7 tips for outsmarting germs and viruses

When trying to avoid cold and flu viruses, employ a variety of tactics.

• The evidence that hands are a major route for transmitting infection is so strong that scientists at the London School of Hygiene in the United Kingdom recommend greeting friends the French way: with a peck on the cheek rather than a handshake.
• Or improvise according to the situation.
• The next time someone approaches you with palm outstretched, try an "air kiss" or hug instead.

• Door handles, taps, television remote controls and refrigerator doors may all be repositories for germs.
• Other culprits include telephones, computer keyboards, light switches, toilet handles, kitchen surfaces and cleaning cloths.

Keep your kitchen sponge or cloth germ-free by microwaving it on full power for two minutes daily. This kills 99 per cent of microorganisms.

Warning: Do this only with a damp sponge or cloth — otherwise it might catch on fire.

One study showed that postmenopausal women who did regular, moderate exercise — brisk walking for 45 minutes, five times a week — had up to a three-fold reduction in the number of colds they suffered, compared with women who didn't exercise.

• Scientists in Spain have shown that wine, especially red wine, also protects against colds.
• When they studied 4,000 volunteers for a year, they found that those who drank more than two glasses of red wine daily had 44 per cent fewer colds than non-drinkers.

In a study involving 146 volunteers, half were given a garlic supplement daily and the other half a placebo. During 90 days over the winter, those taking garlic had a total of 24 colds between them, compared with 65 among those on placebo. People taking garlic supplements who did get sick also got better faster, and had a lower risk of reinfection.

A healthy diet with a generous intake of fruit and vegetables, exercise and seven hours of sleep daily can all make your body less vulnerable to germs.