Caroline INNES.

Byline: Caroline Innes

AS sure as eggs is eggs just as Christmas comes once a year so does the annual onset of the festive cold and flu season.

But this week a new survey suggests that the men in our lives have been getting a bad press when it comes to coping with the winter snuffles.

The research fond that the dreaded "Man Flu" does not in fact exist.

It is actually women who are the ones most likely to embellish their symptoms to get the sympathy vote.

More women than men admitted to embellishing their cold and flu symptoms just for a bit of attention or for a day off work.

Nearly all women (91%) suffering from colds or flu claimed to feel "bad or very bad" in comparison to only 66% of men.

And in the biggest let down in the battle of the sexes, women went even further by confessing to feeling over-emotional when they have a cold.

Gladeana McMahon, a consultant psychotherapist, said: "Women tend to talk more about their feelings generally, but men it seems, appear to vocalise more when they're sick - that's where the myth around man flu originated.

"It's surprising that these results show women to be the biggest complainers when it comes to colds and flu.

"Maybe it is more a case of needing more recognition for what they do. If they can't get that on a day-to-day basis then looking for a bit of sympathy when they're sick, is a way of making up for this".

Regardless to who is the biggest whinger, nobody wants to spend Christmas or the New Year feeling ill and miserable in bed with the flu.

To ensure this really is the season to be jolly we must all take extra care with our health during the winter months.

A good healthy diet is essential to help lower your chances of catching colds and flu with nutrients such as zinc and vitamin C and food like garlic and probiotic yoghurts, helping to strengthen the body's defences.

So eat well and keep active.

That way we can all look forward to a Merry Christmas and a Healthy New Year.