Flu or cold: can you really prevent them?

Flu and colds are often lumped together. The difference lies in the cause and the course of the illness:

although the symptoms such as fatigue, headache and aching limbs are similar, the course of flu is much more pronounced, usually associated with high fever and a more complicated course. Flu is caused by the influenza virus, which can be active all year round and also affects many people in summer, known as summer flu.

A cold tends to come on gradually; you first feel somewhat exhausted, but often attribute this to the change of season. As it progresses, a sore throat, runny nose, headache and aching limbs often join the symptoms. A cold is caused by a variety of pathogens that are particularly active during the colder months, as they can survive better at lower temperatures. People spend more time indoors, rooms are ventilated less frequently – and where many people gather, infections can spread more easily and on a larger scale via droplet infection.

Low temperatures can slow down the body's immune response. The first barrier against the entry of pathogens is the nasal mucosa. When it gets colder outside, blood flow to this area decreases and fewer immune cells are available to defend against viruses.

Measures such as frequent hand washing, a balanced diet rich in vitamins and avoiding large crowds can help reduce the risk of infection, but unfortunately, it is not possible to protect yourself 100% against infection.

You should take action at the first signs of fatigue or a scratchy throat, slight coughing, etc. In the early stages, mild remedies for individual symptoms such as sore throat or aching limbs, i.e. pain-relieving medication, decongestant nose and/or ear drops, cough suppressants or mucolytics, often help. However, these measures only provide relief for individual symptoms, which can be protracted.

The thymus gland in the body is responsible for our immune defence. It is the place in the organism where important immune cells are trained to recognise foreign substances such as bacteria or viruses and to fight them. Consequently, the thymus gland plays an essential role in building up the immune system, as it controls the cellular immune response. In this context, thymus peptides promote the maturation of immune cells and thus the defence against pathogens.

With increasing age, the thymus gland shrinks, but by then the body has built up an immune memory to be able to react appropriately and mount an immune response. If there are pre-existing conditions or if the organism is stressed by stress, unfavourable lifestyle habits and advancing age, the immune system is weakened. Pathogens have an easier time of it.

By providing certain amino acids through food, the body has the building blocks it needs to synthesise certain proteins and peptides. These in turn serve as the basis for the body to maintain its natural well-being.

Special amino acid complexes contain the building blocks needed for the synthesis of thymus peptides to strengthen the body's immune response and promote the maturation of immune cells (e.g. Pro Immun from Thymuskin).