CYBERSPACE,
NOVEMBER 3, 2011 (MSN
HEALTH) By Heather Hudson - Batten down your body's hatches to
prevent sickness!
In the absence of a magic pill that prevents all strains of colds and flus,
we've got a four-word strategy that'll at least keep illness to the bare
minimum. Check out our common sense ways to stay healthy.
Sleep
One of the effective ways you can both prevent illness and recover rapidly is
to get enough rest. When we're underslept our immune system is compromised,
effectively opening us up for illness.
When we try to power through when we should be down for the count, we're
keeping our inner infection fighters from putting all their attention on the job
at hand, prolonging our misery and remaining susceptible for the next bug
passing through.
The best advice? Aim for eight hours of sleep every night. If you get
derailed for any reason, there's always tomorrow night.
Wash
If you only do one thing this season to prevent colds and flu, washing your
hands regularly should be it. Before you eat, after you eat, upon returning home
from being in any public place and lots of times in between.
Colds and flu are usually airborne animals and it's in your hands to prevent
them from taking up residence in your body. Carry hand sanitizer in the fall and
winter and keep your soap dispensers full and plentiful around the house.
And when you start to suds up, make sure you do a thorough job of it; sing the
chorus of your favourite song two or three times while you scrub!
Relax
There's nothing like stress to wind us up and weaken our immune system at the
same time. If your life is a constant go-go-go and you find yourself struggling
to keep up to a hectic pace, it's important to re-examine your priorities before
a cold or flu knocks you out flat.
Taking just five minutes every day to meditate or do deep breathing can lower
your heart rate and centre your efforts, as can making time for yoga, stretching
or simply relaxing on the couch at the end of a long day.
If you don't create space for relaxation, you'll be calling in all your sick
days this season.
Eat
Did you know that the most important meal of the day is also the one that can
most prevent colds and flu?
Not only are you be bolstering your body with energy, vitamins, minerals,
protein and other nutrients, you're activating all your bodily functions,
including your immune system.
Keep up good habits by avoiding sugar when you start to feel run down (it also
weakens your immune system) and making sure to take in lots of fruits and
vegetables, especially those packed with Vitamin C (broccoli, peppers, dark,
leafy greens, kiwi, oranges).
10 ways to avoid catching a cold by Caroline
Jones, Daily Mirror
We all feel that first sneeze or tickle at the back of the throat that
signals the beginning of the cold season. But is there actually anything we can
do to prevent ourselves from getting one?
Adults average three to four sniffle bouts a year, with children picking up
double this number. Yet scientists are no closer to that elusive goal: a cure
for the common cold.
According to Professor Ron Eccles of Cardiff University's Common Cold Centre,
the sheer number of different viruses is the main reason why we keep catching
them year after year. But there is a glimmer of hope.
"We're at a stage now where there's a huge amount known about these viruses
and how they work. We hope that by continuing to increase this knowledge we'll
have a breakthrough," says Prof Eccles.
The good news is that all this research has taught us how colds spread.
Here are 10 simple ways to significantly improve your odds of avoiding
the scourge of winter...
1 Go green
The Babraham Institute in Cambridge found that eating plenty of leafy green
vegies can boost your immune system.
It turns out that cruciferous vegetables – from bak choi to broccoli –
contain food chemicals that help ensure white blood cells function at peak
performance to fight off infections.
Try: Stir-frying broccoli with a little soy sauce and ginger for a fabulous
flu-fighting side dish.
2 Switch C for D
Vitamin C pills used to be the all-important nutrient when it came to
busting colds – but not any more.
Australian scientists found that taking the vitamin neither reduced the risk
of developing a cold, nor significantly helped relieve symptoms.
"The latest evidence indicates that most of us get enough vitamin C in our
diet," says Prof Eccles.
"So unless your diet is very poor – and I mean on the verge of malnutrition –
it's not worth supplementing it.
"If you're going to take anything extra this winter, make it vitamin D. We
need vitamin D to support our immune system, but levels are much lower in
winter as there's less sun."
Try: Vitabiotics Ultra-D3 (£4.95 for 96, Waitrose).
3 Sleep more
Getting a decent night's kip can bolster your defences against colds. An
experiment by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University in the US found that
the more sleep you get, the better your chances of fighting off respiratory
bugs.
People who slept fewer than seven hours a night were nearly three times more
likely to come down with colds compared with those who enjoyed eight or more
hours of quality shut-eye.
Try: Having an hour without the TV before bed – research shows it can help
you drop off more easily.
4 Take a probiotic
Taking a daily dose of friendly bacteria has been found to reduce the
duration of a cold by two days.
"Probiotics can also reduce the chance of getting a respiratory infection by
nearly 20% in children and the elderly," says GP Dr Sarah Brewer. "I give my
kids Actimel every day in their lunchbox and they're rarely ill!"
Try: Actimel, any flavour, (£2.58 for eight, Tesco).
5 Eat breakfast
Cereal eaters are less likely to catch colds than those who skip breakfast,
according to studies carried out at Cardiff University.
Researchers think this is because wholegrain cereals are loaded with
nutrients we know are important for a healthy immune system, like B vitamins,
iron and zinc.
Try: Starting the day with a bowl of porridge topped with berries.
6 Wash your hands
Scientists used to think colds were transmitted when infected people sneezed
or coughed.
But we are far more likely to pick up a cold by touching contaminated
surfaces such as doorknobs – where bugs can last for 24 hours or more – and
then touching our eyes or nose.
"Your single best defence is to wash your hands with soap and water regularly
throughout the day," says Prof Eccles.
"But if you're out on public transport and can't do that then medicated hand
sanitiser gels are a good idea."
Try: Handbag-sized Mentholatum Anti-Viral Hand Sanitiser (£3.19 from Boots).
7 Keep your distance!
Because viruses cling to bare fingers, shaking hands is an easy way of
catching colds.
Try to wash your hands as soon as is polite or opt for a pat on the back
instead.
Kissing, on the other hand, isn't as bad as you might think. There's only a
small number of harmful bugs on the lips and mouth, so you're actually not that
likely to catch a cold. It's nasal mucus you have to avoid.
Try: "Sneezing or coughing into the crook of your arm to avoid spreading the
virus," says Dr Sarah Brewer.
8 Get gargling
A Japanese study found that people who gargled with water three times a day –
a common practice in the East – had 36% fewer colds than those who didn't.
Although the researchers admitted they weren't sure exactly why it worked, they
speculated that it could help clear mucus and viruses from the back of the
throat.
Try: Gargling with water before brushing your teeth in the morning, after
lunch and at night.
9 Spice things up
Certain spices have been found to be beneficial bug fighters, including
cayenne pepper, which contains an active ingredient called capsaicin that beats
congestion by thinning the mucus in your nasal passages so you can breathe more
easily.
Garlic, which contains a chemical called allicin, can zap the cold viruses
that lead to infection.
Try: Adding spices to soups and stews for a healthier winter warmer.
10 Give excess booze the boot for good
Before you reach for that "medicinal" whisky, there's some bad news.
Unfortunately for those keen on the odd night cap, it's a complete myth that
alcohol kills off cold germs.
In reality, it actually suppresses your immune system, leaving you
potentially more exposed.
That's why heavy drinkers are more prone to infections, although the
occasional tipple is still fine.
Try: Limiting yourself to one or two drinks a day and have at least two
booze-free days per week to give your liver a break.
Chief News Editor:
Sol Jose Vanzi
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