What is the first thing that comes to mind when you feel the approach of a cold? Some people grab for honey and lemon, others mix vodka with pepper, and still others, for any ailment, dip their feet into a basin of hot water to steam out and bring down the temperature. These “secret” methods of treatment are passed down from generation to generation in every family. But are they so magical? And aren’t they dangerous? Kirill Ivanychev, head of the health department of the Public Duma, an independent expert center, told the whole truth about the Woman’s Day folk medicine.
Popular wisdom says: if you have a high temperature, a simple procedure will help bring it down – put your feet in a basin of hot water and steam it thoroughly, and then wrap yourself in a woolen blanket.
Actually: by performing such manipulations, you create conditions for the body under which the temperature of not only the body, but also the air around you rises, and this disrupts the process of natural thermoregulation. As a result, the column of mercury on the thermometer will not fall, but, on the contrary, will increase, that is, you will fry yourself even more, earn a rapid heartbeat, pressure surges, shortness of breath and heatstroke.
Popular wisdom says: a person who has a cold should drink tea with raspberries throughout the day, and only the next morning he will wake up full of strength, there will be no trace of the ailment.
Actually: this method can really help in the fight against high temperatures – raspberries contain salicylic acid (it is called natural aspirin) and substances that have a beneficial effect on immunity. However, if you abuse such a drink, you will increase the load on the heart, which is especially dangerous for people with cardiovascular diseases. The optimal dose is one cup of raspberry tea a day, no more.
Popular wisdom says: hot tea with lemon and honey is a reliable remedy in the fight against high temperatures.
Actually: honey has diaphoretic and antipyretic properties, and lemon contains many vitamins and helps to strengthen the immune system. However, not everything is so simple here either. Both honey and lemon are both strong allergens and should be consumed with caution. Moreover, honey can be very dangerous for people with diabetes.
Popular wisdom says: don’t buy drops, make them yourself – just mix the juice of the onion and garlic. Yes, the remedy is fragrant, but natural and much more effective and safer than drugs.
Actually: onions and garlic contain phytoncides. These are volatile substances that kill pathogenic microbes. But dripping their juice into the nose is dangerous, it irritates the already inflamed mucous membrane. It is only permissible to inhale the vapors of onions and garlic, especially since phytoncides are contained mostly in the volatile part of the juice.
Popular wisdom says: if you get a sore throat, boil the potatoes, pour them over, put them in a bag and put them on your neck. The compress will relieve pain and speed up the healing process.
Actually: yes, this method of treatment has been used for many years. And, despite the fact that some doctors dispute the effectiveness of the method, it continues to be popular to this day. Boiled potato compress is just one of the options. Along with warming, it also has an inhalation effect.
But in order not to aggravate the problem, any compress must be done correctly – in no case at the height of the disease and not at a high temperature. Its use is permissible only at the initial or final stages. A compress placed at a temperature above 38 degrees can lead to very unpleasant consequences: the temperature will become even higher, the lymph nodes will increase, and purulent formations in the tonsils will actively develop – all this can result in an abscess. In addition, the location of the compress is of great importance. You can not warm up the neck in the thyroid gland, only the side of the neck and chest.
Popular wisdom says: for colds, alcohol will help, rub yourself with alcohol and wrap yourself in a blanket.
Actually: Yes, rubbing with rubbing alcohol can be effective, but only if you don’t wrap yourself up afterwards. On the contrary, you even need to fan yourself with a towel. When exposed to heat (your body temperature), the alcohol will quickly evaporate from the skin. Heat output will increase – the temperature will drop. It is also important to take into account a few more points: you should not apply alcohol on yourself from head to toe, it is enough to rub your upper body, elbows and knees with it; alcohol should be diluted and not cold, since the use of liquid from the refrigerator will cause a sharp narrowing of the capillaries, which is fraught with complications. This method is only suitable for adults, rubbing with alcohol in children can lead to alcohol poisoning!
Popular wisdom says: if you have a sore throat, eat ice cream, they knock out a wedge with a wedge!
Actually: it does work, but it should be used with extreme caution. Cold ice cream promotes vasoconstriction on the inflamed tonsils, thereby reducing the area of inflammation. Also, ice cream cleans the tonsils from plaque and relieves irritation in the mucous membranes, accelerating the healing process. But that doesn’t mean you can eat a whole bucket. The recommended dose is no more than 150 g of cold treats at room temperature. It is better to give preference to the so-called fruit ice.
Popular wisdom says: a glass of vodka with red pepper will relieve discomfort in the throat.
Actually: vodka and pepper dilate blood vessels, which is beneficial. In addition, pepper is an excellent antiseptic and contains many vitamins and minerals, which, of course, will not be superfluous in the healing process. But this folk remedy can not be used for all diseases. So, with sore throat and other inflammatory processes, the use of vodka with red pepper is contraindicated, since it can burn the mucous membrane, and you will get even more sick.