'Tis the season — the season for runny noses, sneezing, coughing, and congestion. Colds are everywhere right now, but even if everyone in the office or classroom is sick, you and your family members don't have to surrender to the stuffy nose and sore throat. Though you can't actually "cure" a cold, you can improve the way you feel with some simple remedies — and you can do plenty to boost your immune system and ward off getting sick in the first place. Not all remedies are effective, though; here are my best 5 tips for what works and what doesn't.
Boost your immunity.
One of the best ways to ward off a pesky cold is to strengthen your immune system against bacteria, viruses, and other invaders. The absolute best way to boost your immune system is to eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and to get plenty of regular exercise. It's true — exercise has a proven, powerful effect on immunity. A study revealed that when unfit, sedentary people started briskly walking 45 minutes a day, five days a week, they caught fewer colds over a one–year period. That's because each and every time you moderately exercise, the immune system — your body's first line of defense — starts functioning at a higher level and remains elevated for about three hours.
Skip the vitamin C supplements.
Although getting appropriate amounts of vitamin C is very important for maintaining a healthy immune system, research has found that large supplemental doses don't seem to do much of anything. In fact, it's been proven that vitamin C in amounts greater than 200 mg — that's more than double the RDA — had no additional effects of boosting immunity or preventing colds. For those who feel compelled to take an extra supplemental dose, stick with 200 mg (certainly not more than 500). But nothing beats getting a boost naturally by eating plenty of vitamin C–rich foods such as bell peppers, broccoli, oranges, and strawberries.
Watch your vitamin A intake.
Many vitamin A supplements promise an immune boost, but people need to be careful about overdoing it. There are two forms of vitamin A: First, there's beta–carotene and other carotenoids, which are found in plant foods like spinach and sweet potatoes. Carotenoids are converted into vitamin A only as your body needs it, so you really can't eat too much. Then there's preformed vitamin A, found in animal foods and some supplements (typically listed on vitamin labels as retinol or acetate or palmitate). Preformed vitamin A can build up and cause uncomfortable side effects such as nausea and dizziness. For this reason, you'll want to avoid vitamin A supplements and get the bulk of your vitamin A from delicious vegetables and fruits like leafy green veggies, carrots, cantaloupe, and pumpkin. If you take a multivitamin, just make sure that at least 50 percent of the vitamin A comes in the form of beta carotene and/or mixed carotenoids.
Snack on yogurt.
Probiotics — found in yogurt products — are healthy bacteria that aid digestion. There is preliminary research connecting certain probiotics and the immune system. However, studies are unclear about the type of probiotic strains and the amount needed to reap any definitive immune health benefit. On a positive note, yogurt is a terrific source of calcium and vitamin D, nutrients that boost bone and heart health. And low–fat yogurt is a protein–rich, low–calorie snack for weight loss. So go ahead and buy these yogurts, but do it because they're healthy and taste good — not as a cold cure!
Listen to what Mom said about chicken soup.
First, hot fluids in general help to keep nasal passages moist, increase the movement of mucus, prevent dehydration, and soothe a sore throat. And the psychological comfort that soup provides may also have a placebo effect for those who are feeling ill. Even more promising, studies have shown that chicken soup with a variety of veggies may contain substances that function as an anti–inflammatory mechanism and potentially ease the symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections, including congestion, stuffy nose, cough, and sore throat. The bottom line: Your mom was right! Eat plenty of chicken soup with
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