Sick Season Doesn’t Take Time Off—Neither Should Your Medicine Cabinet

If that first tickle in the back of your throat during cold and flu season tends to spark feelings of dread, you’re not alone. According to a new poll, almost all Canadians say they wish they knew how to stop symptoms in their tracks before they progress into actual illness.

In a consumer survey conducted by Betadine, a whopping 91 per cent of respondents said they yearn to stop cold symptoms earlier before they become disruptive. And with so many germs floating around these days, Canadians also spend a lot of time thinking about how they can dodge illness. Almost three in four (70 per cent) of those surveyed say they often think about how they can better avoid colds and sore throats.

That’s no big surprise. Even during the relentlessness of cold and flu season, when germs don’t seem to take a day off, neither do most Canadians—even if they feel awful. Nearly half of those surveyed (48 per cent) said they feel guilty taking a sick day from work, even if their symptoms prevent them from getting much done.

The best advice: be prepared

While seasonal viruses might seem inevitable, the misery of them doesn’t have to be. But since you never know when illness might strike, it’s helpful to be proactive and have treatments on hand so you can mount your best defence at the first sign of a sniffle. 

A key tool for your arsenal: Betadine Cold Defence. A nasal spray that can be used up to three times per day, Betadine Cold Defence is clinically proven to defend against colds and is your first line for reducing the misery of seasonal illness. It contains iota-carrageenan, that works by binding to cold virus cells inside the nose and stops them from spreading and multiplying. Clinical studies show it reduces both the severity and duration of cold symptoms. 

Whether your bug is caused by a virus or bacterial infection, there are additional remedies to keep on hand that’ll reduce the pain of getting sick—especially if that pain is in your throat. 

Betadine’s Sore Throat Spray and Sore Throat Gargle both contain povidone iodine, another powerful compound to be aware of. Povidone iodine is an antimicrobial agent shown to work on both viruses and illness-causing bacteria by disrupting and destroying their cellular structures and functions, and preventing replication. And since 80 per cent of sore throats are caused by viruses, antibiotics aren’t effective anyway— povidone iodine topically treats the problem at first sign, without the often unnecessary side effects of antibiotics and antibiotic misuse - 71 per cent of Canadians worry about antibiotic resistance and try to avoid taking antibiotics.

Whichever your preferred formulation, Betadine’s Sore Throat Spray and Gargle are clinically shown to treat throat infections. 

Reducing infections year-round

Of course, infections aren’t confined to cold and flu season or to your respiratory tract. If your goal is to feel your healthiest year-round, consider stocking your medicine cabinet with other infection fighters too.

Cuts, scrapes and other wounds are a common infection risk because they create an entry point in the skin through which bacteria, viruses and other pathogens can enter the body. But this is yet another scenario where povidone iodine can reduce the risk by killing surface germs—before they can cause an infection.

Like Betadine’s Sore Throat care, Betadine Antiseptic Spray contains this powerful ingredient. Unlike water, which only removes surface debris, Betadine Antiseptic Spray kills germs that are invisible to the naked eye, preventing minor cuts and scrapes from turning into something worse. 

No one wants to get sick—and while you may not be able to prevent run-ins with viruses and bacteria altogether, with the right tools on hand, you can reduce the risk of infection as well as the pain and irritation of symptoms if you’re ready at the first sign. 

Visit betadine.ca to learn more about Betadine Wound Care, Sore Throat and Cold Defence product lines.