Engaging in regular exercise, ensuring sufficient sleep, and consuming a balanced diet are some ways to help ward off colds and other illnesses.
Overview
The keys to good health are often not secrets but common sense. For instance, it's wise to avoid exposure to bacteria and viruses at school and work.
However, many other effective strategies can help you stay healthy and avoid symptoms like a runny nose or sore throat. Here are 12 tips for preventing colds and the flu.
1. Eat green vegetables
Green, leafy vegetables are packed with vitamins that help you maintain a balanced diet and support a healthy immune system.
Research involving a study of mice shows that consuming cruciferous vegetables triggers a chemical signal in the body that enhances specific cell-surface proteins crucial for effective immune-system functionality.
In this study, healthy mice that were deprived of green vegetables lost 70 to 80 percent of their cell-surface proteins.
2. Get Vitamin D
Reports show that many individuals do not meet their daily vitamin D needs. A lack of vitamin D can result in symptoms like poor bone development, cardiovascular issues, and a weakened immune system.
Findings from a 2012 study in the journal Pediatrics suggest that all children should be checked for sufficient vitamin D levels. This is particularly crucial for those with darker skin, as they don't synthesize vitamin D as easily from sunlight exposure.
Foods rich in vitamin D include egg yolks, mushrooms, salmon, canned tuna, and beef liver.
You can also purchase vitamin D supplements at your local grocery store or pharmacy. Opt for supplements containing D3 (cholecalciferol), as it is more effective at increasing your blood levels of vitamin D.
3. Keep moving
Maintaining an active lifestyle through regular exercise — such as walking three times a week — offers benefits beyond keeping you fit. According to a study published in the journal Neurologic Clinicians, regular exercise also:
helps prevent inflammation and chronic disease
reduces stress and the release of stress-related hormones
enhances the circulation of disease-fighting white blood cells (WBCs), aiding the body in combating the common cold
4. Get enough sleep
Obtaining sufficient sleep is crucial if you've been exposed to a virus, according to a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Healthy adult participants who slept at least eight hours each night over two weeks demonstrated greater resistance to the virus. Those who slept seven hours or less per night were about three percent more likely to contract the virus after exposure.
This may be because the body releases cytokines during extended sleep periods. Cytokines are proteins that help the body fight infection by regulating the immune system.
6. Calm down
For years, doctors have suspected a link between chronic mental stress and physical illness.
Managing personal stress effectively may significantly improve overall health, according to a 2012 study published by the National Academy of Sciences. Consider practicing yoga or meditation to alleviate stress.
Cortisol aids the body in combating inflammation and disease. The continuous release of this hormone in individuals who are chronically stressed reduces its effectiveness, potentially leading to increased inflammation and disease, as well as a weakened immune system.
7. Drink green tea
For centuries, green tea has been linked to good health. Its health benefits may stem from its high content of antioxidants, known as flavonoids.
According to a study published in the Journal of the College of Nutrition, drinking several freshly brewed cups daily can offer potential health benefits, including lower blood pressure and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.
8. Add color to meals
Do you struggle to remember to include fruits and vegetables in every meal? Cooking with a variety of colors can help you obtain a wide range of vitamins, such as vitamin C.
Shop for vitamin C.
While there's no definitive proof that vitamin C can lessen the severity or duration of illness, a 2006 study from the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition indicates that it may help the immune system fend off colds and flus, especially in stressed individuals.
10. Practice good hygiene
Minimizing your exposure to illness by avoiding germs is essential for staying healthy. Here are additional ways to maintain good hygiene:
Shower daily.
Wash your hands before eating or preparing food.
Wash your hands before inserting contact lenses or performing any activity involving contact with the eyes or mouth.
Wash your hands for 20 seconds and scrub under your fingernails.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.
Carry an alcohol-based hand sanitizer for use on the go. Disinfect shared surfaces, like keyboards, telephones, doorknobs, and remote controls.
11. Keep it personal
Flu viruses can generally survive on surfaces for up to 24 hours, according to the National Health Service. This allows ample time for germs to spread among family members. A single sick child can transmit an illness to the entire family in the right conditions.
To prevent germ sharing, keep personal items separate. Personal items include:
toothbrushes
towels
utensils
drinking glasses
Wash contaminated items — particularly shared toys — in hot, soapy water. When in doubt, choose disposable drinking cups, utensils, and towels.
Takeaway
Maintaining health involves more than just employing a few good practices when feeling unwell. It requires regular exercise, nutritious foods, and staying hydrated throughout the day.
Your body works diligently to keep you active and moving, so ensure you provide it with the nourishment it needs to stay in peak condition.
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