How can I improve my heart health?

Improving your heart health means eating a balanced, high-fibre diet, being active for at least 150 minutes a week, keeping a healthy weight, not smoking, drinking within the recommended limits, and managing your blood pressure and cholesterol. A quick checklist: Eat more fruit, veg, wholegrains and oily fish Get moving for at least 150 minutes a week Keep to a healthy weight Cut down on salt, saturated fat and alcohol Don’t smoke, and know your blood pressure and cholesterol numbers

What foods should I avoid for a healthy heart?

Limit foods high in saturated fat — such as fatty and processed meats, butter, ghee and hard cheese — along with salty processed foods, and sugary drinks and snacks. These all raise your risk of heart disease over time. See the NHS guidance on preventing coronary heart disease for the full list.

What are the best foods for a healthy heart?

The core heart-healthy foods are plenty of fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, beans and pulses, oily fish, and unsaturated oils such as olive and rapeseed — see the sections above for how to fit more of each into your week.

Can you live a normal life with a heart condition?

Yes — many people live full, active lives with a heart condition by following medical advice, taking any prescribed medicines, and adopting heart-healthy habits like the ones on this page. Speak to a GP or clinician for advice tailored to your own condition.

Flu vs Cold vs Covid: How to Tell The Difference

The symptoms, timelines and warning signs to help you tell them apart, plus simple steps to recover and know when to see a doctor.

Speak to a clinician

The onset and severity of your symptoms can offer clues to whether you have a cold, the flu, and COVID-19, but symptoms overlap and vary between people. A cold develops gradually with a runny nose and mild cough. The flu strikes suddenly with a high fever, severe fatigue, and body aches. COVID-19 can begin gradually or suddenly, often presenting with a continuous cough, fever, and sometimes a loss of taste or smell. Testing can confirm COVID-19 or the flu, but for most people it does not change how the illness is managed.

Respiratory infections like a cold, the flu, and COVID-19 are common viral illnesses that share similar symptoms, including a cough, fever, and fatigue. While they affect the respiratory system, they are caused by different viruses, vary significantly in severity, and require different approaches to treatment and symptom management.

In virtual consultations, our online GPs often hear from patients struggling to tell these viruses apart. This guide provides a clear comparison to help you identify your symptoms, understand what to do next, and know exactly when to seek medical advice.

Symptom comparison

The main differences between a cold, the flu, and COVID-19 lie in how symptoms start, their severity, and which signs are most prominent. The table below outlines how common symptoms typically present across the three illnesses. This is a general guide only: symptoms vary from person to person and can be affected by your age, vaccination status and health history, including any long-term conditions or a weakened immune system.

Symptom / Feature	Common Cold	Flu (Influenza)	COVID-19
Symptom Onset	Gradual	Sudden	Gradual or sudden
Fever	Sometimes, usually mild	Common	Common
Cough	Mild	Common	Common
Headaches	Sometimes	Common	Common
Aches & Pains	Mild	Common, often severe	Common
Sneezing	Common	Rare	Sometimes
Stuffy/Runny Nose	Common	Sometimes	Sometimes
Sore Throat	Common	Sometimes	Common
Tiredness/Fatigue	Mild	Common, often severe	Common
Loss of Taste/Smell	Rare	Rare	Sometimes (varies by variant)

Key differences

The key differences between these illnesses are typically seen in how quickly the symptoms begin and which specific signs dominate the infection. These patterns can offer clues, but the symptoms overlap and vary from person to person, so testing is the only way to reliably tell them apart.

Symptom onset

Illness	Typical Onset Speed	First Signs
Common Cold	Gradual	Sore throat or runny nose
Flu (Influenza)	Sudden and intense	Fever, aching muscles, severe fatigue from day 1
COVID-19	Gradual or sudden	New cough, fever, or scratchy throat

According to NICE, influenza is an acute viral infection characterised by a sudden onset of sudden onset of systemic symptoms. Most telling signs

Illness	Dominant Symptoms	Severity & Impact
Common Cold	Sneezing, blocked/runny nose, mild cough	Mild; generally well enough to continue everyday activities
Flu (Influenza)	Sudden high fever, body aches, headaches, extreme fatigue	Severe; makes you feel much more unwell than a simple cold
COVID-19	New continuous cough, high temperature, change/loss of smell or taste, sore throat, fatigue	Variable; loss of smell is less common with recent variants

As noted by the NHS, people with a cold generally feel well enough to continue with their everyday activities. By contrast, the NHS highlights that the flu makes you feel much more unwell than a simple cold ever would. We often see patients in our online GP appointments who are surprised by how quickly the flu drains their energy. Day-by-day timeline

Understanding the typical timeline for an uncomplicated case can help you manage your expectations and monitor your recovery.

Illness	Early Stage	Middle Stage	Late Stage
Cold	Days 1 to 2: A sore throat and mild fatigue begin.	Days 2 to 4: A runny or stuffy nose develops, along with sneezing.	Days 4 to 7: A mild cough may develop as nasal and throat symptoms fade. A cough can last for up to 3 weeks.
Flu	Days 1 to 3: Sudden high fever, severe muscle aches, headache, and extreme fatigue.	Days 4 to 6: Fever and muscle aches begin to decrease, but a cough and sore throat often worsen.	Days 7 to 10+: The acute illness resolves, though a lingering dry cough and fatigue can last for 1 to 2 weeks.
COVID-19	Days 1 to 5: Symptom onset, which can include a fever, continuous cough, or sore throat.	Days 5 to 10: Symptoms may improve or worsen. Shortness of breath can develop. If your breathing gets worse or you feel more unwell, call 111, or 999 if you are struggling to breathe.	Days 10+: Mild cases generally recover by this point, but fatigue and a cough can persist for several weeks.

What to do next

If you develop symptoms of a respiratory virus, you can usually manage your symptoms at home with rest and take steps to avoid spreading the illness to others.

Home management

Most respiratory viruses share the same basic self-care rules. Rest and hydration are the foundation of your recovery. Drinking plenty of water helps prevent dehydration and replaces fluids lost to a fever. You can use over-the-counter medicines to manage your discomfort. Paracetamol or ibuprofen can help lower a fever and ease muscle aches but ibuprofen is not suitable for everyone, so check with a pharmacist if you have a medical condition or take other medications. Decongestant nasal sprays can relieve a stuffy nose, but should not be used for more than 7 days, and throat lozenges can soothe soreness. Antibiotics will not help, as these illnesses are caused by viruses. In specific circumstances, antiviral treatments for flu or COVID-19 may be prescribed by a doctor, but these are generally reserved for individuals at higher risk of severe illness.

Preventing transmission

Preventing transmission is an important part of managing your illness. UK Health Security Agency guidance advises that anyone with symptoms of a respiratory infection, such as COVID-19, flu, or a cold, should stay at home if they have a high temperature or feel too unwell for normal activities. You should avoid contact with vulnerable people until you feel better and your temperature has returned to normal. Practising good hygiene is also vital. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.

Antiviral treatments

Most people with a cold, flu or COVID-19 will not need antiviral medicines. They are offered to people at higher risk of becoming seriously ill, and work best when started soon after symptoms begin.

If you are at highest risk from COVID-19, for example because you have a weakened immune system, keep rapid lateral flow tests at home and test as soon as you have symptoms, even if they are mild. If your test is positive, contact your GP surgery, NHS 111 or your hospital specialist straight away, as treatment needs to start within 5 days. If your test is negative but you still have symptoms, do a total of 3 tests over 3 days.

If you are at higher risk from flu, for example because you are aged 65 or over, pregnant, or have a long-term health condition or weakened immune system, contact your GP surgery or NHS 111 promptly if you develop flu symptoms during flu season. Flu antivirals work best when started within 48 hours.

Our online clinicians can help you understand whether you might be eligible for antiviral treatment and where to get it, as antivirals are prescribed through NHS services.

Testing

Testing is the only definitive way to know if you have COVID-19 or the flu. Free NHS lateral flow tests are now only available to people with specific health conditions that make them eligible for COVID-19 treatments. If you do not fall into a high-risk group, you can purchase private lateral flow tests from pharmacies and supermarkets. Testing is most important if you are in a vulnerable group, or if you plan to be in close contact with someone who has a weakened immune system. However, for most people who are not at higher risk, knowing which virus you have does not change how it is managed, as rest, fluids and staying at home while unwell apply to all three.

When to see a doctor

You should see a doctor immediately if you develop red flag symptoms such as severe difficulty breathing, chest pain, or sudden confusion. Most cases of cold, flu, and COVID-19 can be safely managed at home, but certain symptoms indicate a more serious illness and require urgent medical attention. If you are ever unsure and do not have any of the red flag symptoms below, book an appointment with our online clinicians for advice.

When to get urgent help

Call 999 if: you have severe difficulty breathing, sudden chest pain, confusion, a fit (seizure), you are coughing up a lot of blood, or if skin, lips, or nail beds turn pale, grey, or blue.

Call 111if: you have a high fever that does not come down, signs of severe dehydration, a severe headache with a stiff neck., or your symptoms are getting worse

Red flag symptoms in adults

Adults should seek immediate medical help if they develop any of the following:

Difficulty breathing or a feeling of severe shortness of breath
Chest pain or pressure that is persistent
New confusion or severe disorientation
A severe headache accompanied by a stiff neck
Skin, lips, or nail beds turning pale, grey, or blue
Signs of dehydration, such as feeling very dizzy or not urinating all day

Red flag symptoms in children and infants

Children and babies can deteriorate quickly. Seek urgent care if a child shows these signs:

Fast breathing or trouble breathing, such as their chest pulling in below the ribs with each breath
A pale, mottled, or bluish skin colour
Not drinking enough fluids or showing signs of dehydration, like having no wet nappies for several hours
Not waking up easily or not interacting normally when awake
Being so irritable that they do not want to be held or settled
A fever accompanied by a rash that does not fade when you roll a glass over it
A baby under 3 months with a temperature of 38C or higher, or a baby aged 3 to 6 months with a temperature of 39°C or higher.

Protecting yourself

The most effective ways to protect yourself from respiratory viruses revolve around staying up to date with immunisations if eligible, and practising simple daily hygiene.

Hygiene and healthy habits

Simple hygiene measures play a huge role in stopping viruses from spreading. Frequent hand washing with soap and water breaks the chain of transmission. If soap is not available, use a hand sanitiser. During periods of illness, cleaning frequently touched surfaces like door handles and light switches can help keep pathogens at bay. Beyond hygiene, maintaining a healthy lifestyle provides vital support to your immune system. Eating a balanced diet, prioritising sleep, and getting regular exercise all help your body mount a strong defence against respiratory viruses.

Vaccinations

Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent severe illness from both the flu and COVID-19. The NHS offers an annual flu vaccine to those at highest risk. This includes older adults, pregnant women, people with certain underlying health conditions, and frontline health workers. Seasonal COVID-19 vaccines are offered to a smaller group: adults aged 75 and over, residents in care homes for older adults, and children and adults from aged 6 months with a weakened immune system. Because viruses mutate over time and immunity fades, keeping up to date with seasonal vaccines is highly recommended. Always check the NHS website for the latest eligibility criteria.

Conclusion

In conclusion, how your illness starts and which symptoms are most prominent can offer clues to your infection. For most people, knowing exactly what virus it is does not change how it is managed, so testing is mainly useful for those at higher risk. A gradual onset with a runny nose may point to a cold, while sudden aching muscles and a fever may suggest the flu. The symptom chart in this guide is a useful first point of reference. Most of these illnesses can be comfortably managed at home with rest and fluids, but it is critical to know the red flag symptoms that mean you need to see a doctor immediately. Good hand hygiene helps everyone reduce the spread of infection, and if you are eligible, seasonal flu and COVID-19 vaccines offer important extra protection. Feeling unwell can be worrying, but being informed about your symptoms is the first step towards feeling better. An online appointment is not suitable if you have any red flag symptoms; call 999 or 111 instead. For everything else, if you are concerned about your symptoms or need advice, do not hesitate to book an appointment with a Doctor Care Anywhere Clinician. If our Clinicians GPs feel you need an in-person examination, for example for a suspected chest infection, they can signpost you to the right service.

You can get the flu and COVID-19 at the same time. This co-infection, sometimes referred to as "flurona", can lead to more severe illness. If you are eligible for both the flu and COVID-19 vaccines, having both gives you the best protection.

The time you are contagious with a cold, flu, or COVID-19 varies. Colds are contagious for up to two weeks. Flu is usually contagious from one day before symptoms start until seven days after. COVID-19 can be transmitted from two days before symptoms begin until up to 10 days after. The UK Health Security Agency advises avoiding contact with others while you have a high temperature.

You may seem to be getting ill more often this winter because winter brings more time indoors in close contact with others, and several viruses, including flu, colds, RSV and COVID-19, circulate at the same time. Catching one infection soon after another can make it feel like you are catching respiratory infections much more frequently than in previous years.

To tell if it is a cold or allergies, the key difference is the itch. Allergies often cause incredibly itchy eyes, an itchy nose, and a scratchy throat, which are not typical cold symptoms. Allergies also do not cause a high temperature. Additionally, a cold will usually resolve in one to two weeks, whereas allergies will persist for as long as you are exposed to the trigger.

It is not usually possible to tell from a sore throat with a cold or COVID-19. Some people with COVID-19 report a particularly painful or scratchy throat early on, symptoms can vary widely from person to person. For most people, the treatment is the same whichever virus it is: rest, fluids, pain relief and throat lozenges. If you are at higher risk of becoming seriously ill, a test can help check whether you could benefit from COVID-19 treatment. See a GP if your sore throat lasts more than a week, or call 111 is the pain is so severe you have difficulty swallowing.

Flu vs Cold vs Covid: How to Tell The Difference

Symptom comparison