5 Easy Ways to stay Healthy this Cold/Flu Season

 By Dr. Kivette Parkes

Our bodies have the amazing capacity through our immune systems, to protect us from various kinds of microbial assaults. This cold and flu season, be sure to give your body the tools it needs to boost your immune system in order to keep those pesky invaders at bay. Check out these easy to follow tips:

1. Catch your ZZZs – Our bodies repair, reproduce immune boosting cells and restore energy and vitality during sleep. Sleeping well at night can go a long way in helping you stay healthy. In fact, researchers at the University of California have found that even partial disturbances or deprivation of sleep causes a noticeable drop in our natural killer and other immune responses.[i] So the next time you are tempted to pull an all-nighter be careful to weigh your options because you might end up doing more harm than good.

2. Move it! – Regular, moderate exercise has long been touted as the key to longevity, vitality and even the fountain of youth. But did you know that it can also be a vital part of helping your immune system to keep you from getting sick? Studies show that moderate exercise also increases the numbers of immune cells and innate immune response[ii] to help you fight off everyday exposures. Exercise also increases your basal body temperature and this increased heat creates an unstable environment for microbes.

3. Clean up – It is important that you clean your body both internally and externally. Be sure to wash your hands frequently especially after using restrooms and before eating. It is equally important that you maintain good elimination through urine and bowel movements. Exposures through contaminated food and toxins can increase the burden on the immune system. If they are not eliminated correctly, your body may be less able to efficiently handle invading pathogens.

4. Eat Well – Food is a great way of making sure your body has all the resources it needs to produce the important immune factors it needs to prevent illness. It is important to decrease immune damaging foods such as alcohol and refined sugars while increasing beneficial whole foods. Eating fruits and vegetables high in vitamins A, C and E has been shown to significantly beneficial.[iii] Juicing whole, colorful, fruits and vegetables allows you to get large amounts of phytonutrients at a time. Some immune boosting foods are berries, kale, pineapple, grains, carrots, collard greens, garlic, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, citrus fruits and green tea.

5. Protect Naturally – There are many natural therapeutics that can aid in improving immune function. Vitamin and mineral supplementation specifically, B-complex, antioxidants, bioflavanoids and zinc. Herbal preparations are also very useful. Great immune boosting herbs include Echinacea, Hydrastis and Reishi. Hydrotherapy, which includes alternating hot and cold applications on the body is also helpful in increasing the number of white blood cells, which are important in destroying invaders. Homeopathy may also be employed. Influenzinum is widely used as it is thought to have a vaccine-like effect and offers protection from the virus. Other homeopathic remedies like Gelsemium, Oscillococcinum and Bryonia are also very well indicated in flu prevention. You can mix and match any combinations of the tips above. Listen to your body and do what feels right so you can partake in all the joys of this season instead of sniffling and spending valuable time in bed! ——————————————————————————–

[i] M Irwin, J McClintick, C Costlow, M Fortner, J White, and JC Gillin. Partial night sleep deprivation reduces natural killer and cellular immune responses in humans. FASEB J. 10: 643-653. [ii] P. Gunnar Brolinson, Dan Elliott, Exercise and the Immune System. Clinics in Sports Medicine, Volume 26, Issue 3, July 2007, pp. 311-319
[iii] Chandra, RK. Nutrition and the immune system: an introduction. Am J Clin Nutr 1997 66: 460S-463