Today I was reading the November 15, 2006 issue of Bottom Line Personal. There is an article written by a doctor from the Cleveland Clinic about Boosting Immunity and ways to stay healthy. This is a very timely topic with winter almost upon us and the challenging health season that always comes along with winter. I have read similar information in various health publications and year after year, it is good advice if you want your next three or four months to be healthy ones.
The article talks about how it is pretty amazing that we are not sick all the time. I have thought about that many times myself. If you think about it, our bodies are under almost constant attack by viruses, bacteria, and other disease-causing organisms. We are reminded at this time of year to wash our hands often, and that is because your hands can harbor up to two million germs.
Thankfully our immune systems are pretty effective in fighting off these attacks. There are factors that reduce their effectiveness and include stress, aging, deficiencies in nutrition, and new viruses and bacteria that the body might find difficult to defend.
Since there is an increased exposure at this time of year, it is best to do what we can to help our immune system do its job. There is lots of good information at different sources that recommend exercise (but not too much), washing hands often (like mentioned above), manage stress by engaging in activities like listening to music, meditating, going for a walk (or other exercise), eating right, quit smoking, get enough sleep – these are all good things to do yearround in fact!
As far as extra nutrients in your foods, or If you want to add supplements to the picture, Omega 3’s can improve immunity (and also fight depression which is something lots of people struggle with during the winter), Vitamin C has been proven to prevent infection, and Flavonoids can aid age-related declines in immune function. There are also specific Immune Products that work very well in keeping the body ready for that attacks it will surely take throughout the winter season.
Also good advice is to avoid sugary foods which drive blood glucose levels high. Elevated blood sugar impairs the immune cells’ abilities to destroy bacteria.
Information from this article was found in the Bottom Line Personal article by Michael F. Roizen, MD., The Cleveland Clinic. November 15, 2006. Boost Your Immunity -Proven Ways to Stay Healthy. Bottom Line Personal is a wonderful publication packed with useful information and very well organized for enjoyable reading.