Wednesday, January 20, 2010

5 ways to stay healthy during cold and flu season.


1. Astragalus Root

Considered a staple in Chinese medicine. This herb has been used for centuries to boost the immune system by stimulating the thymus gland located behind your sternum in the center of your chest. The thymus gland plays a critical role in the functioning of the lymphatic and immune systems.

Astragalus is an adaptogen. Adaptogens increase the body's resistance to stress, trauma, anxiety and fatigue. It also acts on invaders wherever they attack the body, and promotes overall vitality. A good dosage is about 100 to 150 mg per day in capsules or you can drink Astragalus tea.

2. Get some rest.

Aim for at least 7 hours of quality sleep every night. Studies show that your immune system function drops by an average of 60% after just three nights of poor sleep.

When most of our bodily functions are at rest, our immune system has the ability to amplify.

So if your starting to feel sick or just want to make it through this cold and flu season, getting your beauty sleep might be one of the best ways to do it.

3. An apple a day!

Many studies show that adding fruits and vegetables into your daily diet might prove even better than taking a multi-vitamin. Fruits and vegetable are loaded with vitamins, minerals & antioxidants all wonderful for supporting a strong & healthy immune system.

4. Drink Water.

Consuming juices and soft drinks usually doesn't leave much room for water through out the day. The human body is made up of roughly 80% water and needs to stay hydrated in order to have all your organs functioning properly. Quality or filtered water is necessary to keep a healthy & balanced system.

When you drink soda and juices your getting a lot of sugar. Sugar can create a overly acidic environment in your body and that in turn weakens your immune system. Now don't you go and try to be smart with the diet sodas... Aspartame, The most common artificial sweetener in diet drinks has been directly linked to cancer, obesity and birth defects. You're better off just drinking pure W.A.T.E.R!

5. Get active.

This is a tough one for most people but crucial for overall health. If you want to a strong immune system, you have to physically strengthen yourself.

Moderate amounts of daily exercise have been linked a temporary boost in the production of macrophages. Macrophages are extremely important & versatile white blood cells that play a critical role in ridding the lungs of necrotic cellular debris and also acting as scavengers to clean the body of worn out cells and other unwanted visitors such as viruses and bacteria.

So... Whether its hitting the gym, taking a yoga class or simply walking outside, getting a small amount of exercise in your daily routine can help you stay healthy.

Note to athletes. Studies show that when over exercising you can actually weaken your immune responses for the next 72 hours. Balance vigorous exercise with plenty of sleep, coconut water for electrolytes and super-foods when able.

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