All posts tagged: colds

The time-honoured remedy proven to help you recover from colds and flu faster

The time-honoured remedy proven to help you recover from colds and flu faster

Published by Daniella Wilson

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today. Join today Already a member? Log in For generations, chicken soup has been a go-to remedy for people feeling under the weather. It holds a cherished place in many cultures as a comforting treatment for colds and flu. But is there any real science behind the idea that soup can help us recover from respiratory infections? Alongside colleagues, I conducted a systematic review to explore this question, which examined the scientific evidence on the role of soup in managing acute respiratory tract infections, such as the common cold, influenza and COVID-19. Out of more than 10,000 records, we identified four high-quality studies involving 342 participants. These studies tested a variety of soups, including traditional chicken broth, barley soup and herbal vegetable blends. While still early-stage, the evidence was promising. One study found that people who ate soup recovered up to 2.5 days faster than those who didn’t. Symptoms such as nasal congestion, sore throat and fatigue were …

Multipurpose anti-viral pill may treat colds, norovirus, flu and covid

Multipurpose anti-viral pill may treat colds, norovirus, flu and covid

Published by skeptic

Viral RNA relies on an enzyme to replicate, which offers up a target to protect against a range of pathogens Juan Gaertner/Science Photo Library/Alamy A single drug has been found to inhibit a range of common viruses in lab studies, including coronaviruses, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), norovirus, and influenza and hepatitis viruses. It will be tested in a clinical trial next year, raising hopes that the pill could one day be taken at home to relieve unpleasant symptoms or even limit infections if there were another viral pandemic. “As far as we can tell, this is the first drug that’s ever demonstrated activity across all these viral families,” says Daniel Haders, co-founder of Model Medicines, the California-based company leading its development. If it is approved, Haders envisages it being a pill that people could take if, for example, they have a flu-like illness but don’t know if it is influenza, covid-19, RSV or something else. The drug was originally developed as a breast cancer treatment named ERA-923, but it was abandoned in the early 2000s …

If you think your toddler’s often ill, you’re right – what going to nursery means for catching colds and building immunity

If you think your toddler’s often ill, you’re right – what going to nursery means for catching colds and building immunity

Published by skeptic

There’s no nice way to put it: small children are snotty. A research study that tested children for multiple respiratory viruses every week for a year found that under-fives are carrying one or more viruses 50% of the time. A child aged 15 months will have 12-15 colds per year and eight or nine of those will show symptoms, such as a runny nose. If parents feel their small children are sick with a cold half the time, that’s backed up by evidence. Our new study brings together information from different sources to understand how the immune systems of small children differ from adults, why children pass germs around so effectively and what parents can do to help. Babies and toddlers are encountering a whole host of infectious diseases for the first time, which makes them more likely to have symptoms; this can make them more likely to pass these bugs on to others. We also found that going to nursery often accelerates a natural process of building up immunity that would otherwise take place …

Paediatricians’ blood used to make new treatments for RSV and colds

Paediatricians’ blood used to make new treatments for RSV and colds

Published by skeptic

Paediatricians do more than just treat children’s ailments – or dress up as princesses. A team of 10 in China had their blood screened to help develop treatments for common childhood illnesses MAURO PIMENTEL/AFP via Getty Images In the fight against common childhood illnesses, scientists have turned to an unusual source: the blood of paediatricians. It turns out this is a treasure trove of powerful antibodies that could be used as preventative treatments. These have even outperformed approved antibody therapies against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and a common cold virus. Paediatricians are almost constantly exposed to respiratory viruses, making them a potentially underexplored resource in the hunt for highly potent antibodies against such pathogens. Although antibody therapies are available for infections like RSV – which infects almost every child by the age of 2 and can trigger severe breathing difficulties – they only neutralise some strains. But a broader-acting treatment could now be on the cards. A team including Hui Zhai at the Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University screened the blood of 10 paediatricians …

Why do some colds hit harder than others?

Why do some colds hit harder than others?

Published by Jenni Sidey

A common cold can feel like a small thing until it is not. One day you feel fine, and the next you wake up congested, drained, and foggy. You may blame the virus. New research suggests you should also look at your own early defenses. In a paper, researchers report that the body’s first response to rhinovirus often predicts whether you get sick, and how severe symptoms become. Rhinovirus is the most frequent cause of the common cold. It also plays a major role in breathing problems for people with asthma and other long-term lung conditions. “As the number one cause of common colds and a major cause of breathing problems in people with asthma and other chronic lung conditions, rhinoviruses are very important in human health,” said senior author Ellen Foxman of Yale School of Medicine. “This research allowed us to peer into the human nasal lining and see what is happening during rhinovirus infections at both the cellular and molecular levels.” The team’s work focuses on a simple idea with big consequences. The …

The time-honoured remedy proven to help you recover from colds and flu faster

The warming meal proven to help you recover from colds and flu faster

Published by Daniella Wilson

Sign up to our free Living Well email for advice on living a happier, healthier and longer life Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter For generations, chicken soup has been a go-to remedy for people feeling under the weather. It holds a cherished place in many cultures as a comforting treatment for colds and flu. But is there any real science behind the idea that soup can help us recover from respiratory infections? Alongside colleagues, I conducted a systematic review to explore this question, which examined the scientific evidence on the role of soup in managing acute respiratory tract infections, such as the common cold, influenza and COVID-19. Out of more than 10,000 records, we identified four high-quality studies involving 342 participants. These studies tested a variety of soups, including traditional chicken broth, barley soup and herbal vegetable blends. While still early-stage, the evidence was promising. One study found that people who ate soup recovered …