Uncommon ways to deal with...

...the common cold. There's one going around where I am right now; here are helpful hints and factoids from the article.

• Viruses don't make the symptoms - bradykinins (making runny mucus, congestion, and sore throats) and cytokines (inducing "fever, headache, muscle ache and loss of appetite") do.
• Only about 25% of colds are symptomatic.
• To make yourself less susceptible, try for at least 8 hours of sleep (my body clock apparently hates me and ensures that the most I ever get is 7.5) and lots of vitamin D. Keep your nose covered, too, to prevent it from getting cold and thus allowing viruses to replicate.
• Avoid stress. Duh.
• Stuff that works: "acetaminophen, hot drinks and decongestant sprays."
• Stuff that doesn't: cough medicines and "vitamin C, nasal zinc or echinacea."
• Listen to your body; do what it allows you to do, and no more.
• (I didn't know this!) Colds are apparently less contagious than one would think, but do stay away from children, a.k.a. "little bags of viruses."