise, or enlarged tonsils or adenoids will elevate your chances of getting a cold. Psychological stress and allergic diseases affecting the nose or throat however may have an impact on your chances of getting a cold.

So go ahead, wear shorts and a tee shirt in 40 F degree weather, go out without an umbrella... just make sure you wash your hands frequently and cover your cough, stay away from sick people, do us all a favor and stay home when you are sick. The next time somebody says "you better put a sweater on or you will catch a cold", tell them to prove it!