Sanitizing Hand Gels Will Protect You

Nowadays, it seems that everywhere you turn, people are using hand sanitizing gels to protect themselves from bacteria and diseases. While these anti-microbial agents are good at stopping a lot of microscopic infectious agents, they don’t do very much at preventing someone getting a cold or the flu.

The CDC guidelines, as well as World Health Organization’s regulations for cold and flu protection emphasize that sanitizing gels are not nearly as effective as thoroughly washing your hands with soap and water. Sanitizing gels must be at least 60% alcohol to be properly effective, and running water and soap is far more effective at both cleaning your hands as well as removing microscopic traces of the cold and flu viruses.

You’ll Catch a Cold if Someone Sneezes on You

It’s certainly true that both the cold and flu viruses are transmitted via airborne particles, so someone sneezing on you carries a higher risk of transmission. But these viruses can also be transmitted by ordinary activities like talking, coughing, and normal breathing.

Furthermore, direct physical contact with a sick person can transmit these illnesses. That is why colds and the flu tend to infect entire families. Your best protection against getting a cold or the flu from a loved one or colleague is to regularly wash your hands with soap and water.

Flying on a Plane Increases Your Chance of Getting Sick

No one is quite sure where this myth started, but it sounds logical at face value. After all, the air on an airplane is being recirculated, meaning that a single infected passenger is transmitting airborne particles throughout the cabin. Combined with low cabin pressure, and being in close proximity to coughing and sneezing people, it’s no wonder that many people suspect that air travel makes them particularly susceptible to coming down with a cold or the flu.

Nonetheless, careful scientific research has shown that air travel is no more or no less risky than other forms of transportation when it comes to contracting one of these sicknesses. You are just as likely to catch a cold from your work colleagues, fellow students, family members, or other holiday shoppers at the mall.

Chicken Soup Doesn’t Work

Everyone seems to know that a hot bowl of homemade chicken soup is a wonderful remedy for the common cold. Other people believe in different home remedies, ranging from consuming lots of Vitamin C, ginseng, echinacea, or zinc supplements. For every “guaranteed” home remedy that works for one person, it seems not to have much success for another person.

Nonetheless, a scientific study undertaken at the University of Nebraska conclusively proved that homemade chicken soup DOES have measurable benefits in treating the common cold. While researchers aren’t quite sure which component is critical, it has been shown that the ingredients themselves have anti-inflammatory properties, critical to helping the immune system fight off colds and other infections.

The post Top Cold and Flu Myths appeared first on SmartChoiceMD.

Not Getting Enough Rest

In our busy, hectic lives, we often sacrifice sleep in order to get everything done. Without a doubt, not getting enough rest is a sure recipe for poor health, as our bodies need an adequate amount of time to heal and rebuild. Most people need at least seven hours of sleep per day, so if you find that your schedule simply cannot accommodate a full night’s rest, try to take a brief nap or two during the day to compensate. That being said, a strict schedule that includes 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep, giving your body its best chance to stay in top condition and fend off viral invaders.

Overindulging During the Holidays

It’s the time of year for feasts and delicious treats, but overdoing it can severely tax your immune system. Gobbling down sweet foods sends the body into overdrive as it attempts to balance blood sugar levels, leaving few precious resources to protect your body against illness. And, while drinking at parties is part of the fun for some people during the holidays, every drop of alcohol adds a strain on the liver, one of the key organs in the fight against foreign viral invaders. Eat and drink responsibly, and enjoy your holiday treats in moderation, and your body will have the resources to protect you properly.

Stress

It has been conclusively proven that an excess of stress takes its toil on our immune systems, leaving us compromised and vulnerable to infections and illnesses. Whether it’s the stress of battling the crowds at the mall, or stress from overly strenuous workouts in response to over-indulging in holiday foods, our bodies and minds can only handle so much. Take it easy whenever possible, and carve out a few minutes to relax and reflect in between all the hectic activities of the holiday, and your body will reward you with robust health and fewer bouts with colds and other illnesses.

Skipping Your Workouts

While you definitely don’t want to over-compensate for eating holiday foods with too much time in the gym, it’s also a really bad idea to skip your normal workout sessions. Whatever your normal exercise and fitness routine, it’s always best to stick to your normal schedule, as it will reduce stress, help keep you fit, and blow off a lot of the stress and strain of the season.

Social Smoking

By now, we all know that smoking isn’t good for us. But many people pick up the habit, or vastly increase how often they smoke, during the holidays. After all, many people will agree that nothing goes better with a few party drinks than a cigarette. If you find yourself tempted to blaze through an entire pack, take a moment to step out and get some fresh air, remembering that every cigarette is putting a tremendous stress load on your health and immune system.

The post 5 Worst Things for Your Immune System appeared first on SmartChoiceMD.

Stay Hydrated

Drinking enough water and other liquids is one of those things that we all know that we are supposed to do, and yet we sometimes (oftentimes) fail to do it. All year round, including in the winter, people need at least one litre of clean, fresh water per day, and much more during hot weather or periods of physical exertion.

Every function and process in our body depends on an ample supply of water to function. When we stay hydrated, our body’s immune system and other vital defenses have the necessary components to keep us healthy. People with severe allergies report having much milder symptoms when they stay properly hydrated.

Salt Water/Saline Rinses

Salty water is one of the greatest natural compounds ever discovered for clearing out your nose, sinus passages, and other clogged breathing passages.

Tip: mix three spoonfuls of salt (with no iodine added) with one spoonful of baking soda. Place the contents in a sealed container. Add a teaspoon of clean, purified water (do not use tap water) to the mixture. Then fill a bulb syringe or other device with the solution and squirt it into your nostril. Hold for a moment, and then let drain completely before treating the other nostrils. If you own a Neti pot, you can use the same solution as described above.

If your throat hurts, you can also try gargling the same mixture as described above. Be sure to spit out the and completely remove the solution and not to swallow it, as it may cause stomach upset or irritation from the salt.

Local Honey

Local honey contains a blend of local pollen and eating it can strengthen your immune system and reduce pollen allergy symptoms. Honey is so versatile and can be incorporated into anything from breakfast foods to desserts. It’s an easy and affordable way to keep your sinuses under control year-round.

Stay Warm and Rested

Again, it’s one of those simple things that we all know, and yet we sometimes need to be reminded once again of how important it is to be rested. When our bodies are fighting off infections, colds and allergies, it requires a lot of energy and sustenance. The best thing you can do for yourself is to get enough rest, to stay warm, and to not overexert yourself when your body is trying to heal. Forcing yourself to go into work or school when you’re sick just ends up prolonging the recovery period, as well as increasing the risk of you infecting your friends, family members and coworkers.

An Extra Pillow

Sometimes, when we are feeling congested or stuffed up, a slight change in angle can make a world of difference. By raising your head up higher than normal with an extra pillow, your sinus passages can gently drain during the night, giving you some relief by the morning. If the angle is not comfortable enough for sleep, try putting some pillows underneath your mattress or bed frame to create a more gentle slope.

Butterbur

There’s been a lot of excitement lately over the discovery that a natural plant called butterbur can work to reduce or eliminate allergic reactions in people. Some patients have even reported completely eliminating the use of pharmaceutical compounds thanks to butterbur.

Butterbur is available from many health food stores, chemists, and other shops. It has an additional advantage of not causing sleepiness, a common side effects with many anti-allergenic prescription medications.

Quercetin

Although the name sounds mysterious, this is a common natural ingredient found in many vegetables and plants. While some people prefer to simply eat more fresh fruits and vegetables to get more quercetin in their diet, some chemists and health food shops do sell quercetin supplements. The active compound in quercetin works much as an antihistamine or anti-inflammatory drug.

Apple Cider Vinegar

We all grew up with a bottle of vinegar in the cupboard, and it has many, many uses beyond a simple flavor compound in food recipes.

Tip: mix one spoonful of organic apple cider vinegar with a full glass of water, and drink the entire contents. Try drinking up to three glasses of this formula to both prevent future allergic attacks as well as to reduce the onset of current symptoms.

Probiotics

When we get sick, many times the doctor or nurse will prescribe a course of antibiotics, which while it may work to cure the infection, also strips your body of its valuable good bacteria.

Drinking fermented drinks such as kefir, kombucha, and organic yogurt can help restore your body’s colonies of helpful bacteria and microorganisms. Capsules, pills and supplements are also sold separately for people not wishing to drink dairy products.

Go forth and stay healthy!

A few tweaks in your everyday routine and diet can help keep annoying allergy and cold symptoms away.

The post Tis the Season! Natural Remedies for Seasonal Allergies and Colds appeared first on SmartChoiceMD.