Why cold doesn’t give you a cold 著涼感冒 無關穿多穿少

TODAY’S WORDS
今日單字

1. catch a cold phr. 感冒
2. misconception n. 誤解
3. feel a chill n. 發冷
4. pathogen n. 病原
5. sneeze v. 打噴嚏

People often attribute catching a cold to being exposed to cold temperatures, believing that staying warm can prevent illness. The Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Centers for Disease Control (CDC), however, says there is no scientific basis for this belief.

CDC deputy director-general Philip Lo says this common misconception may be due to the fact that cold sufferers can develop symptoms like feeling chills and shaking, as well as the increase in numbers of cold sufferers in the winter.

According to Lo, a US study divided people into two groups, with one asked to stay in a cold storage room kept at 4 degrees Celsius, and the other in a hot spring. The study found the risks of catching a cold were about the same for both groups, and concluded that changes in temperature are not directly linked to the chances of catching a cold.

Lo says the key factor that leads to colds is the amount of pathogens present. The reason there are more cold sufferers when temperature drops, he said, is that viruses live longer, and are more contagious, in colder weather.

The government is offering free flu vaccines and is urging people eligible for the free service to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Members of the public who develop symptoms such as fever and coughing, which may indicate flu, are advised to wear a mask when going out, or to cover their mouth and nose with their sleeve or handkerchief when coughing or sneezing, to prevent the virus from spreading.

(Liberty Times, translated by Tu Yu-an)

不少民眾將感冒原因與「著涼」劃上等號，認為做好保暖就可以遠離感冒，但衛福部疾管署澄清，這種說法並無醫學根據。

疾管署副署長羅一鈞表示，由於感冒發燒可能會出現發冷、打冷顫等症狀，加上冬季感冒病例較多，可能造成許多民眾誤解感冒與氣溫有關。

羅一鈞說，曾有一項美國研究，將受測者分成兩批，一批待在攝氏四度的冰櫃中，另一批則是泡溫泉，觀察一段時間後，發現低溫組與高溫組罹患感冒的風險並無顯著差異，顯示溫度變化與感冒沒有關係。羅一鈞解釋，氣溫下降感冒病例會變多，是因為偏冷環境下病毒存活較久，且傳播能力較強，因此染病關鍵在於有無病原。

目前公費流感疫苗已開放施打，疾管署呼籲，符合資格的民眾最好儘速接種。

若有發燒、咳嗽等類流感症狀，應及早就醫，並於外出時戴上口罩，或在咳嗽或打噴嚏時以手帕或衣袖捂住口鼻，以避免病毒傳播。

（自由時報記者林惠琴）

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Study: Vitamin D could prevent common cold 研究：維生素D可預防感冒

A study announced on Feb. 16 indicates that taking Vitamin D supplements can prevent respiratory tract infections such as colds and influenza, reigniting the debate on the effectiveness of non-prescription dietary supplements.

The study, in the British medical publication BMJ, claims to have discovered, for the first time, “clear evidence” of a link between Vitamin D and influenza, after evaluating the different results from a total of 25 clinical trials in 14 countries.

This is especially apparent for people suffering from Vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D can be absorbed through a number of foods. The human body is also able to synthesize Vitamin D endogenously when ultraviolet rays from sunlight make contact with the skin.

Many people have Vitamin D deficiency, especially residents of areas of climates of low levels of sunlight.

For many years, scientific studies have come up with mixed conclusions about Vitamin D, with some finding that low levels of Vitamin D can increase the risk of bone fracture, cardiovascular disease, colorectal cancer, diabetes, depression, Alzheimer’s disease and death. Other studies, however, showed that it was impossible to prove a link between Vitamin D and risk of disease.

(CNA, translated by Paul Cooper)

二月十六日公布的研究指出，攝取維生素D補給品可預防感冒、流感等呼吸道感染，再度掀起了非處方營養補給品是否有效的論辯。

刊登在英國醫學期刊的研究宣稱，評估十四個國家共二十五份不同的臨床試驗後，「首度發現 」維生素D和流感相關的「明確證據」。

這對維生素D含量不足的人影響特別明顯。維生素D可透過一些食物攝取，皮膚接觸到紫外線時，人體也會自行合成。

許多人維生素D含量不足，特別是灰暗陰霾氣候區的居民。

科學研究多年來對維生素D結論不一，有些結論認為維生素D偏低會增加骨折、心臟疾病、大腸直腸癌、糖尿病、憂鬱症、阿茲海默症和死亡風險，但也有研究顯示，無法證明維生素D和疾病風險有關。

（中央社）

True or False 是非題

A) For some time, sporadic studies have demonstrated evidence of a link between Vitamin D and certain diseases.

TODAY’S WORDS 今日單字

1. clinical adj. 臨床 

2. deficiency n.含量不足 

3. diabetes n.糖尿病

4. depression n. 憂鬱症

B) The recent BMJ study has shown for the first time clear evidence of a link between Vitamin D and diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s.

C) As a result of this study, the medical establishment now believes that dietary supplements can cure the common cold.

D) Vitamin D can be found in some foods, but can also be produced by the human body.

Answers: A) T, B) F, C) F, D) T

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Cold and flu are not the same: If in doubt, seek prompt treatment 感冒流感大不同 勿延誤就醫

The weather has been very changeable lately. Ever since the Lunar New Year, a lot of people have been suffering from symptoms such as fever, sore throat, aching all over, vomiting and diarrhea. In addition, most people cannot tell the difference between the common cold and influenza, causing them to delay seeking treatment when they catch the flu and leading to complications.

Huang Shan-sung, a physician at the ear, nose and throat department of Da Chien General Hospital in Miaoli City, explains that the common cold is mostly characterized by upper respiratory tract symptoms such as sneezing and a runny nose, and people can recover fully in three to five days. However, the flu symptoms caused by the influenza virus are more severe, including fever, aching all over, blocked and runny nose, dry cough, poor appetite and so on.

Huang says influenza is very infectious and easy to catch if one does not take adequate preventive measures. A minority of patients may have severe complications such as viral or bacterial pneumonia, middle ear infections, encephalitis, pericarditis and other serious secondary infections. Elderly people, babies, young children, people suffering from chronic ailments such as heart, lung or kidney conditions and metabolic diseases and those with impaired immune functions should be especially careful.

Apart from getting flu vaccinations, Huang suggests avoiding going into crowded public places as much as possible, wearing a surgical mask when necessary, improved personal hygiene, frequent hand washing and making sure that air can circulate indoors. People should also make sure to get regular exercise and eat plenty of vitamin-rich fruit so as to strengthen their resistance to infection, he says.

(Liberty Times, translated by Julian Clegg)

最近天氣變化大，從春節期間開始，不少人出現發燒、喉嚨痛、全身痠痛及上吐下瀉等狀況，加上多數人分不清楚一般感冒及流行性感冒的不同，造成患上流感時延誤就醫，引發併發症。

苗栗市大千綜合醫院耳鼻喉科醫師黃山崧解釋，一般感冒多為打噴嚏、流鼻水等上呼吸道症狀，約三到五天就能痊癒，但流感病毒造成的感冒狀況較為嚴重，包括發燒、全身痠痛、鼻塞、流鼻水、乾咳、食慾不振等症狀。

黃山崧說，流感傳染性很強，未做好防範措施很容易感染，少數患者可能出現嚴重併發症，例如病毒性或細菌性肺炎、中耳炎、腦炎、心包膜炎及其他嚴重的繼發性感染等。老年人、嬰幼兒、患有心、肺、腎臟及代謝性疾病等慢性病患者及免疫功能不全者，要特別留意。

除了接種流感疫苗，黃山崧建議，應盡量避免進出人群多的公共場所，必要時戴口罩，加強個人衛生、勤洗手，保持室內空氣流通，同時維持規律的運動，多吃含豐富維生素的水果，增加身體抵抗力。

（自由時報記者彭健禮）

TODAY’S WORDS
今日單字

1. changeable adj. 變化大；起伏不定 

例: Ronald’s mood is very changeable; I wish he could chill out a little.

(羅納德的脾氣起伏不定，我希望他能放輕鬆點。)

2. ache v. 痠痛 

例: My arm muscles are aching after hand-washing three blankets yesterday.

(昨天手洗了三條毛毯後，我的手臂肌肉就一直痠痛。)

3. cannot tell the difference phr.分不清楚 

例: I cannot tell the difference between a butterfly and a moth. (我分不清楚蝴蝶與蛾的區別。)