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Alcohol

How does alcohol affect appearance?
Alcohol dehydrates the body, particularly the skin, which can increase fine lines and wrinkles. Dehydration often causes the body to try and hold onto fluids which can be seen as puffiness in the face and bloating of the stomach. Even small amounts of alcohol can deprive the skin of vital vitamins and nutrients, as it inhibits the body’s ability to absorb them. Alcohol can also dilate blood vessels resulting in red bumps, thread veins and spots. This may eventually lead to a condition called rosacea, a skin disorder that starts with a tendency to blush and flush easily and can eventually lead to facial disfigurement.

At 7 calories per gram, alcohol is second only in calories per gram to pure fat. It also lowers blood sugars which increases appetite - hence the reason why the French invented the aperitif and why kebab houses, Indian restaurants and chip shops have a tendency to fill up as the pubs, bars and clubs start to empty. This ‘double whammy’ effect can wreak havoc on the waistline, so choose your drinks wisely.

What are the health benefits associated with drinking alcohol?
Alcohol consumed in moderation is thought to help reduce the risk of heart disease. It's still not entirely clear how this is achieved but it is now known that a large proportion of the risk reduction comes from raising 'good' cholesterol concentrations in the blood, and also reducing the risk of blood clots. Red wine in particular is believed to be beneficial as it contains flavonoids. These act as antioxidants which may help prevent the build up of fat on the inner walls of arteries, known as atherosclerosis.

How much is safe to drink?
Current government guidelines state that alcohol consumption should be no more than 21 units a week for men and 14 units a week for women.

You’re advised to spread out alcohol units throughout the week, up to the maximum recommended, rather than to drink large amounts in a single day or weekend. This means women should aim to consume no more than two units a day, and men three units a day.

What is a unit?
One unit is 10ml of pure alcohol - the amount of alcohol the average adult’s body can process in an hour. However, that length of time will vary considerably depending on factors such as a person’s gender, height, weight and the length of time since their last meal.

As a rough guide, one unit of alcohol is equivalent to a small glass of wine, half a pint of beer or a single measure of spirits. However, trying to keep track of your intake this way can be misleading, as variable alcohol content and drink sizes can soon push the number of units consumed upwards.

For example, robust wines from countries such as Australia, South America and South Africa are becoming increasingly popular, but these New World wines can contain as much as 17% ABV* whereas most other wines are typically between 12 and 14%. Continental lagers can also be considerably higher in alcohol content than other similar beers, sometimes by as much as 50%.

And don’t forget about size either. Although spirits used to be commonly served in 25ml measures, which are one unit of alcohol, many pubs and bars now serve them in 35ml or 50ml measures. Wine glasses have also shot up in size from the traditional 125ml glass to the 250ml glasses found today in most wine bars. These larger glasses can contain three units of alcohol or more in a single glass. So if you have just two or three drinks, you could actually consume a whole bottle of wine - and almost three times your recommended daily intake of alcohol – without even realising it.

What are the risks associated with drinking too much?
There are both short-term and long-term health risks associated with drinking too much alcohol.

Short-term health risks are largely associated with the increased risk of accidents brought about by alcohol’s ability to reduce balance, co-ordination and reflexes, and impair judgement. If a person is excessively drunk, vomiting may occur. If this happens while the person is asleep it can induce choking, leading to suffocation and even death. This is a risk most commonly found in young adults as a result of binge drinking.

Longer term health problems include: liver, brain and heart damage; gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining); increased risk of diabetes; heart attacks; high blood pressure; raised cholesterol, and cancers - particularly breast and mouth cancer. Excessive drinking can also increase anxiety, sleeping problems, mood swings and depression, and cause memory loss and dementia.

How does alcohol affect appearance?
Alcohol dehydrates the body, particularly the skin, which can increase fine lines and wrinkles. Dehydration often causes the body to try and hold onto fluids which can be seen as puffiness in the face and bloating of the stomach. Even small amounts of alcohol can deprive the skin of vital vitamins and nutrients, as it inhibits the body’s ability to absorb them. Alcohol can also dilate blood vessels resulting in red bumps, thread veins and spots. This may eventually lead to a condition called rosacea, a skin disorder that starts with a tendency to blush and flush easily and can eventually lead to facial disfigurement.

At 7 calories per gram, alcohol is second only in calories per gram to pure fat. It also lowers blood sugars which increases appetite - hence the reason why the French invented the aperitif and why kebab houses, Indian restaurants and chip shops have a tendency to fill up as the pubs, bars and clubs start to empty. This ‘double whammy’ effect can wreak havoc on the waistline, so choose your drinks wisely.

From sober to drunk
After 1 to 3 units, or just 1 large glass of wine, you will be more talkative, your heart rate increases, and you will experience a warm feeling or flush caused by alcohol in the blood making small blood vessels in the skin expand. You are likely to feel a little more confident and sociable.

After 4 to six units, equal to 2 large glasses of wine, you may feel light-headed and your co-ordination and reaction times will be impaired. Your ability to make decisions will also decrease. All of these effects are caused by alcohol slowing down the nerve cells’ ability to function.

After 7 to 9 units, or approximately three large glasses of wine, your reaction times are considerably reduced, vision becomes blurry and speech is slurred. Drinking more than eight units at a time seriously overloads the liver. Staying off the booze for a few days afterwards should help it to repair itself, but at this stage a hangover is pretty much guaranteed.

Drinking more than 10 units, approximately 4 large glasses of wine or more, will affect cells all over the body. Memory will become impaired, behaviour will be considerably altered and frequent visits to the loo will be needed as the body tries to pass the alcohol out by mixing it with water. This results in chronic dehydration which causes headaches, stomach upsets, increased blood pressure and dry, dull skin.

*N.B. (ABV stands for alcohol by volume, or sometimes just the word “vol” appears on the label so, wine that says “17 ABV” on its label contains 17% pure alcohol)

Fish oil

There's a tremendous amount of confusion about omega-3 oils and it is my intention to help clear up some of the confusion with this article.

First let me preface this with saying that fish oil really started the omega-3 market, and most of the research on the benefits of animal-based omega-3 fats (DHA and EPA), even to this day, are based on studies using fish oil.

Fish oils are typically extracted from menhaden, sardines, and herring; fish that are generally not consumed by the average person. These types of fish are indeed very high in EPA and DHA, and the health benefits of these fats are well established.

Health Benefits of Omega-3 Fat

In fact, most of the health benefits associated with omega-3 fats are linked to animal-based omega-3 fats like EPA and DHA, not plant-based omega-3 fats like ALA.

Even the US FDA, which denies most nutritional claims, acknowledges the cardiovascular benefits of animal based omega-3 fats:

• Antiarrhythmic: counteracting or preventing cardiac arrhythmia
• Antithrombotic: tending to prevent thrombosis (a blood clot within a blood vessel)
• Antiatherosclerotic: preventing fatty deposits and fibrosis of the inner layer of your arteries from forming
• Anti-inflammatory: counteracting inflammation (heat, pain, swelling, etc.)
• Improves endothelial function: a major factor in promoting the growth of new blood vessels
• Lowers blood pressure
• Lowers triglyceride concentrations

Researchers are also attributing a number of other health benefits to omega-3 fat, including:

• Healthier, stronger bones
• Protecting your tissues and organs from inflammation
• Improved mood regulation
• Brain and eye development in babies
• Reduced risk of Parkinson’s disease
• Reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease
• Reduced risk of death from ALL causes

Unfortunately, the majority of people who take supplemental omega-3 to protect and improve their health are taking fish oil.

I say unfortunately, because as you will find out, at least 25 percent and maybe even as much as half of the fish oil on the market are damaged products that can do more harm than good…

Why Fish Oil Isn't Your Ideal Source of Omega-3

Yes, despite all the established health benefits of animal-based omega-3 fats, fish oil is actually NOT the ideal source of these fats.

The primary drawback with fish oil is the problem with oxidation, which can occur at any point during the processing, or after you open the bottle. Dr. Moerck explains:

"There are a number of ways in which fish oil can be processed. One is by just simply squeezing the fish -- in some cases with cod liver oil to actually remove the livers from the cod -- and then remove the oil from those by classical mechanical techniques.

In some cases, to get the last few ounces of oil out of the fish, they use solvents, or they use fish oil as a solvent by taking fish oil that's already been processed, using it as an extraction method to get more fish oil out.

Every time fish oil is subjected to contact with oxygen, however, it starts going rancid. It starts oxidizing."

Omega-3 Fats are Incredibly Fragile

Omega-3 fats are extremely fragile and are VERY easily damaged by oxygen. This is true for ALL omega-3 sources, whether animal-based or plant-based.

However, this is where krill oil stands out as a clear winner.

Krill oil would also be highly unstable if it wasn't for the fact that it contains the antioxidant astaxanthin, which keeps it safe from oxidative damage. In fact, in tests performed by Dr. Moerck, the krill oil remained undamaged after being exposed to a steady flow of oxygen for 190 hours!

Compare that to fish oil, which went rancid after just one hour.

That makes krill oil nearly 200 times more resistant to oxidative damage compared to fish oil!

When purchasing krill oil, you'll want to read the label and check the amount of astaxanthin it contains. The more the better, but anything above 0.2 mg per gram of krill oil will protect it from rancidity. Astaxanthin also has other more specific health benefits, such as protecting against:

• Cataracts
• Age related macular degeneration
• Sunburn

Fish Oils Contain Higher Amounts of Contamination

Another primary concern that is not widely recognized is that many of the fish oils on the market are contaminated with relatively large amounts of metals and toxic chemicals. And not just heavy metals. In fact, toxins like mercury are typically screened for, at least in higher quality brands.

But there are other contaminations that are more unlikely to be identified or removed.

Some of the most common contaminants found in fish, aside from mercury, include:

• PCBs
• Dioxin
• PDEs
• PCP's
• Radioactive substances like strontium
• Toxic metals such as cadmium, lead, chromium and arsenic

In fact, a lawsuit filed earlier this year brought the issue of contaminated fish oil to the forefront. Environmentalists in California claim that popular brands of fish oil supplements contain unsafe and illegal levels of carcinogenic chemicals.

They tested a number of products and found that levels of PCBs in fish oil supplements varied wildly, from about 12 nanograms per recommended dose to more than 850 nanograms in the most contaminated product.

Smaller fish, such as herring, sardines, and anchovies fare better than larger fish since they don't have time to bioaccumulate metals and other toxins in their tissues.

"The further down the food chain and the shorter that lifespan of the fish, the less metal it's going to have in it," Dr. Moerck explains.

"So for instance, a salmon is going to have less metal in it than a grandfather tuna. Tuna has a lot of more mercury and other heavy metals in them because they're older fish. They accumulate these things in their body.

Accumulation of these in our own bodies causes all kinds of things like autoimmune diseases."

How to Identify High Quality Fish Oil

According to Dr. Moerck:

"[A]ll the reputable fish oil companies, the big boys in the industry… refine the fish oil and remove as many of the metals as they can.

When you buy fish oils always pay the highest possible price. Usually a price in this case is a good indicator of quality. A very cheap fish oil is not okay," Dr. Moerck warns.

"Don't ever buy it in the clear plastic bottle, or giant bottles like you see at some of these mall-type stores... because the light goes right through them. It's UV damaged. It's rancid. Also, if you have a big bottle of it, you better keep it in a refrigerator because it's going to go rancid.

… I believe very strongly that you do have some excellent fish oil being made. But it's very expensive. If you're going to buy that, you should buy it from a distributor that will ship it to you directly. You don't want to buy it off the grocery shelf because you don't know how long it's been there...

… As far as the fish oils we've seen out there, it's a very wide gamut of quality and stability and rancidity. I would say [25 to] 50 percent of them are rancid."

This is important to realize, because taking a cheap poor quality rancid fish oil will surely do you more harm than good.

"I think that there is some mislabeling going on," Moerck says, "[in] that the expiration date put on there is arbitrary and that the actual shelf life is less. I would bet my reputation on that that is the case – that there is fish oil that is mislabeled as far as expiration date.

We have tested these and we have found a very wide range of rancidity even in the same brand."

However, it may also be an artifact from the processing and manufacturing of the oils, or due to improper storage. The type of bottle used also impacts the oil's tendency to go rancid. Ideally, fish oil should be stored in glass or PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles, as they offer the best protection against oxygen.

As a general rule, brands with high turnover also tend to have less rancidity.

To summarize, here are several guidelines you need to follow to ensure you're getting a high-quality, non-rancid fish oil:

• Avoid fish oil in clear containers, because they will let through ultraviolet and fluorescent light that oxidizes the oil, turning it rancid
• Buy smaller bottles
• Have them shipped overnight to your home, directly from the manufacturer
• Buy from a company with high product turnover to minimize the possibility of getting a product that's been in storage for an extended period of time
• Store the fish oil in your refrigerator

Some Fish Oil Contain Large Amounts of Added Saturated Fat

Another problem that I was personally unaware of before Dr. Moerck told me, is that some fish oils contain added saturated fats; some in surprisingly high concentrations.

"A few years ago, there was a big controversy in England where people were buying fish oil and then reselling it by adding -- or as they say in the illegal arena, they were "cutting it" -- with a cheaper oil," Moerck explains.

"Fish oil is a relatively inexpensive oil anyway, but then people were adding… lard, to the fish oil. It's important to understand that most fish oil already has some saturated fat, 20 to 35 percent is a saturated fat naturally occurring in the fish. Through processing, you really can't separate it out."

This is one of the reasons why your fish oil turns toward a solid when you put it in the refrigerator.

But how do you know if your fish oil contains extra, added fat?

Dr. Moerck suggests:

"[I]f you look at the label of fish oil, you can usually tell if it's got any added fats by looking at the ratio of total weight and EPA/DHA.

But most people aren't sophisticated enough...They can't really tell. So if you buy, you must buy from somebody that's reputable… [N]ot a mass market-type of product."

What's Your BEST Omega-3 Source?

As far as I'm concerned, unless you can verify the purity and freshness of the fish oil, I recommend you avoid it.

A far better omega-3 alternative -- your safest and most cost effective choice -- is to take high-quality krill oil on a regular basis.

Research has established the similarities and differences between fish- and krill oil, in terms of being beneficial sources of omega-3 fats. This is explained in further detail in an August 24 article in Functional Nutrition.

Nutritionally, both contain DHA and EPA, but their compositions are unique.

According to Functional Nutrition, krill oil typically provides 14 percent EPA and DHA, along with 0.2 percent naturally-occurring astaxanthin.

Fish oil typically provides 30 percent EPA and DHA.

At first glance, it may appear as though fish oil is better simply because it contains a higher ratio of omega-3 fats. However, krill oil is far more efficient, so you actually need far less.

Functional Nutrition explains:

"In fish oil, the omega-3 molecules are attached to triglycerides, which means they must undergo hydrolysis before being absorbed into cells. Krill, in contrast, is attached to phospholipids, [and]… our cell walls contain fats in the phospholipid form…

… The phospholipid structure of the omega-3s in krill oil therefore makes them more rapidly absorbable and allows for easier entry of the omega-3s into our cells and on to the mitochondria and nuclei. The rapid absorption has an added benefit for consumers: There is virtually no aftertaste or fishy reflux that some experience with fish oils."

The conjugation of phospholipids — mainly phosphatidylcholine — with DHA and EPA gives krill oil an edge over fish oil in a number of ways… The phospholipids, by virtue of their connection with omega-3s, are exactly right for proper brain function. Furthermore, they are a part of the eicosanoids system — an extremely important hormone-messenger system in the cells of the body."

I used to recommend taking fish oil or cod liver oil (and I still do in some cases), but aside from the problems discussed above, you also have the issue of overfishing to the point of near extinction, and the potential of toxic contaminations in the oil.

And, as you increase your intake of omega-3 fats by consuming fish oil, you actually increase your need for even more antioxidant protection. This happens because fish oil, as I explained above, is highly perishable.

You have to have sufficient antioxidants to ensure that the fish oil doesn't oxidize and become rancid inside your body, as oxidation leads to the formation of unhealthy free radicals.

This is one of the main reasons I now recommend getting your omega-3 fats from Antarctic krill oil.

With krill oil, you can ensure that you're getting these incredibly healthy fats (EPA and DHA) without having to worry about oxidation issues. Additionally, your risk of getting any mercury contamination is extremely low since krill are so small they don't have the chance to accumulate toxins before being harvested.

I personally take krill oil every day. I particularly appreciate the fact that the omega-3 is attached to phospholipids that dramatically increase its absorption, especially into brain tissue.

Potency versus Bioavailability

I had known of krill for about three years before I started to recommend it. The reason I dismissed it initially was I made a simplistic evaluation, like many others do, and merely compared the DHA and EPA concentrations in fish and krill and fish oil was by far a more cost effective choice.

However I am now beyond convinced that this was a mistake.

This is because it is not a straightforward comparison. The amount of DHA and EPA that you need to be concerned with is the amount that actually winds up in your cell and your cell membranes.

This is where krill is the clear winner

Unpublished new data suggest krill oil is absorbed 10 to 15 times better than fish oil. This is because the triglyceride molecule that fish oil is in must be broken down in your gut to its base fatty acids of DHA and EPA. About 80-85 percent is never absorbed and is eliminated in your intestine, which causes about 50 percent of people to have burp back and not tolerate fish oil.

Then once the fatty acids are absorbed into your blood stream, your liver has to attach it to phoshphatidyl choline for it to be used by your body. The amazing beauty of krill is that all of it is in the correct form in the original pill so your body uses virtually 100 percent of it. Additionally it has the powerful antioxidant astaxanthin which prevents the perishable DHA and EPA from going rancid.

And as Dr. Moerck stated above, a large percentage of the fish oil being sold is actually rancid before you even open the bottle as it doesn't contain this protective antioxidant.

Many doctors in Europe are switching from conventional drugs to krill oil to support healthy, normal lipid levels and cardiovascular health. And the great news is that it seems to work at a lower dose, so you may only need one 500 mg capsule per day.

Remember, You Can't Substitute with Plant-Based Omega-3…

Plant-based omega-3 sources like flax, hemp, chia and perilla seeds are high in ALA – the third type of omega-3 fat. ALA is an absolutely essential fatty acid. It is converted in small quantities to EPA and DHA in your body.

Dr. Moerck recommends men to consume a minimum of 1.6 grams a day; women 1.2 grams daily. However, you do not want to consume more than 5 grams a day.

This means that if you eat just 2 tablespoons of chia seeds, you've actually exceeded your daily dose.

Still, I do not recommend using these plant-based sources as a substitute for animal-based omega-3 (DHA/EPA), or as your only source of omega-3.

Why?

Because the conversion of ALA to the far more essential EPA and DHA is typically severely impaired by inhibition of delta 6 desaturase. This is an enzyme that is necessary to produce the longer chain EPA and DHA from ALA.

Elevated insulin levels impair this enzyme, and over 80 percent of Americans have elevated insulin levels. So from that perspective alone, plant-based omega-3 simply will not work well for most people.

There are also studies that indicate ALA from flaxseed might actually increase your risk of cancer… In addition, flax seed oil is also used in industrial manufacturing, such as paint, so it can be trickier to ensure that the flax seed you get is actually fit for human consumption, since paint manufacturing does not have to worry about damaging the omega-3...

For these reasons, Dr. Moerck and I agree that flax seed oil is best avoided.

If you want to use flax seed, buy organic, whole seeds, then grind them just before consuming them to ensure freshness. This is also important because, just like fish oil, plant-based omega-3 fats are also highly perishable. For this reason you want to avoid buying pre-ground seeds, because you can be guaranteed that they have been damaged by the time you even get them home from the store.

Personally, I regularly include ALA omega-3 plant based foods, like flax and hemp in my diet, but I always use them in combination with animal based omega-3 fats.

For more information about omega-3 fats, both plant- and animal based, please listen to the interview in its entirety, or read through the transcript.

Cold myths

A WEAK IMMUME SYSTEM DOESN'T MAKE YOU VULNERABLE

Cold symptoms do not result from the ­destructive effects of viruses but rather from how strongly your immune system reacts to them.

In other words, terrible cold symptoms are the product of a strong immune system, rather than a weak one.

So bear this in mind the next time you read an advertising slogan for a dietary supplement which promises to help you fight colds by ­boosting your immune system.

VITAMIN C WON'T STOP A COLD

No cure for the common cold has been better studied than vitamin C, which, it is claimed, helps by increasing infection-fighting white blood cells.

However, more than 30 clinical trials involving more than 10,000 people have examined the effects of taking daily vitamin C and have shown that it does not prevent colds. At best, it only slightly reduces the duration of symptoms.

The only time it might help is if you’re engaged in extreme physical exercise or exposed to extreme physical cold. Several studies have shown that soldiers, skiers and marathon runners in these situations who down a daily dose of 200mg of vitamin C have the risk of a cold reduced by half.

CUTTING OUT ALCOHOL IS NOT THE ANSWER

One or two drinks a day actually diminishes the likelihood of catching a cold, according to studies at the Common Cold Unit in Salisbury, Wiltshire.

Non-drinkers were at far greater risk, though scientists don’t know why.

‘It could be that the types of people who drink are less ­susceptible for other reasons,’ says Sheldon Cohen, who led the research.

Or there could be a direct link. Alcohol might somehow limit the replication of the viruses. Either way, Cohen doesn’t encourage drinking as a prophylactic or cure for the common cold, as the risks of consuming more than a drink or two a day to general health far exceed the benefits in cold reduction, he says.

YOU CAN'T CATCH A COLD BY KISSING

This will surprise many people, but a kiss won’t give you a cold. The largest family of viruses causing colds are rhinoviruses, and these rarely enter our bodies through the mouth, according to research at the University of Wisconsin Medical School.

When infected, volunteers kissed cold-free volunteers for a full minute and a half, but only one case of cross-infection occurred in 16 trials.

Estimates suggest that it takes as much as 8,000 times as much virus to cause infection by way of saliva than by other routes. So kissing or sharing drinks is unlikely to spread a rhinovirus.

For most cold viruses, the nose and eye are the main points of entry, spread by coughs and sneezes or by touching an infected surface with your hands.

WASHING YOUR CLOTHES WON'T KILL VIRUSES

Coughs and sneezes spread diseases: The saying is true, you are more likely to catch cold germs this way than kissing

Washing infected clothes may be one of the major transfer points in the home for germs, according to research by Charles Gerba, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona.

Even the simple act of putting underwear in the machine or transferring clothes from a washer to a dryer could put you at risk of E.coli (a common gut bacteria) on your hands.

Washing eliminates 99 per cent of the bacteria, but if there are a million to begin with, that leaves some 10,000. And viruses — like those responsible for causing a cold — are even harder to wash out of fabric than ­bacteria.

Cold viruses can lurk in places such as the tucks and folds of clothing, with handkerchiefs and c­hildren’s shirtsleeves particularly likely repositories.

GREEN MUCUS ISN'T A SIGN OF BACTERIAL INFECTION

Contrary to popular belief, green mucus is not a sign of bacterial infection, but a sign the immune system is working properly.

As the body recruits more and more virus-fighting white blood cells to the nose, the colour of the mucus changes from clear to ­yellow to green. This is because these cells carry green iron-containing enzymes. The greener the colour, the more robust the immune response.

STAYING INDOORS WON'T PROTECT YOU

One of the most likely sources of cold viruses is your computer mouse or desk at work.

A study of the cold virus in offices found that 47 per cent of desktops, 46 per cent of computer mice and 45 per cent of telephones had cold viruses on them.

The same research found that professions most at risk from cold germ spread included lawyers, teachers, accountants, bankers, radio DJs, doctors and TV producers.

BLOWING YOUR NOSE HARD DOESN'T HELP

The stuffy, blocked feeling that ­stifles breathing during a cold is not the product, as one might expect, of excess mucus, but ­swelling blood vessels in the nasal passages. These normally swell anyway in a rhythmic alternating cycle, so one nasal passage always has a little less airflow than the other.

But colds exaggerate the asymmetry of rhythm — completely closing one nasal passage. So the urge to blow forcefully is increased, though it doesn’t relieve the stuffy feeling.

Perhaps more importantly, studies show that forceful nose blowing ­propels viscous nasal fluid, with its load of viruses, bacteria, and inflammatory chemicals, into the sinuses, where secondary bacterial infections may take hold. So it’s best to blow gently, one nostril at a time.

ANTIBACTERIAL SOAP CAN'T ZAP VIRUSES

The germs which cause a cold are viruses, not bacteria — which is why antibiotics have no effect on colds. Antibiotics kill bacteria by preventing them from building their cell walls.

Viruses are not cells and have no cell walls, so they’re utterly ­unaffected by the drugs — this is also why anti­bacterial soaps, shampoos and lotions have no effect on cold germs.

An alcohol-based hand sanitiser, however, is a decent alternative. In one 2010 study at the University of Virginia, alcohol sanitisers were ­significantly more effective at ­removing rhinoviruses than hand washing with soap and water.

CATCHING A COLD ISN'T JUST BAD LUCK

The more years your parents had been able to afford to own their own home before you turned 18, the lower your risk of getting a lot of colds in the future, say U.S. researchers.

As Professor Sheldon Cohen of Carnegie Mellon University, explained: ‘The most critical years are ages zero to six. If your parents did not own their home during these early years, you’re at high risk. All of this is true no matter what your ­socioeconomic status may be.’

It’s thought the link is stress — albeit second hand. People under stress produce more of the stress hormone cortisol; one of cortisol’s jobs is to turn off the production of cytokines, molecules that encourage an aggressive immune response.

If there’s too much cortisol, this process goes haywire triggering a greater response to colds.

WRAPPING UP WARM WON'T PROTECT YOU

Exposure to the cold has nothing to do with catching a cold, says Ron Taylor of the University of Virginia.

Colds are more common in autumn and winter because the cooler, wetter weather drives people indoors, where viruses may more easily jump from one person to the next.

The distinct peak in colds in September and early January is likely due to the return of students to schools and colleges after the summer and winter break.

OLD WIVES ARE RIGHT ABOUT CHICKEN SOUP

Touted as a cold remedy by grandmothers since time immemorial, recent research shows there may be some scientific fact behind the legend that chicken soup helps a cold.

Stephen Rennard, a pulmonary specialist at the University of Nebraska Medical Centre, conducted an informal study to determine if chicken soup would reduce the movement of neutrophils, cells drawn to sites of infection and which in turn trigger inflammation.

He found that it did — although he couldn’t pinpoint the components responsible.

Many canned soups appeared to be just as efficient as homemade ones.

No wonder cure: The benefits of echinacea are very small

ECHINACEA ISN'T MUCH USE

In terms of popularity, the purple coneflower is king of herbal remedies for cold sufferers and parts of the plants are sold as capsules, juices, tinctures and teas.

While some research suggests that the leaves and flowers of one strain (purpurea) may have a small effect on reducing cold symptoms, recent better-designed studies find that the herb does little to shorten colds or relieve symptoms.

According to the latest reviews, taking Echinacea regularly won’t protect you from catching a cold, nor will it reduce the severity or duration.

Bottom line: experts say don’t waste your money.

SOCIALISING WON'T PUT YOU AT RISK

People who socialise with a great variety of people suffer fewer colds than those with small social circles.

Although you might think coming into contact with a broad range of people could increase your risk, U.S. researchers have found that a wide social group contributes to a more positive, healthy outlook — and ­sociable people produce fewer pro-inflammatory chemicals in response to cold viruses.

OLDER PEOPLE DON'T GET MORE SNIFFLES

In almost everyone, susceptibility to colds declines over time. The over-50s, for instance, catch only half as many as teenagers. This is largely because they will have been exposed to more colds and therefore developed more antibodies to common cold viruses than younger people.

DRINKING FLUIDS MAKES LITTLE DIFFERENCE

It's the cold-cure mantra we’ve all heard so often. But the truth is, drinking loads of fluids won’t help get rid of a cold. And there are no controlled clinical studies showing any benefit of maintaining steady fluid intake during a cold either.

However, drinking normal amounts of water, juice, broth, and other clear fluids can help to loosen congestion and certainly prevents dehydration.

YOU WON'T LOSE WEIGHT WITH A COLD

There are at least five ­families of cold viruses, among them the adenoviruses. A shocking new finding points to some kinds of ­adenoviruses being capable of triggering not just a blocked nose but obesity.

Three types of adenovirus normally spur symptoms of the common cold, but in 20 per cent of people they may also affect the rate of fat-cell formation.

Essentially this means they play a role in changing stem cells (essentially ‘precursor’ cells, which can turn into other cells such as fat, blood — even bone) into fat cells, so those infected with the virus gain weight faster than non-infected ­people who eat the same amount.

BLAME YOUR GENES

Over the past five or ten years, ­scientists have discovered genetic variations that may explain why some people suffer many more colds than normal.

It seems there are differences in their receptor cells — to which rhinoviruses attach as they ‘invade the body’ — and in the amounts of inflammatory chemicals their bodies make.

Who said life was fair?

Adapted from Ah-Choo by Jennifer Ackerman, published by 12. The book is available from amazon.com

15 ways....

15 ways exercise can improve your health:

1. Improve your brainpower
2. Lower your blood pressure
3. Fight off a cold
4. Manage arthritis
5. Lower your risk of heart disease
6. Cure insomnia
7. Fight depression
8. Lower your risk of diabetes and reverse pre-diabetes
9. Build strong bones
10. Lose weight
11. Reduce your risk of cancer
12. Boost your IQ and think better
13. Relieve chronic knee pain
14. Increase your energy levels
15. Slow down your aging process