Jokes aside, the mucus theyre made of is actually your bodys frontline defense against invading bacteria and viruses.
In fact, once you get past the foulness, mucus is actually quite fascinating.
And given how vital it is to your health, its worth learning a bit more about it.
It may not always feel like it, but mucus is one of your body’s best friends.
The drier the lining, the more prone you are to infection.
Better to blow snot and boogers out of your nose and into a tissue.
Trouble is, sneezing can spread germs.
Fortunately, most colds arent transmitted through the air alone.
Your risk goes up if you touch a surface with germs and then touch your face, he says.
In other words, you might also get sick through contact with an infected persons snot.
Its also wise to steer clear of people who are sick if you’ve got the option to.
At just under 34 ounces, thats a lot of snot and phlegm.
(For reference, aBig Gulphas 32 ounces.)
More mucus plus slower clearance equals more cold misery and lots more tissues.
Mucus may also change to a greenish color when it thickens, which is normal, Horovitz says.
The body responds to the virus that causes a cold by making mucus and lots of it.
Overuse of antibiotics can lead to the development of new strains of bacteria that are resistant to these medications.
So if you later develop a bacterial infection and really need them, antibiotics may not work for you.
Antihistamines can also make things worse before they get better.
They will make the mucus thicker and harder to drain, Dr. Govindaraj says.
And as yucky as those slimy snacks are, theyre not a danger to your health.
Mucus produced by your lungs and respiratory system is called phlegm.
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Denise Mann is an award-winning health journalist in New York.
She is the chief editor ofPlastic Surgery Practiceand a feature writer for WebMD.
She writes about women’s health, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, diet and fitness.
She received the Journalistic Achievement Award from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery in 2004 and 2011.
She lives with her husband, their miniature schnauzer, and their two sons.
An avid indoor cycler, Mann is always up for a Soul Cycle class.
In her spare time, Mann is working on a fiction novel loosely based on her extended family.
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