From children’s nurseries up to Universities across the country its the start of a new year and that means one thing.
Lots of people, in new places, spreading germs all over the place.
Having personally succumbed to 3 previous years worth of Freshers Flu I am going into battle on all fronts this year. Here’s how to give yourself the best chance to fight it.
Disclaimer: While most of this advice is useful for the majority of people, there are always a few exceptions. If you have a health condition, are on medication, have previously had a transplant or are immunosuppressed please speak to your doctor or health care provider before trying any of these. Yes, even the garlic.
Lifestyle
Get some sleep!
Sleep deprivation lowers your immune system. It is a straight forward link between the two. The less sleep you have the less equipped your body is to deal with colds, viruses and infections. Hello Freshers Flu!
You pick it up, can’t fight it off, give it to another person, and they give it to another person and they give it to another person…
Sleep might be the last thing you want to do during freshers week but getting into good sleep habits is the most straight forward and simplest thing you can do for your health.
Don’t stress!
Yeah like it’s that easy, right? Stress will happen and it’s not about fighting it as much as it is about dealing with it.
What are your stress reduction strategies?
^^^ If you have no idea, it’s time to figure out what works for you in preparation for more stressful times ahead.
Here are some ideas:
Meditation
Massage
Journalling
Colouring in
Exercise
Yoga
Stretching
Spending time with friends
Listening to music
Laughing
Avoid drinking too much alcohol…
I get it, this isn’t what you wanna hear. Alcohol is how we socialise, particularly with new people, however drinking too much can lead to sleep disturbances, dehydration, hangovers from hell and waking up realising that you DID spend that emergency £20 and you wish you hadn’t cos that was for food…
Diet
Eat your veggies!
Mmmm food. If you’re in the category of people who are moving away from home for the first time to the land of unregulated food consumption, the temptation to forego vegetables in favour of junk food will be strong!
However, those little powerhouses we know as vegetables and fruits are packed full of nutrients that help us to stay healthy. Healthy body = better prepared immune system.
Probiotics
Probiotics? Something to do with yogurt, yeah?
Sort of.
Probiotics are good, friendly, happy bacteria that keep your gut nice and healthy. Imagine a big party in your gut and everyone is a probiotic.
You can get these from the following places:
Fermented foods – if you’re from Europe chances are that you have exposure to some sort of fermented foods, but this is less likely to happen in the UK. Try some of these..
- Kombucha – fermented tea
- Kimchi – fermented vegetables
- Sauerkraut – fermented cabbage
- Miso – fermented soy used as stock in soups
- Red wine – in moderation, it has been found to provide some probiotics
- Yogurt – greek is best, the less sugar the better also
You can also take probiotics in supplement form. Look for capsules that contain 3-5 billion (10 billion if ill) and store them in the fridge.
Prebiotics
If the good bacteria (probiotics) are having a party in your gut, this is what they eat.
Vegetables:
Jereselum artichokes
Asparagus
Garlic
Onions
Leeks
Starchy carbs:
Barley
Beans
Oats
Quinoa
Rye
Wheat
Potatoes
Rice
Fruit:
Apples
Bananas
Kiwi
Berries
Citrus
Fats:
Flax seed
Chia seeds
Prebiotic meals:
Bone Broth – for soup, or just for drinking
Garlic roasted broccoli – even if you hate broccoli, you’ll like this (maybe)
Beef chilli by yours truly
Supplements:
- Garlic – not only is this a probiotic food, it also improves the ability of white blood cells (lymphocytes) to fight invaders and by increasing the production of T cells (T lymphocytes).
In plain English, it can help increase immunity, however this is a preventative supplement. Once you’re sick, it wont shorten the duration of the illness.
Aim to eat 3 cloves over the course of the day (this is why garlic is in almost everything). Excessive garlic can cause a drop in blood pressure so be careful. You can also buy this in supplement form, aim for 600 mg a day.
- Vitamin C – Vitamin C is researched mostly for its effects on colds. It might help reduce the duration and severity of colds, but only when taken regularly, before the first symptoms. In people who are physically very active, and thus more likely to get sick, it can also reduce the occurrence of colds.
You can increase your intake of vitamin C foods (see above link) or you can supplement. Take 1–2 g of vitamin C in the form of ascorbic acid in divided doses throughout the day.
What if I’m already ill??
I got your back…
Supplements:
- Zinc – Zinc (Zn) is a dietary mineral that can bolster the immune system and thus protect against the common cold and other infectious diseases. If taken within a day of the first symptoms, zinc may prevent them from worsening; it can also reduce the duration of the disease
Zinc nasal sprays, swabs, and gels carry a risk of temporary or permanent loss of smell and possibly taste. They should be avoided.
As an acute response to an infectious disease, suck zinc acetate lozenges throughout the day (80–125 mg of zinc per day). Stop after one week or as soon as the symptoms disappear, whichever comes first. Over time, such high doses of zinc can irritate the gastrointestinal tract.
Medicine:
Go to your local chemist and ask about cold remedies including:
Cold Relief tablets
Difflam Spray for sore throats
Soft tissues
Diet:
Make some honey and lemon tea
Keep eating your healthy foods listed above, if you’re not hungry focus on drinking hot liquids, try some soup or broth but don’t force yourself to eat anything heavy.
Lifestyle:
Sleep when you need to, even if that’s in the middle of the day.
Do NOT exercise – take a few rest days and come back stronger.
In short:
Look after yourself, look after your gut, stay strong and be fierce.
Ainzlie “no colds this year!” McMaster
