How to Stay Healthy During Cold and Flu Season
Here it comes! Like an approaching storm, the cold and flu season is upon us. One evening, just before bed, you feel the tiniest tingle in the back of your throat. You take a sip of water but the tickle remains. Finally you concede that you have “caught something” and are about to endure 2-3 weeks of coughing, runny nose and feeling awful. How did this happen and why does it happen every year around the same time, or worse, every few months. This blog is intended to give you a strategy to employ which will keep your immune system firing on all eight cylinders during the cold and flu season. You will be exposed to all those nasty viruses floating around out there, however, if you follow these steps, your immune system will say “no thanks!” and evict those nasty viruses before they establish themselves for the long haul.
Step 1: Make sure you get plenty of rest.
We know the holiday season places added stress on everyone, however, it is absolutely vital that you keep your immune system strong by getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night and being consistent with the times you sleep. You will find that when you are well rested it is much easier to make healthier choices adding to your immune systems strength. If we are overly tired our willpower seems to drop or disappear and we find ourselves eating things that may crash our immune systems. Let’s not forget that it is when we sleep that our bodies are also able to heal.
Step 2: It is important to understand the effect sugar consumption has on your immune system.
There is compelling scientific evidence that sugar consumption can reduce your immune system for up to five hours. So if you have a couple of cookies and some ice-cream and then are exposed to a nasty virus, the virus has the advantage as your immune system is compromised. Remember, it is not "if" your body is exposed to a virus, the question to ask is...how strong is your immune system "when" you are exposed to a virus? The way to keep your immune system ready for battle is by allowing it to operate at its highest capacity which means to limit, or even better, eliminate your sugar intake. Especially during cold and flu season or when traveling.
Step 3: Good health begins in the gut. Supplement daily with a well balanced probiotic supplement.
Probiotics support a healthy immune system by keeping your intestinal flora or "good bacteria" in balance and warding off bad bacteria that causes illness and infections in the body. Probiotics also help alleviate a lot of digestive and intestinal issues. When it comes to probiotics, think preventive and maintenance health. Too often people wait until they are sick to take a look at their health and look for a quick "natural" remedy to feel better faster. Good health is not about reactive care, it is about preventive care. Supercharge your immune system now, supplement daily and be consistent. It can sometimes take 2-3 months for the probiotics to build up in your system for maximum effectiveness. Also, if you ever take an antibiotic, you should also be taking a daily probiotic as antibiotics not only kill off bad "illness causing" bacteria but also the good, healthy bacteria as well.
Step 4: Are you getting enough Vitamin D?
More and more people are becoming deficient in Vitamin D whether it is because of where we live and lack of sunshine or the fear of too much exposure to sun and the damage it can do to our skin and premature aging. As with everything...moderation! Research shows increased levels of Vitamin D in your blood can help protect a person from many chronic diseases and illnesses. Many people are familiar with Vitamin D for healthy bones and its role in calcium absorption but the benefits are endless. Vitamin D is critical for strengthening your immune system. There is evidence that the closer one lives to the equator, the lower their cancer rates (primarily breast and prostate) tend to be. Using sunscreen will also reduce the vitamin D our bodies produce. A good vitamin D supplement can go a long way to keeping your levels high and thereby giving your immune system the ammo it needs to fend off viruses and operate at maximum capacity.
Step 5: Do your best to keep your stress levels low.
In this hyper-caffeinated world we live in, we tend to lean on coffee or energy drinks and other stimulants to get us through the day. This puts our body in a "fight or flight" mode and is very taxing on our adrenal glands. When the body is in "fight or flight" mode, our immune systems are compromised and the likelihood of a virus taking root is increased. A healthier way to increase your energy and reduce your stress is by exercising at least 30 minutes a day. It seems counter-intuitive that exercise actually energizes you when sometimes you feel too tired to even get off the couch. Try it, you will be surprised and your immune system will thank you.
Implement these steps this year for a healthier, happier holiday season. We wish you good health!