The common cold virus vs the elements.?

Question

If the common cold is a virus that you catch then why does it matter if you go outside without your shoes on? Why does it matter if you go outside with your hair wet? Are you more likly to catch the virus through your wet hair or your bare feet?

Answer 1

Wet hair. You catch a cold more easily if your CORE temperature drops (the temperature of head & upper body), and that'll happen easier through your head than through your feet.

Often, you feel cold first in your extremities but that's because when you start to get cold, your circulation withdraws into the upper body & head to preserve heat. Your feet are the first thing to *feel* cold but putting on shoes and keeping the same coat & no hat will help only a very, very little bit... likely as not your feet will still get cold inside your shoes because as long as you don't fix the problem of your core temperature the circulation in your extremities remains low. On the other hand, if you keep your body warm enough, you can even keep bare feet warm in the snow and not get numb toes, frostbite or a cold! Wearing a hat even on dry hair will help a lot more in keeping you warm than wearing woolen socks will.

This is all backed up by my own experience; before I went barefoot and got interested in how my body kept itself warm, I had colds all the time... I always wore shoes in winter and I also was always sniffling and sneezing and coughing, from fall through late spring. Now I've been barefoot for ten years, even in the snow, but I dress much better for the rest of me... wear hats more often, thicker sweaters... I have called in sick one time for two days in all those years... and even a runny nose is rare.

Answer 2

2

Answer 3

I always cover my extremities. At least when I'm outside in the cold.

Answer 4

when your extremities aren't covered you're more vulnerable to catch a cold.