This is a great article that Joint Ventures owner, Dan Brownridge, found on Yahoo that talks about ways to prevent/fight getting sick this winter:
http://health.yahoo.net/experts/menshealth/8-ways-beat-colds-and-flu?page=1
It’s a very quick read, but we wanted to post it to our blog and comment on a few of the points:
Science is great! It's a solid discipline that helps determine many recommendations that we, the public, hear. By limiting the scope and decreasing the variables, science helps us find truth. However, reintroducing that specific information to the bigger picture may be the source of confusion for many. So here's a little perspective on this article from JV's nutrition, personal training, and masssage staff to keep things in context
Strategy #1: Eat an Antiviral Brakfast
Eating a 1200 calorie breakfast stimulates gamma interferon, an antiviral found in the blood. While true, I don’t know that I would recommend eating a 1200 calorie breakfast to decrease the risk of catching a cold. If a person needs 1800 calories to maintain their weight, and they consume 1200 at breakfast, they are left with a balance of 600 calories for the rest of the day. This person may decrease the risk of cold, but may also slow their metabolism, decrease blood sugars (what if there is diabetes?) increase fat storage, risk overconsuming calories or go through the rest of a perhaps active day without the appropriate amount of calories dispersed through the day. The statement is accurate, but likely not applicable for everyone. -- Anne Rollins, JV nutritionist
Strategy #2: Strike Back with Stress
Just be careful with any broad statement about stress. Long term or chronic stress has been shown to be damaging to many systems in the body. Short term stress has been shown to be beneficial, but differentiating long-term and short-term stress can sometimes be hard. Use short-term deadlines (think days, maybe weeks, but no longer) and well-defined and attainable goals to promote health benefits. -- Dave Larson, JV physical therapist
Strategy #3: Brew a Cop of Cold-Virus Killer
Green tea contains a class of polyphenols called catechins, which consist mainly of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), epicatechin gallate and gallocatechin gallate. Catechins have been reported to have various physiological and pharmacological properties over the years. Research demonstrates this compound has many health benefits, one of which is decreasing the length and severity of a cold. -- Anne Rollins, JV nutritionist
Strategy #4: Recharge Your Immune Response
Sleep is magic. The amount of processes that go on inside the body during sleep is nearly inconceivable. 8 hours of sleep is the typical amount of time the body needs to complete the cycle, although some bodies may be able to complete all the tasks in closer to seven hours. For optimal immune system function, optimal sleep and sleep patterns are necessary. -- Dave Larson, JV physical therapist
Strategy #5: Play Prevention D
In Northern and Southern latitudes, vitamin D deficiencies are common. Vitamin D is produced through photosynthesis in the skin and then activated by the liver and kidney. The process requires a certain amount of sunlight to touch the skin. In regions that are closer to the poles of our planets and that experience shorter hours of sunlight during winter, Vitamin D deficiency increases. Populations that are at increased risk include breastfed infants as there is no vitamin D in breastmilk, people with lactose intolerance as dairy products are an excellent source of fortified Vitamin D, people with melanoma who cover their skin in sunlight, the elderly as their intake and exposure is typically less and their ability to activate it decreased, and people with darker skin tones as the darker pigments decreases the amount of photosynthesis that takes place on the skin. Vitamin D deficiency is most commonly associated with bone diseases, such as rickets – and the US fortifies commodity foods like bread and milk to decreased/eradicate this disease. But recent technological advances have shown that Vitamin D behaves more like a hormone and is involved in many vital processes in the body including DNA replication. A Vitamin D supplement may be warranted fulltime for certain populations, not just to help stave off a cold. Ask your doctor. -- Anne Rollins, JV nutritionist
Strategy #6: Take a Walk
Exercise and movement improves lung function and helps the pulmonary system to move and fight infections from the lungs. Controlling your exercise level and environment (indoors vs. outdoors) to not exhaust you is key to exercising when you begin to feel sick. Proper hydration and nutrition before, during and after exercise can not be stressed enough when trying to exercise when you feel sick. Adding dehydration and fatigue to the effects of the common cold can be a quick road to numerous days out of work! -- Chris Larson, JV personal trainer
Strategy #7: Lie on Your Stomach
Certain types of massage can help “empty” the lymph system and promote release of lymphocytes, ridding the body of encapsulated unwelcomed cells and increasing the circulating white cells that fight off unwanted bacteria and virus. You may like or prefer a deep tissue massage, but this is NOT the time to get it! Flushing toxins from the muscles into your blood stream can make you feel more acutely sick and prolong your illness. -- Ryan Holohan, JV massage therapist
Strategy #8: Fire Up the Crock Pot
Onion and garlic are absolutely full of phytochemicals that support immune system function. Additionally, tomatoes contain lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that is available after cooking or processing (canned tomatoes are better than fresh for lycopene!). Chili containing all three of these ingredients would certainly improve overall health and immune system function. Beans do contain isoflavonoids that provide the immune system with necessary components to function optimally. The heat of the chili, both spice and temperature, helps open breathing passages and clear them of unwanted encapsulated cells that may be lurking in the depths of our nasal passages. -- Anne Rollins, JV nutritionist
If you have any questions or comments, please respond to our nutritionist, Anne Rollins, at anne@jointventurespt.com; personal trainer, Chris Larson at chris@jointventurespt.com; massage therapist, Ryan Holohan at ryanh@jointventurespt.com, or physical therapist, Dave Larson at dave@jointventurespt.com
Stay Healthy!