By Deborah Bamisaye
Windows shut or slightly opened in many houses during rainy or hamattan seasons. Some would choose semi-bath or no bath at all in the mornings. Others would rather turn on water heater so as to have a more bearable time in their bathrooms; such water could be as hot as though a chicken were to be defeathered. Many tow these lines in a bid to prevent cold, catarrh and the likes.
People with a cold typically feel tired, have a sore throat, nasal congestion or runny nose, sneezing, mild cough, and sometimes muscle aches or a mild fever. Those with catarrh feel discomfort from thick mucus build-up and congestion in the nose or throat, often accompanied by a blocked or runny nose and postnasal drip causing throat irritation.
Vitamin C – whether tablets or citrus may not give a total cure in this case but it does make people feel better as it fights them dirty.
This is better captured in a village square. Ever been to a village to watch a contest? If the answer is ‘No,’ then you have an opportunity to do so now. Come with me, I mean right away!
(The Heart of the Village Square – One Evening)
The villagers with runny noses and coughs gathered, murmuring angrily. Rainy Season and Harmattan Season stood tall, looking solemn yet confident they’d win this contest. The air was heavy with tension when suddenly one of the accusers summoned courage to speak.
Villager 1 (sniffling, pointing a trembling finger): You – Rainy Season! And you – Harmattan! You are curses cloaked in wind and rain. Every year you return, bringing colds, catarrh, and misery! We hate you!
Rainy Season: Curse? Me? I’m the bringer of rain, life and happy crops! If you’re sick, it’s because someone forgot to wash their hands… or maybe their brain!
(Haaaa! The villagers chorused)
Harmattan Season: And I’m the wind with attitude. You blame me for your sniffles, but ever tried a handkerchief or a little dusting off? I’m no villain – I’m just here to keep things moving.
Villager 2 (coughing, waving hands): Easy for you to say when you don’t have a nose running like a broken faucet!
(The Crowd started coughing and sneezing in chorus.)
Suddenly, Vitamin C bounces onto the scene, holding a mic, citruses, some tablets and a glass of water.
Vtamin C: (smirking): News flash – “Seasons didn’t send the germs. It’s those pesky little viruses, freeloaders on your runny noses.”
Rainy Season (grinning): Even Vitamin C says it! I bring rain, not the sniffles!
Harmattan Season (crossing arms): I blow the cool breeze. If you’re sick, maybe try not sticking your face around into dusty places without the caution of a cover. Blaming me for your cold is like blaming your phone for bad Wi-Fi.
Vitamin C: So yeah, viruses and germs are the real culprits, invisible and silent. But you hold the power – Nutrition, rest, and protection. Guard against the dust and cold, take me as recommended by physicians into your bodies, and I will arm your immune armies; it’s that simple.
The germs wrote the script. And I? I’m your helper, the one who makes you feel better. Now, take some citrus fruits or pass the water for my tablets and stop blaming the weather!
(Rainy Season sprinkles some imaginary raindrops; Harmattan blows a teasing dusty breeze.)
Rainy Season: Celebrate the rains that feed your fields. Remember me when your crops grow tall and green, not when your nose is red and raw.
Harmattan Season: And I’ll be the cool breeze and winds that prepare your world anew giving you a comforting chill.
The crowd cheered! Looking hopeful, understanding dawning as Vitamin C hands out juicy fruits, their vibrant color promising strength.
Scene fades with laughter and chatter, as the village finds peace between these seasons and their health.
Harmattan and Rainy seasons are good seasons and are not directly responsible for catarrh and colds but the conditions they create can indirectly cause or exacerbate catarrh and colds.
During the Harmattan season, dry, dusty winds lower humidity and dry out the nasal passages, throat, and lungs, irritating the respiratory tract. This makes people more vulnerable to respiratory infections that cause catarrh and colds. The Dust and cold weather are major irritants causing symptoms like runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, and sore throat. Similarly, in the Rainy season, cold and damp conditions can weaken the immune system, making infections more likely.
So, it is wisdom if we re-emphasized that Harmattan and Rainy seasons predispose people to colds and catarrh through their weather conditions, even though the seasons are not direct causes but the seasons’ nature aggravates the respiratory tract and facilitates viral infections.
Proper preventive measures during these periods help reduce these effects. If the villagers have been enlightened, so can you in even better ways.
Now, how exactly does Vitamin C tackle cold and catarrh? Combat? Karate? Kicks or Blows? What strategy does it actually employ? Does it sometimes need help or it can fight each of them alone? You want answers, don’t you?
Ok! Vitamin C combatant abilities against colds and catarrh is a beauty to behold. It boosts immune function by enhancing white blood cell activity and helping the body fight infections more effectively. It works best as a supplementary therapy alongside other treatments rather than as a standalone cure. Certain high-risk groups like athletes or soldiers may benefit more clearly from vitamin C supplementation or citruses. However, therapeutic supplementation after symptoms start has mixed results and is less consistently effective.
Vitamin C supports respiratory health and helps in symptom relief but is not a guaranteed preventive or cure for colds or catarrh during the rainy or Harmattan seasons. Adequate intake may reduce symptom duration and improve immune response but should be part of a broader approach to respiratory infection management.
Citrus fruits can also help during the Rainy and Harmattan seasons primarily because they are rich natural sources of vitamin C, a nutrient that supports the immune system. Regular consumption of citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruits which by the way are in season now, helps keep the immune system strong, which is critical for resisting infections like colds and catarrh that regularly mark their attendance at R & H party. R & H? Yes, I mean the Rainy and Harmattan seasons.
Vitamin C in citrus fruits acts as a powerful antioxidant that defends the body against inflammation and cellular damage caused by free radicals. This immune boost can modestly reduce the duration and severity of colds if caught but does not fully prevent their occurrence. The flavonoids and other plant compounds in citrus fruits also have anti-inflammatory properties beneficial for respiratory health.
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