Does being cold make you sick?
"Winter is coming," and we all remember our parents telling us to "put a jacket on to go outside or you'll catch cold!" Of course, the common response is, "Don't be silly, being cold can't give you cold!" Or can it? Who wins this battle of beliefs? The correlation between cold weather and sickness does stand out. Between 5-20% of Americans catch a cold or flu every year around late fall and winter. Not to mention, it's called a cold. But there are some important things to consider. First and foremost: colds and the flu are caused by viruses. if there aren't any around, you won't catch a cold - no matter how cold you get. It's as simple as that. So why the correlation with decreasing temperatures? Well for one, people tend to stay indoors much more often during the winter, which in turn, puts them in contact with more people. More people, means more exposure opportunities for the pathogens to spread. On