By Lanae Felice, M.S

De-Stress and Exercise

Stress is one of the main culprits in immune system suppression, and the root of most disease.

Research shows that healthy levels of short-term stress, such as exercise, can boost the immune system.  At the onset of a cold it is important not to over-train or exercise to the point of exhaustion, but moderate exercise is healthy. Try to get a moderate work-out in 3 to 4 times a week. Even if you don’t have time, a quick 15 minute run, brisk walk, or work-out in your living room is better than nothing. Try doing housework and running errands on days you don’t feel like exercising. The key is to find ways to move more daily!

Chronic, long-term stress suppresses the immune system. It is nearly impossible to eliminate all long-term stressors, so it is vital to learn how to deal with stress. Healthy ways to deal with stress such as yoga, listening to music, laughing with friends, exercise, etc. will help eliminate stress. Drinking alcohol, eating comfort food, over sleeping, etc. may temporarily mask the stress, but will result in more stress over time.

It is also important to get the right amount of sleep each night so your body can recover and repair itself.  Not getting enough hours of quality uninterrupted sleep can be stressful to your system as well as oversleeping which causes fatigue and lack of energy throughout the day. The average adult should sleep 7 to 8 hours per night!

Eat Healthy Food

Foods rich in antioxidants will protect against oxidative stress that causes illness and disease.  Oxidants not only come from the air you breathe but also the food you eat. Processed, salty, sugary, or greasy foods put oxidants into your body. Oxidants create free radicals that bounce around your system, damaging cells.  Excessive amounts of free radicals cause illness and disease. Antioxidants combat free radicals. Picture the antioxidants as pac-mans (like in the video game) eating the little dots, or free radicals. Antioxidant packed foods include: fruits (i.e. blueberries, cranberries, blackberries), vegetables (i.e. beans, pumpkin, broccoli, russet potatoes, green peppers), nuts (i.e. pecans, walnuts, hazelnut), and spices (i.e. cinnamon, oregano and ground cloves). Drinking plenty of water (at least 8 glasses per day) will also help to flush out toxins.

There is conflicting research on the use of vitamin C to cure the common cold. Recent research concludes that vitamin C does little for reducing the amount of sick days if the vitamin is taken at the onset of a cold. It is also possible that vitamin C taken daily will not decrease the amount of colds you will experience yearly. However, research supports that people who undergo high physical stress, such as marathon runners, may catch less colds when taking vitamin C daily. It is also a fact that vitamin C is an important antioxidant the body uses to stay strong and healthy. Vitamin C is used in maintenance of bones, muscle, and blood vessels, it assists in the formation of collagen and it helps the body absorb iron. It also increases the production of antibodies and white blood cells. Citrus fruits, kiwi, red bell pepper and strawberries are good sources of vitamin C.

Zinc also has mixed reviews in preventing and curing the common cold. About 80% of colds are caused by rhinovirus, which infects the upper respiratory system (nose and throat). It is thought that zinc prevents rhinoviruses from multiplying and may also stop rhinoviruses from living in the mucous membranes of the throat and nose. But recent research has not found a significant amount of proof and it is possible that the negative side effects of zinc outweigh the positive. Some studies found zinc to reduce colds by one day, other studies were inconsistent. The side effects were nausea or a bad taste in the mouth. Zinc nasal spray has caused permanent loss of smell, and large amounts of zinc may be toxic. The safest thing to do when considering the use of zinc for colds is to consult your doctor first.

Research does support a significant reduction in colds among participants in a study who took garlic supplements. These participants came down with 24 colds during the study period, compared to the placebo group who caught 65 colds. The explanation for this health benefit is a compound found in garlic called allicin, which blocks enzymes that cause bacterial and viral infections, and boosts your immune system by increasing antibody production. It is also possible that garlic aids in cleansing your body of toxins and carcinogens. So unless you have a particular health risk, cook frequently with onions and garlic.

Avoid harmful substances. Drugs, smoking, and excess alcohol put your body into stress which lowers the immune system. Excessive alcohol and caffeine can also cause dehydration, which is detrimental to the detoxifying affects of hydration. If you are a coffee drinker, make sure to supplement your habit with plenty of water!

The Bottom Line

Adopt a healthy lifestyle.  Stay active, eat healthy, drink lots of water, and find healthy ways to relieve stress. When it comes to illness and ensuring a sick-free winter, there is no miracle drug or quick fix that beats the power of prevention!