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By Kehinde Aderemi
The rainy season is synonymous with cold, catarrh, malaria, and pneumonia. The weather drops, clothes stay damp, roads flooded, while the body struggles to keep warm. It is indeed a season that throws up many health issues.
Dr. Michael Umoru, a deputy director at the School of Anaesthetic Studies, Badagry, Lagos said people are prone to various health challenges resulting from cold weather and prolonged rainy season. According to him, this period is very critical to human health. He also noted that people easily get ill at this time because of the effects of the weather.
He explained that there are various measures that can be taken in order to avoid catching cold. One of the measures he highlighted was for people to wear thick clothing that could cover the most sensitive parts of the body, warning that people should also be conscious of their nutrition, which plays a very important role in keeping fit during the rainy season and cold weather.
“We should ensure we eat foods that are rich in vitamins, especially vitamin C because most of the defence particles in the body need proteins.”
According to him, the body has the immune system’s primary defence particles, such as antibodies and white blood cells, which he said, are primarily made of proteins.
“Getting adequate protein is essential for maintaining a strong defence against common cold viruses. Warm food is also good. Food that is very rich in antioxidants. Then keeping warm too is another way of not catching cold. For instance, those in the arid region wear thick clothes because of the cold. Their bodies have been adapted to such conditions in order to prevent heat loss.
“People in the deserts survive extreme cold by maximizing insulation and trapping heat. They build heavy, thick-walled mud or stone homes that absorb daytime heat to release at night, wear thick layered wool or dense cotton robes to block wind and burn wood or dung for warmth.
“We must drink hot beverages like coffee or tea. Different brands of tea would be good at this season because they have antioxidants. They help reduce the effect of free radicals that can cause cold and other ailments.
“So, if people take hot drinks that are rich in antioxidants, then food that is rich in vitamin C and they have very good clothes, then they can prevent cold and flu in this season,” he stated.
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Dr. Matthew Olaoluwa-Jegede explained that a cold occurs when the body temperature is below the normal temperature. According to him, an average normal body temperature is generally cited as 98.6°F (37°C).
“Contemporary studies indicate a normal temperature actually ranges from 97°F to 99°F (36.1°C to 37.2°C) for adults. That is homothermia. It also fluctuates, depending on the time of the day, the activity level of the person, and age. The body temperatures naturally peak in the late afternoon and are lowest in the early morning.
“Below this normal temperature is also what is called hypothermia, which is a medical emergency that occurs when your body loses heat faster than it can produce, then causing a dangerously low cold body temperature below 95° F (35° C).
“It affects the heart, nervous system, and other organs, and can be fatal if left untreated. Above this normal temperature is hyperthermia, which is also dangerous to health,” he said, declaring that certain conditions like old age and pregnancy can also cause colds.
During pregnancy, he said, body temperature tends to increase in order to help ovulation and also incubate the pregnancy very well.
“At old age, there is always a degeneration of the young tissues in the body. Younger persons that are still active can easily generate more heat by engaging in various activities, including exercises. There are also some health conditions that can cause colds, especially when a person’s body is reacting to certain things like infection and all that.
He explained further that the leg is an active part of the body, insisting that during exercise, the heat generated from the leg radiates to every part of the body.
“So, precautions against catching cold are necessary. Everybody must know the condition his or her body is prone to. Regular exercises, either active or passive, can also help prevent colds.”
He explained further that those that live in the extreme north usually wear cardigan, pullover, and very thick clothes; even as he noted that there are some drugs that can also increase the body temperature.
“A person can also create heat for himself by creating a warm environment by using different types of warmers, staying indoors and using blankets as well as wearing hand gloves, socks and some other things to prevent cold.”
Jegede also mentioned states like Sokoto, Maiduguri and Kebbi, where he said people usually closed their windows permanently during the rainy season because of the cold weather conditions in those states. According to him, some people use heat generating drugs and ointments. Some also close their doors and windows to prevent cold and generate heat.
Dr. Doyin Adekoye, medical director of Fluoride Hospital, Ikorodu, Lagos, said catching cold can be prevented in different ways. He mentioned the reduction in the use of air conditioners, either in the office or in the car. He advised that people should take a lot of hot water, tea or coffee, and reduce intake of substances that can easily affect the body temperature.
“Stay away from cold environments and make sure you do a lot of exercises. Eat fruits and food that are rich in vitamin C. And it is also important to avoid intake of cold-induced substances,” he said.
