5 Things You Can do to Survive Cold and Flu Season
Top 5 things you can do to help make it through the cold and flu season:
We all avoid the thought of it and none of us have time for it. I hate to even think the words but when this time of year rolls around its better to be prepared then receive a strike without any back up!
Our immune system is responsible for helping to protect us from bacteria and viruses. The last thing we want to do is compromise this important mechanism. If it is not functioning properly or fails to do its job the result is more sick days and symptoms nobody ever wishes for.
Take a read through these 5 things that are easy and manageable in everyone’s lives. Pay close attention to the ones you might be cheating yourself out of.
ONE: Take care of yourself – Now this one might seem relatively obvious but let me ask you how often do you put others first and put yourself by the wayside? You won’t be any good to others if you take the hit. Take an extra moment to ensure you make time for the next 4 points.
TWO: Manage your stress – An abundance of stress over a period of time, even as short as a week, begins to suppress our immune system. The longer our exposure, the weaker our immune system becomes. Remember you have the choice - Choose your actions, choose to say yes but also choose to say no.
THREE: Get lots of rest – Are you getting your beauty sleep? Too few hours of sleep can actually increase inflammation and reduce the number of T-cells in our body that act as our army against bacteria and viruses. If we have less of these guys roaming around we reduce our effectiveness against the great fight. Beyond the immune system, our lack of sleep has also been associated with greater risk to heart disease, weight gain and mental health concerns.
FOUR: Avoid sugar – This isn’t going to be very sweet. Sugar is a main source of food for bacteria which means it creates a terrain that bacteria will thrive in. Not something we want. Sugar also reduces the ability of our white blood cells to kill bacteria for up to 5 hours after consumption, meaning the more often you consume it the longer you are suppressing your immunity.
FIVE: Remember to take your supplements – Ensure you are taking the right supplements to increase the effectiveness of your immune system. This is what I always have in my cupboard: Vitamin D (Genestra Liquid Drops), Probiotics (I always purchase these from my trusted health food store. Many brands are not reputable), vitamin C (Medi C Plus), B vitamin complex (Canprev, Naka or Prairie Naturals), ashwaghanda (Himalaya, Orange Naturals or St. Francis
Note: The supplement brands listed here are my personal choices. There are many brands that health food stores carry that are very good quality.
