Even if you're a 21st-century Scrooge, we predict you'll be doing a lot of giving and receiving this holiday season. Maybe someone at your school will hand you the rhinovirus (they shouldn't have!), after which you'll go home and promptly regift it to your family. Or perhaps a stranger will sneeze, donating some mucus-wrapped influenza to you and everyone else in the checkout line. It's enough to make a man feel all warm and fuzzy inside, though that's probably just your low-grade fever.
Coughing and congestion aside, the real problem is that these gifts truly keep on giving. "Your immune system launches an inflammatory storm to fight off the invaders," says David Agus, M.D., a professor of medicine at the University of Southern California and the author of The End of Illness. "
Maybe you didn't expect a present, but we have something for you anyway: a custom plan for staying well and, if you do fall ill, for bouncing back fast.
1. Cardio Exercise, something we do all the time helps keep your immune system in shape as well. An Appalachian State University study found that people who exercised at least 5 days a week took 43 percent fewer sick days due to colds in fall or winter than their lazier peers. "Every bout of exercise enhances circulation of key immune cells," says lead author David Nieman, Dr.P.H.
2. Nasal Irrigation keeps your nose clean. When flu patients squirted a saline solution into their nostrils three times a day for 8 days, they recovered about 2 days faster, a recent study from China found. Why? Nasal irrigation may rinse out the virus as well as inflammatory molecules. Use a saline solution, such as NasalCare ($15, nasalcleanse.com). But be careful—two deaths have been linked to irrigation with amoeba-contaminated neti pots. Use only distilled water or H2O you boiled first. When you're done, clean the container with fresh disinfected water and let it air-dry.
3. Hand soap can help you stay healthy. Scrub with soap and warm water for 20 seconds, and dry your hands for 20 seconds with a paper towel or clean hand towel—not a hot-air dryer, which can actually increase the germ count. As for frequency, embrace your OCD side: A 2012 study in the journal Preventive Medicine found that people who washed their hands at least five times a day were 35 percent less likely to catch the flu than those who lathered up less. Don't bother with antimicrobial soaps. The standard stuff is just as good.
4. Vitamin D is important in keeping you well and since we are inside more during the the winter months we are not able to get it from exposure to the sun. People with low circulating levels of vitamin D may have impaired infection-fighting responses because their blood has less of the virus-killing compound cathelicidin, say researchers in Spain. A shortage of sunlight from October through March means your body may be unable to manufacture enough D on its own. So during the cold-weather months, supplement your diet each day with 600 to 2,000 IU of vitamin D3 (or take the dose recommended by your physician), advises study author Victor Martinez-Taboada, M.D.
5. Honey when you are sick is the best cough syrup. Honey quells a cough more effectively than the active ingredient in most over-the-counter cold meds, a Penn State study found. Nerves that control coughing may interact with brain regions that detect sweetness, says study author Ian Paul, M.D. "So the taste of honey may calm the part of the brain that makes you cough." Plus, the viscosity of honey helps coat your throat. Swallow 2 teaspoons every 4 to 5 hours during the day and a half hour before you go to bed, recommends Dr. Paul.
6. Garlic does not only ward off those vampires but it can help you ward off those viral invaders as well. In a new study in Clinical Nutrition, people who took a daily garlic supplement for 3 months experienced 21 percent fewer cold symptoms than those on a placebo. Credit garlic's ability to prime natural killer cells and T cell—both part of your immune system's first line of defense—to respond faster and with more force when viruses attack, says study author Susan Percival, Ph.D. You don't have to eat a clove of garlic. Just pop a supplement that contains 2.6 grams of garlic extract every day.
7. Hot tea is a great beverage if you become sick. A U.K. study found that cold sufferers who slowly sipped a hot beverage for 10 minutes saw drastic reductions in coughing, sore throat, runny nose, and sneezing. "Warm drinks soothe the mucous membranes in your nose, mouth, and throat, reducing irritation," says Dr. Agus. Your tea should be hot, but not too hot—you don't want to cause inflammation. Add honey and lemon: The sweetness and acidity can stimulate salivation to clear your throat and sinuses, the British scientists say.
8. Sleep will help fight off those viral invaders. If you consistently log enough shut-eye, your flu shot may be more effective, says Aric Prather, Ph.D., who studies community health at the University of California. That's because sleep helps maintain levels of B cells and T cells, which trigger the immune response when you receive the vaccine. To squeeze in more z's, set up a humidifier in your bedroom. Moist air fights inflammation in your sinuses and can kill off airborne flu virus particles, a Harvard study found. Shoot for a humidity level of 40 to 60 percent.
9. Zinc Lozenges may reduce the duration of the common cold, a new Canadian review concludes. As soon as your throat feels scratchy—often the first sign of a cold—start sucking on zinc acetate lozenges, such as Zicam ($22 for 27 lozenges, drugstore.com). This is the form of the metal most effective at fighting colds, say researchers in Finland. Aim for 75 milligrams a day, but don't go overboard. Limit yourself to one lozenge every few hours for a few days. (Regular use for 6 weeks or longer could lead to nerve damage.)
10. Vitamin C-rich foods are important to make the protein collagen that helps provide strength to the body, as well as providing needed materials for muscle repair. Citrus fruits are well known for their vitamin C content, so include orange or tangerine slices or a small glass of 100% orange juice each day.
11. Vitamin B12 and iron help to rebuild red blood cells to fight fatigue. Both nutrients are found in protein-rich foods so if you are eating high quality protein you are most likely getting enough vitamin B12 and iron. Dark meat chicken and turkey provide more iron than chicken or turkey breast (and more zinc, too), so don’t be afraid of the dark.
12. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated during the season. This not only help you do everything better but is will also help flush toxins out of your system keeping you healthier.
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