Another benefit of exercising cited!
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PARIS: Couch potatoes are nearly twice as likely to catch a cold, and a third likelier to suffer bad symptoms of a cold, compared with counterparts who keep fit, American researchers reported on Tuesday.
They tracked 1,002 adults in Wisconsin aged 18-85 for 12 weeks in the autumn and winter of 2008, monitoring them for respiratory illness and weight and quizzing them about diet, lifestyle and aerobic exercise.
People who described themself as fit or who exercised up to five days a week or more, had between 4.4 and 4.9 "cold" days on average.
For those who fell in the middle category of 
fitness, and exercised between one and four days a week, this was 4.9-5.5 days.
But among counterparts who said they were of low fitness and who exercised only one day a week or less, the tally was between 8.2 and 8.6 days.
Good fitness also caused the severity of cold symptoms to fall by between 31 and 41 per cent lower compared with the most sedentary lifestyle.
Bouts of exercise unleash a temporary rise in immune defences, helping to boost preparedness against viral intruders, the study suggested.
It cited figures that the average adult in the US can expect to have a cold two to four times a year, and children between half a dozen and 10 colds a year. The cost to the US economy is put at around 40 billion dollars annually.
The paper, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, is headed by David Nieman, director of the Human Performance Laboratory at the Appalachian State University in North Carolina.
- AFP/jl
From ChannelNewsAsia.com; source article is below:Be fit, have fewer colds
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THE next time you dismiss your itchy eyes and congested nose as minor irritations, consider this: Experts say such common symptoms, caused by allergic rhinitis (AR), can affect work and school performance.
AR is caused by an allergic response to certain airborne substances such as house dust mites. Sufferers experience cold-like symptoms affecting the nose, throat and eyes. These range from a stuffy or runny nose to itchy, red and watery eyes, and can occur irregularly or all year round.
"AR is not a life-threatening condition, but many people underestimate its impact on daily activities," said Dr Samuel Yeak, president of the Society of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery Singapore, at a media conference last week.
According to Dr Yeak, about 730,000 people here suffer from this condition. And 44 per cent of them are children, who are less able to cope with the symptoms, added Dr Lee Bee Wah, an adjunct associate professor at the Department of Paediatrics at the National University of Singapore, and president of the College of Paediatrics and Child Health Singapore.
He said studies have found that adolescents with moderate to severe AR symptoms have a 50-per-cent increased risk of dropping an exam grade.
"Nasal congestion can affect quality of sleep. The symptoms of AR can also be very tiring and adversely affect performance in school or at work. Imagine how exhausting it would be if you kept sneezing or if your eyes were constantly itchy," explained Dr Lee.
However, only about half of AR patients seek medical help, and most of them ask only to be relieved of their nasal symptoms, said Dr Yeak.
"Often, patients are told by their GPs that it's just a runny nose. Many cases are undertreated, and people just live with their symptoms."
Presently, intranasal steroids (INS), a type of nasal spray, is the recommended treatment for relieving moderate to severe AR nasal and eye symptoms, even for children, said both doctors.
For mild cases, anti-histamines can help, said Dr Yeak.
"Many parents are worried that using nasal steroids may be harmful for kids, but the types of INS currently available are actually very safe and have no side effects on children," he added. Eveline Gan
From TODAY, Health – Tuesday, 22-Sep-2009
H1N1 FLU
Consult a doctor as soon as symptoms appear, rather than self-medicate
EVELINE GAN, eveline@mediacorp.com.sg
WHEN it comes to minor ailments such as colds and sore throats, most Singaporeans generally adopt the "wait and see" approach.
And even if the symptoms persist, over two-thirds (67 per cent) will put up with their discomfort before they resort to self-medicating. This is according to an online survey conducted on 500 Singaporeans by The Nielsen Company in partnership with the Association of The European Self-Medication Industry (AESGP) last year.
But as Singapore raised its pandemic alert level on Influenza A (H1N1) to Orange last week, general practitioners Today spoke to urged Singaporeans to "play safe" (see "The fight against H1N1" box opposite). See a doctor, even if the symptoms seem minor.
Said Dr Rupert See, a senior physician at Raffles Medical: "At this point in time it is possible that anyone can come down with a flu infection, so it is better to consult your doctor as soon as you have any symptom, rather than self-medicate."
Added Dr Baskaran Surendran, a family physician at Healthway Medical's Silver Cross Clinic (Marsiling): "The smallest sign of fever or a sore throat should be assessed by a doctor. Even if it seems like paranoia, it's better to be safe and on the alert."
By now, most Singaporeans would be aware of what symptoms to look out for in the H1N1 flu. One in three carriers does not display any symptoms.
The rest may experience symptom similar to the regular flu — fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue and breathlessness. Occasionally, diarrhoea and vomiting may also occur.
But the "critical difference" at this point of time would be the patient's travel history or contact with a probable case in the previous seven days, said Dr Surendran.
So, what happens if your family doctor suspects you may have swine flu?
"The MOH directive is to send all suspected cases via a dedicated ambulance to the Communicable Diseases Centre for further tests," said Dr See.
This means, until an ambulance arrives, you will be masked up and isolated from everyone else.
Your doctor will also inform MOH of the suspected case.
As of yesterday, 27 cases have been referred for further medical assessment.
While there are no confirmed local cases of the H1N1 flu, hospitals here are already preparing for the worst as they began freeing up hospital beds last week, among other precautionary measures such as temperature checks and allowing only one visitor per patient.
MOH has also advised those who have been to the affected countries to avoid crowded places for seven days after they return, as a third of H1N1 flu virus carriers do not show any symptoms.
Those who have been to Mexico in the last seven days will be quarantined for a week upon their return to Singapore.
From TODAY, Health – Tuesday, 05-May-2009
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