It's a common belief you've got to wrap up warm when heading out in the winter to avoid catching a cold. While it's not bad advice, it turns out it's not entirely accurate, a doctor has revealed. Talking to the Mirror, Dr Donald Grant, GP and Senior Clinical Advisor at The Independent Pharmacy, shared advice for avoiding nasty colds this winter and answered the age-old question.
Explaining why so many of us develop colds in the colder months, he said: "Despite popular belief, cold weather alone does not directly make people sick or more likely to catch a cold, but the conditions can increase the chances of falling ill. READ MORE: Nutrition expert ranks coffee orders including favourite 'not as healthy as it sounds' READ MORE: Doctor says to check for vitamin deficiency if you're going grey early "This is because the cold weather itself can create more ideal conditions that increase the risk of catching an illness. Cold air can suppress the immune system while more people tend to spend more time indoors, in close proximity with others, when temperatures drop.
" He added: "Additionally, the drier air can make it more difficult to filter out viruses, increasing the chance of infection. Overall, the cold weather doesn’t cause people to fall sick but creates ideal circumstances for bacteria and viruses to easily spread." That said, nobody is suggesting you head off ice skating with nothing but a T-shirt to keep you warm.
"It’s still advised to wear a coat in the cold weather to.