Want to ward off colds this winter? Try keeping a positive attitude. A recent study published in Psychosomatic Medicine found that happy people are less likely to catch colds or complain of cold symptoms than those who experience negative emotions, such as depression, nervousness and anger.
Researchers interviewed 334 hundred healthy people over a two-week period to gather information on their positive and negative emotional states, including vigor; well-being; calm; depression; anxiety; and hostility. Following each interview, participants were given nasal drops containing one of two rhinoviruses (cold-causing germs) and monitored in quarantine for the next five days.
Results showed that participants with a positive attitude were less likely to develop cold symptoms, leading researchers to believe that optimistic people are more likely to have healthy lifestyles, which stave off illness. Participants with negative attitudes did not necessarily develop colds; however, they were more likely to report feeling cold symptoms, leading to the conclusion that negativity can influence perceptions toward the body.
So, the next time you feel a cold coming on, think positive! It could mean the difference between spending your winter between the sheets or on the slopes. For more information on natural ways to maintain health, talk to your doctor of chiropractic.
Reference:
Cohen S, Doyle WJ, Turner RB, et al. Emotional style and susceptibility to the common cold. Psychosomatic Medicine July 2003: Volume 65, pp.652-57.
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