Dear roommates, coworkers, ladies at the gym, etc.... Even though you don´t read this:

Here´s a clip from an article on webmd about "5 health habits it's okay to skip"

"4. Staying indoors when it's cold outside.

Going out in the cold won't actually give you a cold -- unless you're camping out in a blizzard for days at a time. (Ditto for going outside with wet hair.) "This is an old wives' tale that probably originated because we do tend to get more colds during the winter months," says Katz. "But the problem is the air inside, which becomes more germ-laden when we aren't opening windows and letting fresh air in." One caveat: If you're cold enough to be shivering, go in and warm up. Shivering is a sign that your body is stressed because your core temperature has dropped, which can make you more vulnerable to viruses."

http://women.webmd.com/features/5-healthy-habits-its-okay-to-skip?page=2

Granted quoting webmd isn't the same as a referencing a medical journal, but still....

People's weird ideas about health start becoming annoying when they use them to nag you about what to do. I've had my window open today because it's 78 degrees and sunny. A beautiful day. And since I've been sick, it can't hurt to air out my room. My roommates were worried about me because apparently I should only keep my window open for 15 minutes to air out my room because if I leave it open longer, the air will make me sicker. What? (Not to even get into the fact that the air outside is the same temperature or warmer than the air in our apartment...so this isn't even consistent with cold air theory that people usually bring up...)

Also, evidently walking barefoot or in socks on a tile floor makes you sick.

Not wearing a scarf when it's 78 degrees out and you have a cough will give you pneumonia.

And let's not even start with what happens if you don't blow dry your hair..... (I don't have a blow dryer in Spain. Waste of time and space.)


Bacteria and viruses make you sick. Being with small children with bacteria and viruses every day can make you sick. Being cold can lower your immunity but in itself won't make you sick. 78 degrees is not cold. If you have bronchitis, antibiotics, liquids, and rest can help you feel better. Leaving your window open and not wearing a scarf when it's 78 degrees will not make you worse.

This is what I think.

*Steps off soapbox**

Thank you.



Random forum about some Germans' ideas about sickness and moving air: http://www.toytowngermany.com/lofi/index.php/t115648.html

Picture of a small child: