If your office is anything like mine, everyone is sick and you are praying that you won’t be next to catch the latest ‘bug’ going around. When the weather turns cool and damp, it seems as if everyone surrenders to the common cold or something worse. Viruses and bacteria thrive in cool, moist environments so when weather conditions change… you guessed it! Germs are rampant.
But you don’t have to follow the crowd. Here are some tips for supporting your immune system and staying outside of the tissue box.
Go green: Steamed, sauteed or blended anyway you eat them, leafy green vegetables are a surefire way to give your immune system a boost. Packed with vitamins and nutrients, eat these superfoods often. If you’re looking for Vitamin C, you can find it hanging out in the greens! One a day please or more if you can.
Scrub a dub: Wash those hands! Enough said.
Zzzz: Quality sleep is key to maintaining good health. Six to eight hours is standard but figure out how much you need.
Slurp: Drinking lots of water flushes the nasties out of the system. Try sipping hot water to support lymphatic drainage. The lymph is the site of most illness.
Pack protein and whole grains: Part of a well-balanced diet lean protein contains the vitamins and minerals your body needs to support and repair its cells, tissues and organs. Whole grains are sources of plentiful fiber which does the same.
Go nuts: Getting enough healthy fats found in nuts, seeds, avocado and salmon reduces inflammation in the immune system and frees it up to fight antigens instead.
Get moving: Regular, moderate exercise keeps the blood moving and keeps extra weight off which can impair the immune system.
Bacteria is your friend: If you eat dairy, the probiotics found in some yogurts and kefir drinks as well as those found in other fermented foods work to promote healthy gut bacteria, or flora, and rid the body of the unhealthy type.
Listen up: If you do happen to get sick, buy a bottle of ear oil (found at any health food store) and use as directed. The miracle cure is said to wipe out a cold in a number of hours.
Be well!
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