Ugh. I have a cold. I haven't had one in almost 9 years most notably on my trip to France and Spain where I hacked away all night on the plane to Paris much to the annoyance of us all and then on the overheated, ever swaying especially through the Pyrenees overnight train to Madrid the following night. Fortunately by Day 2, it was gone.
My theories on why I seemed immune to colds:
I've been on this earth so long that I have been exposed to all the strains of cold viruses. Steve has been on this earth marginally longer though and still seems to catch anything around him.
I run raising my core body temperature so much that I kill any invading viruses. Exercising also sets off a mild exercise-induced allergy in which my nose runs and I am covered with a rash very briefly.The runny nose flushes away invading viruses. Also there is evidence that 'killer immune cells' levels are boosted. (see http://www.weather.com/health/cold-flu/work-out-fight-colds-20120419).
To prevent secondary infections of which I have had only one, sinusitis years ago, I never take antihistamines or anything else that would interfere with my body's attempt to rid the cold. Steve on the other hand, takes all kinds of cold medications and things linger on for way too long. I did take an aspirin as my throat was raw and preventing sleep.
Weird theories others have about the causes of colds:
Cold causes colds: Don't believe this for a second. I am outside quite a bit in winter and rarely have colds. Why do others get colds in the winter. Overheated dry air is my theory. Dries out our first line of defense, our mucus membranes. Actually the only time I feel a chill is in our house. Steve keeps the heat really low at night (does not want to as he puts it, burn money). Yesterday I did have trouble staying warm in our own house and he did raise the temperature a bit for me.
Wet hair while having a cold makes it turn into pneumonia: I am not sure who else believes this but my mother did leading to one of the most mortifying nights of my existence. When I was in 6th grade, I was asked to sing a solo in our school's winter concert. I actually used to (USED to) have a semi-reasonable voice. Unfortunately I had a cold though I was not sick enough to miss the concert, my mother forbade me from washing my hair. I already was experiencing the signs of puberty: rapid growth, weight gain and very much increased activity of my oil glands. I also has straight, fine hair that soaked up oil like eggplant slices (unsalted ones at least). So on the night of the concert, my hair hang in oily, dull ropes. My mother was so clueless that she didn't see a problem with this. How I wished that I didn't obey her! (never did in the future). I don't remember what the cold did to my voice but I wish I had a dollar for all the sneering suggestions that maybe I should have washed my hair. I wished I had had pneumonia instead, which I wasn't afraid of.
As with most things, this too shall pass. The cold developed on New Year's Eve while entertaining Maya for the night. She was sick and would not sleep thus I didn't either. I had drunk too much such that my stomach lining was inflamed. I couldn't even drink coffee the next day. I spent most of yesterday in s stupor. I watched the first half of the UM game, which I am told, ended in heartbreak. Shanna's family came over and I just sat bundled up in a corner. Everyone in her family already had the crud I have.
So my chocolate pear clafouti turned out quite tasty. It has a mousse-like texture and very rich from all the eggs and cream. Usually clafouttis don't have chocolate and usually they have cherries and kirsch. I bet mine is the only one in the world containing mirabelle eau de vie.
My theories on why I seemed immune to colds:
I've been on this earth so long that I have been exposed to all the strains of cold viruses. Steve has been on this earth marginally longer though and still seems to catch anything around him.
I run raising my core body temperature so much that I kill any invading viruses. Exercising also sets off a mild exercise-induced allergy in which my nose runs and I am covered with a rash very briefly.The runny nose flushes away invading viruses. Also there is evidence that 'killer immune cells' levels are boosted. (see http://www.weather.com/health/cold-flu/work-out-fight-colds-20120419).
To prevent secondary infections of which I have had only one, sinusitis years ago, I never take antihistamines or anything else that would interfere with my body's attempt to rid the cold. Steve on the other hand, takes all kinds of cold medications and things linger on for way too long. I did take an aspirin as my throat was raw and preventing sleep.
Weird theories others have about the causes of colds:
Cold causes colds: Don't believe this for a second. I am outside quite a bit in winter and rarely have colds. Why do others get colds in the winter. Overheated dry air is my theory. Dries out our first line of defense, our mucus membranes. Actually the only time I feel a chill is in our house. Steve keeps the heat really low at night (does not want to as he puts it, burn money). Yesterday I did have trouble staying warm in our own house and he did raise the temperature a bit for me.
Wet hair while having a cold makes it turn into pneumonia: I am not sure who else believes this but my mother did leading to one of the most mortifying nights of my existence. When I was in 6th grade, I was asked to sing a solo in our school's winter concert. I actually used to (USED to) have a semi-reasonable voice. Unfortunately I had a cold though I was not sick enough to miss the concert, my mother forbade me from washing my hair. I already was experiencing the signs of puberty: rapid growth, weight gain and very much increased activity of my oil glands. I also has straight, fine hair that soaked up oil like eggplant slices (unsalted ones at least). So on the night of the concert, my hair hang in oily, dull ropes. My mother was so clueless that she didn't see a problem with this. How I wished that I didn't obey her! (never did in the future). I don't remember what the cold did to my voice but I wish I had a dollar for all the sneering suggestions that maybe I should have washed my hair. I wished I had had pneumonia instead, which I wasn't afraid of.
As with most things, this too shall pass. The cold developed on New Year's Eve while entertaining Maya for the night. She was sick and would not sleep thus I didn't either. I had drunk too much such that my stomach lining was inflamed. I couldn't even drink coffee the next day. I spent most of yesterday in s stupor. I watched the first half of the UM game, which I am told, ended in heartbreak. Shanna's family came over and I just sat bundled up in a corner. Everyone in her family already had the crud I have.
So my chocolate pear clafouti turned out quite tasty. It has a mousse-like texture and very rich from all the eggs and cream. Usually clafouttis don't have chocolate and usually they have cherries and kirsch. I bet mine is the only one in the world containing mirabelle eau de vie.
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