You catch cold because you are cold. The body is naturally warm. It needs to maintain a certain temperature (98.6), energy production to stay healthy. Below that temperature, the body gets colder, making it environmentally attractive to cold natured diseases, including the common cold and flu. Correct diet maintains the correct temperature, the incorrect, worsens, causes disease via too much or too little energy. Too little energy cools and dampens. Too much overheats and dries.

Temperatures, energy production below 98.6, tend to cool, slow and dampen the body, in the same way, the cold temperatures of winter cool, slow and harden water in the air, into rain, snow and ice. Cold, in excess, via external (winter, air conditioning, living, sleeping in a cold, damp basement) or internal (cold, damp, low protein, low fat and high carbohydrate diet) sources tends to cool and harden water in the lungs (naturally moist), nose throat and sinuses into water, mucous and phlegm obstructing the breath causing coughing, sneezing, sore throat, etc.

Cold temperatures also drain blood from the extremities, head, arms and legs causing them to be cold, weak and shaky. Symptoms define all disease, cause and effect. Respiratory (runny nose, mucous, phlegm, coughing, snoring, sore throat), circulatory (headache, cold hands and feet, shaking, chattering), immune (fever) and or digestive (abdominal bloating, gas, loose stools) symptoms define the common cold and the flu, which is more or less a bad cold (in the extreme, the flu can be fatal). The extreme depends on the individual as colds and flu’s can only attack, infect the unhealthy.

Flu’s are acute, contagious virus caused infection. Viruses like bacteria require a medium to grow. In the lungs (includes throat, nose and sinuses), water is the medium. The lungs are naturally moist. Water facilitates the exchanges of gases (oxygen and carbon dioxide), between the blood (lungs) and the environment. Oxygen is water-soluble.

Too much water (mucous, phlegm) in the lungs, tend to weaken and reduce the exchange causing oxygen deprivation (less oxygen is absorbed), fatigue (less oxygen), shortness of breath (mucous), coughing, hacking, sore throat, snoring, sleep apnea and in the extreme, viral and or bacterial infection, turning the common cold into the flu.

All flu’s vary in strength, as does the individual. Not everyone gets sick when “attacked” by a pathogenic virus, as some have better immune systems. The immune system is a function of diet, nutrition, exercise and circulation. Protein and fat build and fuel. Low protein, low fat foods (milk, yogurt, soft cheeses, beans, nuts and seeds) in the extreme, tend to thin, weaken and cool all structure and function, including the immune system. High carbohydrate, cold, damp foods and drinks (milk, yogurt, ice cream, salads, tropical fruits, juices, smoothies, cold drinks), in the extreme, tend to dilute and weaken digestion reducing nutrient absorption, blood, energy, while increasing cold and damp, especially in the lungs.

The lungs lie directly above the digestive organs. Digestion, three meals a day, produces excess energy, heat that naturally rises into the lungs, heating and drying. Weak digestion cools, dampens and weakens the body, lungs, nose throat, etc. in addition to abdominal bloating, gas, loose stools, etc. Digestive symptoms are the key factor in determining whether the cause is internal or external. An external attack initially does not produce any digestive disturbances.

Strong digestion acts a cold and flu preventative as it energizes heats and dries the body, lungs. It is fueled by protein and fat. Eggs, chicken, turkey, fish and hard cheese contain more protein and fat than soft dairy, beans, nuts and seeds. Spices (cardamom, cumin, coriander, fennel, cayenne, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, etc.) increase digestion, heat, dry dampness and are antibacterial and anti fungal. Women and children (under-developed) tend to be cold, damp, deficient.

 The body generally produces a fever when it overheats and or catches cold, becomes infected. Fever, extreme heat via a sudden increase in body temperature (via protein, fat, cooked foods, soups, spices, hot baths, exercise, etc.) heats, dries excess cold, damp in addition to killing certain bacteria and viruses. Athletes and the active in general, due to increased physical activity, circulation, better diet, etc. tend to catch fewer colds. They also heal faster.

Spices (use several at a time in cooking) heat the body, dry damp and are antibacterial and antiviral. Peppermint tea helps counter dry, sore throats, mucous, coughing and smoking. The treatment plan, in addition to seeing a doctor is heat: hot soups, spicy foods, protein, fat, extra clothing, hot baths, sweating, etc. while reducing all cold foods: dairy, cold drinks, tropical fruits, juices, raw vegetables, salads, bitter herbs, etc. Vitamin C, golden seal and echinacea are also effective in curing the common cold, when taken at the onset (day one or two).

The swine flu on average kills 33,000 people per year. That is 33,000 out of 333,000,000 (estimated population of America). One of every thousand people, young and old die every year from the flu.  I have not gotten a swine flu or any flu shot in the last thirty five years, but I also eat well, most of the time.