It's that time of year when the drop in temperature hits and many San Diegans are caught sniffing and coughing. Nobody likes to be ill. When I'm ill all I want to do is crawl into my warm bed and sleep. The worst of it is that it takes you away from being active and stand up paddling. Today's Yahoo News recommended a few antidotes to boost your immune system and they happen to be things I regularly intake. I'm not bragging (yes, I am) but I rarely get sick. Aside from staying away from contagious individuals, always washing washing hands or using anti-bacterial lotion, try the following:
Vitamin D- may help the immune cells identify and destroy bacteria and viruses that make us sick. It's recommended to take between 1,000IU to 2,000IU to help boost your immune system. Eat salmon and fortified milk for Vitamin D.
Green Tea- I drink it almost daily. It contains the potent plant antioxidants, Polyphenols, that provide immune boosting effects. Don't put milk in your green tea because it will bind with the polyphenols and make them ineffective.
Probiotics- These are popular nowadays. You'll find it in yogurt. Probiotics suppress the growth of bad bacteria but may also activate the immune system. Make sure you purchase fermented dairy products with the "Live and Active Cultures" seal from the National Yogurt Assn. This guarantees that the product contains a minimum amount of two beneficial bacterias.
Don't fall for the popular gimmeck and take Airborne. It contains all the vitamins needed for your immune system to function efficiently: Vitamin A, C, E, Zinc, Selenium but the mega doses in Airborne can be more harmful than helpful.
So try these tricks and hopefully you won't catch a "bug".
No comments:
Post a Comment