Hi, everyone! Today’s topic is keeping your immune system strong throughout the upcoming cold and flu season. I’m kind of tired right now and really want to take a quick nap, so I’ll get straight to the point. The general theme is that health and fitness complement each other. Good health helps you achieve higher levels of fitness, and a person in great shape is less likely to have health issues. Believe it or not, I have kept myself illness-free for the past three years by following these general guidelines, especially during the winter months:
- Get enough sleep. Yeah, we’ve all heard the saying about eight hours a night, but I believe that everyone is unique in this aspect. In order to feel well-rested, some people might need 10 or more hours, while others wake up fully recharged with only 5-6 hours. I’m a 7-hour kind of guy. My point is that we all need to get rest in order for all the processes in our body to function properly. If you find it difficult to get to sleep, here are some tips that can help:
- Perform some light stretches, holding each stretch for 30 seconds to 1 minute, for 10-15 minutes before you hit the sack. This relieves the physical stress on your body that might prevent you from sleeping soundly.
- Avoid consuming any food or drink with a large amount of calories and/or sugar right before going to bed. Calories are energy, and consuming a lot of them will make your body attempt to expend that energy, thereby hampering natural sleep.
- Do not perform any intense physical activity 1 hour or less before you plan to sleep. Lots of people mistakenly assume that exercising wildly will leave them exhausted and ready for bed right away. In actuality, however, physical exercise causes the heart to beat faster and the mind to become more alert–hardly the conditions necessary for a good night’s sleep.
- Keep fit. Pretty obvious, right? Keeping your heart and lungs strong is of foremost importance here (see my article “Keeping Your Heart and Lungs in Shape”). Strength-building exercises can further bolster your resistance to infectious diseases. Mental fitness is also of great importance. Breathing exercises, meditation, and yoga can help in this department.
- Eat a balanced diet. Some “experts” might tell you to load up on vitamin C or vitamin A, but just as you cannot “spot treat” your abdominal muscles, no single nutrient can keep the body running efficiently by itself. Many vitamins and minerals interact with other vitamins and minerals to achieve the totality of a specific bodily function. A common example is vitamin D facilitating the absorption of calcium, which keeps our bones and teeth robust. My favorite foods to eat during this time of year are clementines (easy to peel), sweet potatoes, spinach, bell peppers, and cantaloupe. Having a glass of 100% orange juice in the morning can give your immune system a boost if you’re short on time.
In addition to the three points I’ve just explained, simple measures like washing your hands thoroughly, drinking plenty of water, and being aware of people who are already ill will significantly reduce your chance of catching the cold or flu. Most importantly, the guidelines I listed above apply not only to the winter months, but year-round. Once you make a habit of staying healthy and fit, you’ll have nothing to worry about when the viruses start rolling in. I hope this article will help you stay healthy throughout the year!
Original source: http://fitnesstable.wordpress.com/2008/11/14/three-steps-to-fight-cold-and-flu-season/
