Thursday, 12 March 2015

Marvellous Mucus!




My oldest son, the seven year old, explains that if the spring ‘comes in like a tarantula it’ll go out like a moth’. Certainly the spring has been leaping about like a predatory arachnid, causing all manner of shocks and surprises. One minute filled with summer blue skies, the next icy snow-filled blasts; sunshine one moment and rain bouncing like bullets the next. And with the unsettled weather comes all manner of bugs and sicknesses as our bodies reflect the swinging often angry mood of the season. My home, over the last few days, has seen its fair share of phlegm balls and mucus filled vomit flying all over the place.   

It may seem disgusting but in fact all that sticky gloopy greeny yellowy brown stuff is your friend. According to an article in WebMD, mucus has many vital functions: it stops our mouth, nose, sinuses, throat, lungs, and gastrointestinal tract drying out; it stops dusts and bugs getting into the body. ‘It also contains antibodies that help the body recognize invaders like bacteria and viruses [and has] enzymes that kill the invaders it traps’. For more stunning snotter info check out the article at The Truth about Mucus.

As for what to do when you have coughs, colds, sore tummies etc., there is a lovely new app that you should check out called Under the weather which gives advice on how to ‘manage common illnesses with confidence and common sense’.  And remember in no time at all spring will be fluttering like a moth into the summer. In the meantime, here’s a video clip fromt he BBC that may help wipe away any bogey blues. Enjoy!



More articles about the weather:
Related articles about common illnesses:
Sick Happens
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