TIPS TO SURVIVE FLU SEASON
By Elisa Bragga
Leaves are changing and the days
are getting shorter and cooler. It’s
one of my favorite times of the
year! Fall in Tennessee! Along
with the beautiful season comes
the start of cold and flu season.
All of us will come into contact
with cold and flu germs. Why
do some experience these villains
often and others seem to have a
protective shield around them?
The difference is based on individual
immune system strength.
So here are 5 easy to do (or easy
not to do) tips on how you can
boost your immunity this cold/
flu season.
GET YOUR ZZZZ’s
One of the few times a good old
cold or flu gets the best of me
is when I’m not getting enough
sleep. Studies show, 40% of
Americans are not getting the
recommended amount of sleep.
There’s lots of life to live! I get it!
However, when we are sleepy, so
are our immune systems. Our
superhero germ fighting cells become
weaker when fighting off
the cold/flu villains. We get sick
more and take longer to recover
from illness when we lack rest.
It’s recommended to get at least
7 hours per night and if you are
nowhere near that, just start by
going to bed 15 minutes earlier
at a time. It’s worth it!
AN APPLE A DAY
It turns out there’s truth in this
old saying we all know! Just like
a vehicle, our bodies are extremely
complex systems and
you need to put in the right fuel
to run on all cylinders. The right
fuel is hundreds of vitamins,
minerals, micro and macro nutrients.
Yes, hundreds! The National
Institute of Health says
malnutrition is the most common
cause of immune deficiency
worldwide, even in the U.S.
where we have plenty of calories
but less and less nutrition in the
food chain.
It only takes a few things being
off to affect our bodies ability
to fight off sickness. One example
is Vitamin D. When it comes
to this superhero, food isn’t the
only source. Sunlight helps us
produce Vitamin D and during
the cold/flu season, very few of
us are sunbathing in Tennessee!
It’s estimated that 75% of Americans
are deficient in Vitamin D
and studies show that low levels
Healthy Living | Fall Issue | 2017 15