So, in many places here in the U.S., including where I
reside here in Northeastern Ohio, it's the dead of winter,
and that means more than just blustery cold days, snow and
ice. It means the cold and flu season is upon us, full
boar, and it's up to us and our immune systems to keep the
nasty bugs at bay.
In an interesting discovery recently reported in the news,
it was uncovered that the reason for the cold winter months
being the worst time for colds and flu viruses to spread is
that these respiratory and stomach/digestive viruses
actually have a protective coating on them that works best
in the cold.
This protective coating that stays intact in the cold, and
sort of "melts away" in the heat may explain why viruses
are better able to stay intact and infect more people
during colder months, and when people tend to stay indoors
and spread germs more readily.
A partial explanation may also be the sun's heat and
radiation have a destructive effect on this coating, and
therefore may destroy them before they can enter bodies and
infect the respiratory and digestive tracts of humans.
But can we really increase our odds of NOT getting colds
and flu during the season when these germs are most likely
to come in contact with us? Well, yes, there are plenty of
ways for us to increase our immunity and bone up our
defenses against their infiltration.
One surefire way to increase immunity is to be sure you are
eating properly. Eating a diet high in fat and sugar can
actually help to facilitate the weakening of the immune
system by promoting inflammation of cells and making it
easier for viruses to disrupt our normal flow of activity
within the body.
On of my favorite ways to stay healthy is by increasing my
antioxidant intake, by eating more fruits like blueberries,
raspberries, and a berry called acai, which is just now
being touted as a miracle fruit both for it's high
antioxidant count as well as it's natural source of omega 3
fatty acids.
Drinking juices that are derived from citrus fruits like
oranges and lemons is also a good way to help boost the
immune system. You can also perhaps choose to include an
immune boosting supplement such as Echinacea, which many
believe enhances the body's natural capabilities in
fighting off germs and viruses such as the cold and flu
that so often have the opportunity to infect us in the
winter.
Many people, including myself, swear by vitamin C as an
excellent immune system booster, and consider a part of
their daily diet. Guess what, if you believe that anything
works, chances are it does, regardless of it's chemical
interaction in the body, because the mind is a very
powerful thing when it wants to be, and has a huge
connection to our actual physical health.
Some also swear by ACV, or Apple Cider Vinegar, in it's
pure form, because of something that is found in the
organic version of the product called "the mother" which is
a substance found in ACV that may have multiple benefits to
human health, including immune system enhancement, weight
loss, and many other health uses. I once heard someone say
that they take a couple teaspoons of organic ACV every day
and they never get sick. It's something to think about!
Exercise, believe it or not, is a huge immune system
booster, and it has been scientifically proven that active
people get sick much less when compared with sedentary
people. This is starting to sound like a weight loss
article now, but there is a huge connection between
exercise and wellness, not just exercise and staying in a
size 6 pair of jeans, and for the guys, battling bulging
bellies.
It may be in part because exercise increases the amount of
feel good chemicals in the brain, called endorphins, and
since our bodies are very in tune with how our minds are
doing, and depression is linked with actual physical
illness many times, this explains why exercise not only
fends off depression, but also fends off illness.
A common sense approach to avoiding catching these viruses
in the first place is to make sure you minimize your
contact with things that many other hands have touched,
such as banisters on stairs in public places, door knobs in
public places, and especially if you're in a place where
there have been a lot of children, be careful what you
touch.
Also, be sure to wash your hands fairly often, and if you'd
like you can even keep a bottle of hand sanitizer close by
in case you can't wash your hands after touching some
common area in a public place.
Just taking a few extra precautions in the winter months
that are called "cold and flu season", can help ensure that
you are both minimally exposed and adequately prepared to
handle any "foreign invasions" to your immune system.
----------------------------------------------------
Danna Schneider is the founder of the online source for
dieting and weight loss info, including popular diet
reviews at http://www.dietingmagazine.com , where you can
also find information on weightloss products, fitness
equipment. She also founded
http://www.fitnessnewsmagazine.com , an online help site
dedicated to the latest offerings and breakthroughs in
physical fitness, reviews of exercise equipment and
workouts and more.
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