AVOID THE COMMON COLD
AVOID THE COMMON COLD Avoid the Common Cold with These 5 Easy Steps!
You want to enjoy the season to the fullest, so how do you avoid the inconvenience of having a cold and being down for the count? Here are some simple lifestyle steps that can help.
1
Take Vitamin D. Despite its name, vitamin D is really a
hormone rather than a vitamin. We receive very little from our food, and since most people wear sunscreen outside, we are seeing an epidemic of vitamin D deficiency. Although normal levels are 30-100 ng/dl., the optimal levels to avoid not only the common cold, but more serious illnesses like cancer and diabetes, are above 50 ng/dl.
2
Move your body. David Neiman of
Appalachian State University states, “Near daily exercise creates a cumulative effect on the immune system.” His recent study gave evidence that subjects exercising five days per week have almost half as many colds or sore throats than those not exercising. Exercise stimulates natural killer cells that protect against viruses. One more reason to get moving.
and colleagues at Carnegie Mellon University studied how sleep habits can increase susceptibility to colds. They found people who slept less than seven hours a night were three times more likely to catch a cold than those who sleep eight hours or more per night. The researchers concluded that sleep disruption interferes with the immune system’s ability to regenerate itself.
3
Maintain a healthy diet. Have protein at
Eat yogurt. Natural probiotics in yogurt have beneficial bacteria for a healthy gut. Since the gut is the largest organ in your body, maintaining healthy natural flora can protect against viruses.
each meal and avoid processed, starchy and high sugar foods. While protein helps make antibodies that play a role in immunity, sugar lowers the immune system and increases susceptibility to sickness.
4
Get your sleep. Sheldon Cohen, Ph.D.,
5
When you consider what you might miss, incorporating these five practices, along with good hygiene (washing your hands often and keeping your hands off your face) seems well worth the investment of time and energy.
You want to enjoy the season to the fullest, so how do you avoid the inconvenience of having a cold and being down for the count? Here are some simple lifestyle steps that can help.
1
Take Vitamin D. Despite its name, vitamin D is really a
hormone rather than a vitamin. We receive very little from our food, and since most people wear sunscreen outside, we are seeing an epidemic of vitamin D deficiency. Although normal levels are 30-100 ng/dl., the optimal levels to avoid not only the common cold, but more serious illnesses like cancer and diabetes, are above 50 ng/dl.
2
Move your body. David Neiman of
Appalachian State University states, “Near daily exercise creates a cumulative effect on the immune system.” His recent study gave evidence that subjects exercising five days per week have almost half as many colds or sore throats than those not exercising. Exercise stimulates natural killer cells that protect against viruses. One more reason to get moving.
and colleagues at Carnegie Mellon University studied how sleep habits can increase susceptibility to colds. They found people who slept less than seven hours a night were three times more likely to catch a cold than those who sleep eight hours or more per night. The researchers concluded that sleep disruption interferes with the immune system’s ability to regenerate itself.
3
Maintain a healthy diet. Have protein at
Eat yogurt. Natural probiotics in yogurt have beneficial bacteria for a healthy gut. Since the gut is the largest organ in your body, maintaining healthy natural flora can protect against viruses.
each meal and avoid processed, starchy and high sugar foods. While protein helps make antibodies that play a role in immunity, sugar lowers the immune system and increases susceptibility to sickness.
4
Get your sleep. Sheldon Cohen, Ph.D.,
5
When you consider what you might miss, incorporating these five practices, along with good hygiene (washing your hands often and keeping your hands off your face) seems well worth the investment of time and energy.
