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Colds are caused by viruses. There are more than 200 different viruses that can produce the common cold. Some, such as the rhinovirus, are responsible for 30 to 35 percent of all adult colds, mostly those that occur in the early fall, spring and summer. Another common type, Coronavirus, is probably to blame for most winter and early spring colds.

Over the years the impact of cold weather on colds has been studied repeatedly. According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, none of the many studies it has funded has shown that weather conditions or getting chilled or overheated affect either the development or severity of colds.

However, the weather may play an indirect role. For example, most viruses that cause colds survive better when humidity is low, which happens most often in the fall and winter. Cold weather may also promote drying of the nasal membranes, making them more vulnerable to infection. In addition, people tend to spend more time socializing indoors when the weather is cold, thus increasing the chance for exposure.

Factors other than weather that may predispose you to pick up a cold virus include psychological stress, which can lower general immunity, and allergies that may interfere with the normal defenses in the nose and throat.

To help prevent a cold:

• Wash your hands frequently with hot water and soap, especially when you have been in public areas or around someone who has a cold.
• Avoid touching your nose or eyes (this may transmit respiratory secretions picked up from surfaces or the air to vulnerable tissues).
• When possible, avoid people who have a cold until the fifth day of their illness, when they should be less infectious.
• At the first sign of a cold, eat two cloves of raw garlic.
• Take echinacea. This herb will be most effective if you use it at the first sign of sickness, but should not be used for more than 10 days.
• Take a course of astragalus, which can be used on a regular basis to help boost immunity. Follow label directions.

If you have a cold:

• Get plenty of rest. Lack of sleep and too much stress can make the body weak.
• Stay hydrated, which keeps nasal passages moist, making them better defenders against viruses.
• Take vitamin C which functions as a powerful antioxidant that has a role in the repair and regeneration of tissues. It may also support healthy immune function.
• Take astragalus. Antiviral and immunity-enhancer.
• Drink ginger-root tea.
• Eat immune-boosting foods: Asian mushrooms for example.
• Avoid contact with others.