How to strengthen the immune system

With the onset of cold weather, we begin to take particular care of their health and take a lot of vitamins, herbs, or drugs that we think will help boost immunity and to cope with colds and other evil spirits that are around in the autumn and winter, a dime a dozen. But all is not so simple and many of our beliefs are erroneous standard.

In fact, the strengthening of immunity should think year-round regardless of the season, because if you start to take vitamins or special drugs to enhance the body's resistance, they will begin to operate no sooner than a month. We, as always, that the winter snow on the roads is a surprise, and a flu epidemic fall down like that most of the blue.

So we read, think and make the right decisions.



begin with a repetition of the basics, and ask your doctor. Who else, no matter how the doctors who are taking the brunt of the common cold and other winter delights, be aware of preventive measures and precautions? Here they have and ask.
Healthy sleep

The fact that our health is directly dependent on the amount of quality sleep, we already know. But very often we ignore this fact, and if the summer we are surrounded by additional sources of energy in the form of a warm sun and a huge number of regular, fresh fruit and vegetables in the winter there is neither the first nor the second, nor the third.

According to the study, published in Arch Intern Med (and blog Eric Barker), an experiment was conducted with a group of three hundred and fifty people. Healthy people have been introduced rhinoviruses (the main cause of colds). Chance sick colds those who slept 7 hours of day, was higher in the three times, what people gave sleep 8 hours. The difference in sleep duration is just 1 hour, and the risk of ill - over three times!
Wash your hands

The fact that you need to wash their hands, they know even small children. Especially after you've been on the streets or were holding the money.

I think that some useful facts not hurt.

Studies have shown that hand washing at least 5 times a day, your chances of getting reduced by 45%. Germs can live on your hands for a few hours, so hand washing or special treatment of alcohol solution (available at pharmacies or stores household chemicals and cosmetics) will significantly reduce the likelihood of cold.

If you think that nothing bad will happen if you forget to wash your hands, here are a few interesting facts, after which you wash your hands after each answer the phone!

Based on the survey (US and Canada) 47% -60% of adults are sometimes wash their hands without soap and about a quarter of respondents do not wash their hands after sneezing or coughing. And about 45% of the students did not wash their hands after using the toilet.

I think that if you hold a survey among our population, the figures are not very different (and I think that the picture will be even more "colorful"). Need more motivation?
Fewer cigarettes and alcohol

Yes, that the use of alcohol and smoking reduces the immune system, too, everybody knows. I'm not talking about the stack after you have spent on wet or cold for 5-6 hours, or hot mulled wine. There probably talking about long-term and frequent use.

In our nose has special cilia (tiny hairs that cover our nasal passages), which play a rather large role in protecting our body from colds. They are a kind of filter, which prevents the penetration of viruses. Inhaled cigarette smoke paralyzes their work and you open up the infection. One cigarette stops these cilia for 30-40 minutes.
Physical activity and sauna (bath)

Studies have shown that people who visit the sauna (bath) twice a week, the chances of catching a cold are reduced by 50%. Influenza viruses and colds can not withstand temperatures above 80%, so it is not only an opportunity to have a good time with friends. So you still do to prevent colds.

The same goes for physical activity. The onset of cold weather does not mean cessation of physical activity. We are not the bears that hibernate in the winter ?! Daily charging twenty minutes will be enough to reduce your chances of snot in two or three times.
Chicken broth

Chicken soups and broths are the most common food that doctors around the world recommend their patients to colds. It moisturizes, nourishes and warms the body. Especially well it operates chicken broth, which was added garlic, which, in fact, is the main means of antiprostudnym. Just in combination with chicken soup it works even better.
More sunlight and vitamin D

Sunlight brings a truly healing force. Not only physically, but also emotionally. The less sunny days, the more we are prone to depression and stress. This in turn reduces immunity even more. Under the influence of the sun in our body produces vitamin D, which also plays an important role in the fight against viruses. Little sun = deficiency of vitamin D. Therefore it is necessary to look for other sources. For example, take the form of vitamins and eating more orange juice, fish of the salmon family, eggs, shrimp and milk.
Massage

Massage relaxes nice and relieves stress. So you kill two birds: getting a good prevention from diseases of the back and increases resistance to colds.

Relax, you get a massage activates your immune system, interleukins, which are leaders in the fight against cold and flu viruses.

Let's talk a little bit about the common misconceptions!
What we think is working, but does not really help at all

If you follow all the instructions in the complex, you are certainly not likely to get sick. But whether all of this alone, it was not proven. This does not mean that you should abandon it and start looking for alternatives. All of these tools work in one way or another. Just do not think of them as a panacea for the winter viruses and rely on them at 100%.

Vitamin C. No one cancels the importance of this vitamin in strengthening our health. Just because you start eating ascorbic acid batches (in the permitted limits, of course), it is absolutely not save. Research involving 11,000 participants showed that the dose of vitamin C 200 mg increases resistance to cold for a few hours.

That is, if you are going to the clinic for help in the midst of the epidemic, it helps, but does not guarantee protection for the whole day. Remember, you have just a few hours!

Echinacea. Basically, it all depends on the processing plant that has passed. But it can be safely regarded as a sort of placebo include cold medicines. Echinacea works no better and no worse than other herbal tea for colds.

But we remember that self-hypnosis - a great power.

Zinc. Some of the studies have shown that if you take zinc at the first symptoms of colds during the first day, cold can retreat. But then the results of these studies have been challenged. It has been conducted yet another study, and more than fourteen placebo-controlled studies on the effects of zinc on the body in the fight against colds showed an interesting result: 7 showed a positive effect, while others 7 did not show any effect.

That is, while taking zinc likely to get sick you have 50% to 50% - or sick or not.

Sahlin and other saline nasal sprays. These nasal sprays can help to cope with the total load on the body, but does not guarantee you protection. That is, if you think you sprinkle spray before going out, set yourself invisible shield against viruses, you're wrong. The complex will help them play a greater role, but by themselves they will not help you much.

Nonprescription prophylaxis and antihistamines. Like salt sprays, they will help alleviate a common condition, but will not protect you from viruses. Just as not shorten the illness.

Then just remember all the "favorite" proverb that if treat a cold, it will be held for seven days, and if not treated, for the week.

Antibiotics. Antibiotics do not work either, because the cold - it's a virus, and their main task - the fight against bacteria. That is, the big guns are floating only when the cold tightened and smoothly into pneumonia, especially severe bacterial bronchitis or sore throat.

But at the same time for some reason every time you approach the epidemic from antibiotics pharmacy shelves just blown away by wind magic.

Increasing the number of colds people. When young children are just beginning to walk in the garden, they often get sick. After about a year, maximum two, the option "weekly walk, two sick" changes to "get sick several times a year." Organism become immune to various viruses and becomes stronger. The older the person, the more he suffered from a cold, so a large species of viruses had developed immunity. Provided, of course, that he is more or less healthy lifestyle.

Therefore, despite the huge accumulation of sick people in hospitals, clinics and doctors get sick is not so often compared to other people.

All of the above may be true or not. Each of us has our own immune system and the health of all different too. But even follow basic rules of hygiene, sufficient sleep, active lifestyle, healthy eating and good humor to help cope with the upcoming cold weather.

From my own experience, that in recent years one of the proven and tasty home resources in the fight against colds became a ginger tea. Moreover, in several ways: plain black tea with a pinch of powdered ginger or a piece of fresh ginger root and milk tea (sometimes called Tibetan) with the addition of cardamom and ground nutmeg. Ginger is an excellent natural antiseptic and companies with cardamom and nutmeg wonderful struggling with a cold and a bad mood. Every time I start tickle in my throat, I myself I make a tea. And drink it just like at least a few times a week can be a very good winter habit.

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