Winter arrived last week and so will the cough, colds, sniffles and flu. According to the article, "Eat This during the Winter to help Radically Reduce Your Risk of Cold and Flu" written by Dr. Mercola, the average cold lasts 8-9 days with 25% lasting as long as two weeks. That's a lot of time off from work, or away from school. What can we do to help strengthen ourselves against the ravages of winter's illnesses?
The following suggestions are all effective ways to cut your risk of getting sick this winter.
How can you prevent getting sick in the winter?
The reason that many people fall sick during the fall and winter is because sun exposure is minimized. Due to the changed angle of the earth with respect to the sun, we don't get as much direct sunlight as during the spring and summer. This means lower vitamin D levels. Scientists have now found that vitamin D has an important effect on our body's immune system in fighting off infection.
So, to compensate, it might be a good idea to take vitamin D supplements. Be selective though in what form you take it though. (Check out information on effective forms of vitamin D at Dr. Mercola's website - www.mercola.com )
Another suggestion would be to try safe tanning to help up vitamin D levels. This should however be a safe tanning bed without a magnetic ballast.
Sugar, not so sweet
Limit sugar, as this wreaks havoc with the body's immunity. 100 years ago, people consumed no more than 15 grams of sugar a day. Today, people consume at least 75 grams per day! This is more than three times as much. And, we are paying for it in obesity as well.
Sugar further damages our body's ability to fight off infections because digestion is impaired; considering the fact that 80% of immune response originates in the gut, this is important. Sugar serves as a fertilizer for yeast, fungi and viruses which sets the body up for assault by these pathogenic organisms. A remedy is to take prebiotics which helps to balance the intestinal flora of good bacteria in the gut. That means eating plenty of locally grown fruits and vegetables. The fiber in them also helps to lay down a good foundation for probiotics, which helps balance the good bacteria in the gut..
One suggestion as to limiting sugar damage is to keep the amount of sugar consumed at no more than 15 grams per day. The best form to get natural sugars is in fruits and vegetables, and not from the nutritionally void white sugar products. (We are paying the price with compromised immune system, obesity and frequent colds and infections).
Sleep
Make sure that you get at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Less sleep than this means an impaired immune response.
What to do when you get sick? Take a look at the next post.
Source:
"Eat This during the Winter to help Radically Reduce Your Risk of Cold and Flu" Dr. Mercola, www.mercola.com
The following suggestions are all effective ways to cut your risk of getting sick this winter.
How can you prevent getting sick in the winter?
The reason that many people fall sick during the fall and winter is because sun exposure is minimized. Due to the changed angle of the earth with respect to the sun, we don't get as much direct sunlight as during the spring and summer. This means lower vitamin D levels. Scientists have now found that vitamin D has an important effect on our body's immune system in fighting off infection.
So, to compensate, it might be a good idea to take vitamin D supplements. Be selective though in what form you take it though. (Check out information on effective forms of vitamin D at Dr. Mercola's website - www.mercola.com )
Another suggestion would be to try safe tanning to help up vitamin D levels. This should however be a safe tanning bed without a magnetic ballast.
Sugar, not so sweet
Limit sugar, as this wreaks havoc with the body's immunity. 100 years ago, people consumed no more than 15 grams of sugar a day. Today, people consume at least 75 grams per day! This is more than three times as much. And, we are paying for it in obesity as well.
Sugar further damages our body's ability to fight off infections because digestion is impaired; considering the fact that 80% of immune response originates in the gut, this is important. Sugar serves as a fertilizer for yeast, fungi and viruses which sets the body up for assault by these pathogenic organisms. A remedy is to take prebiotics which helps to balance the intestinal flora of good bacteria in the gut. That means eating plenty of locally grown fruits and vegetables. The fiber in them also helps to lay down a good foundation for probiotics, which helps balance the good bacteria in the gut..
One suggestion as to limiting sugar damage is to keep the amount of sugar consumed at no more than 15 grams per day. The best form to get natural sugars is in fruits and vegetables, and not from the nutritionally void white sugar products. (We are paying the price with compromised immune system, obesity and frequent colds and infections).
Sleep
Make sure that you get at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Less sleep than this means an impaired immune response.
What to do when you get sick? Take a look at the next post.
Source:
"Eat This during the Winter to help Radically Reduce Your Risk of Cold and Flu" Dr. Mercola, www.mercola.com
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