Although the big story this year is the H1N1 flu, winter is also the time when more people catch other strains of flu and the common cold. Shorter days and colder weather render our immune systems more susceptible to these seasonal maladies during the winter months. However, there are some simple lifestyle changes that you can make during the winter months that will naturally boost your immune system to make you less likely to become sick without resorting to drugs or other drastic measures. Here are some of the best ways to stay naturally healthy during the winter:
Diet
1. Eat Properly. Use Michael Pollan‘s simple prescription for healthful eating: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” “Eat food” means that you should eat the types of food that your grandmother would have recognized as food when she was a child. This means that “food” comes from whole ingredients, prepared at home, rather than pre-packaged foods with less nutritional content. “Not too much” is simple: don’t overeat, especially during the winter months when some people compensate for winter depression with overeating. “Mostly plants” doesn’t mean that you have to be a vegetarian, but that the majority of your calories should be derived from nutrient-rich vegetable sources. Serve meats as side dishes instead of the main course. (If you’re interested in learning more about Michael Pollan’s ideas about nutrition, see this excellent New York Times Magazine article).
2. Avoid junk food. “Junk food” isn’t really food–it’s just empty calories without many nutrients. During the winter, your body is burning many calories keeping warm and fighting off sickness, so you need to provide your body with proper nutrients to keep your immune system strong.
3. Consume plenty of fluids. Drink plenty of water during the day, and avoid soft drinks and other products that contain large amounts of fructose and other unnatural sweeteners. Drink juices that contain Vitamin C, like orange juice.
Lifestyle
1. Get plenty of sleep. Eight hours of sleep is essential to allow your immune system (as well as the rest of your body) regenerate and repair itself. Skimping on sleep is one of the worst things you can do during the winter.
2. Exercise regularly. Three to four hour-long sessions of exercise per week are essential to staying healthy during the winter. One danger is that over-exercising can actually be a detriment to good health, so if you feel overly tired after working out or have more trouble than normal recovering, you should probably back off the intensity of your next workout. Of course, dress very warmly going to and coming from your workouts. Never go out into the cold when you are sweaty.
3. Dress Properly. Winter is not the time to be a slave to fashion. Dress with as many clothes as necessary to keep warm. Wear a hat: there’s an old mountaineer’s saw that advises those with cold feet to wear a hat. The wisdom behind the old saw is that a disproportionate amount of heat is expelled through the head versus other parts of the body.
4. Stay positive. Remember the mind-body connection. Studies have shown that laughing, listening to positive music, and watching uplifting movies and television have a positive effect on the immune system. Load up your Netflix queue with some comedies!
5. Wash your hands often. Proper washing involves using soap and warm water, and lathering for at least twenty seconds. If you can’t wash your hands with soap and water, use an alcohol-based hand cleaner.
6. If you smoke, quit. Smoking cigarettes damages your upper respiratory system and makes you more susceptible to cold and flu. Of course, it also drastically increases your chances of dying of lung cancer or emphysema in the long term.
If You Get Sick
1. Stay home and rest. Although it seems like you can never take time off from the duties of work and everyday life, taking just one day off to rest can drastically reduce the length of the flu or a common cold. If you can bounce back more quickly, you’ll lose less time in the long run.
2. Keep your home clean. When you or someone in your household is sick, they leave germs around the house by using towels and touching common areas. Segregate the sick person’s towels, wash them often, and ensure that common areas are kept clean and free of germs. Consider replacing things like toothbrushes after you get better, because they can retain germs. Pay special attention to places like bathrooms and kitchens.
3. Determine whether or not you need to see a doctor. Read our recent blog about the H1N1 Flu strain, and see a doctor immediately if you think you have it.
