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Six Things You Need to Do Right Now to Avoid a Cold
Taylor Stolt, RDN, LD, CLT, IFNCP • October 14, 2018
I love soaking up some summertime sunshine, but MAN do I love Fall. I love the cooler weather (those 100 degree days in Texas get old real fast), rocking oversized sweaters, creating fun pumpkin desserts, the football games (ok, I don’t really care about the football but I do love an excuse to hang with friends).
What I don’t love is the common cold ruining all the fun!
Seriously, is there anything worse than your nose constantly running? Hmm, perhaps not being able to breathe through your nose at all? Or maybe the watery eyes and sneezing takes the cake. So many lovely cold symptoms to choose from.
Follow my top tips to fend off the common cold so you can keep doing your Fall-thang,
1) Vitamin D – Sunshine or supplement
- Vitamin D turns on key peptides in your immune system that allow you to fight off infections and viruses… Both the cold and flu included!
- Meeting your body’s needs with food alone is extremely difficult and unlikely.
- Sunshine is the cheapest and most effective way to increase your vitamin D! 20 minutes 2-3 times a week is sufficient in the summertime. In the Fall bump it up to 30 minutes!
- Ask your doctor to check your vitamin D level to see if you’re deficient – alot of people are!
2) Eat enough protein
- Your body uses the protein in food to produce proteins in your body, including proteins that make up your immune system.
- A good starting point for protein intake is 1 gram per kilogram body weight (divide your weight in pounds by 2.2).
- Mix it up with animal and plant protein!
3) Stay active
- Working out regularly enhances immune function.
- Try to get in 4-5 hours of exercise a week, even if you need to sprinkle in walks or leisurely bike ride here and there.
4) Rest
- Sleep deprivation suppresses the immune system!
- Aim for at least 7 hours of sleep per night, preferably 8.
5) Get enough Zinc
- Most colds are caused by a virus caused rhinovirus. Zinc prevents the rhinovirus from multiplying, and it stops the virus from settling in your nasal passages and throat.
- Zinc-rich foods include chicken, beef, shellfish, beans, chickpeas, lentils, yogurt, cashews, hemp seeds, and cheese.
6) Keep up that Vitamin C
- Yup, vitamin C can be helpful in preventing a cold. But don’t just throw back a bunch of vitamin C pills!
- Supplementing is unlikely to help.
- Instead, consistently eat fruits and vegetables to meet vitamin C needs and benefit from additional nutrients and phytochemicals!
- Avoid getting all your vitamin C from OJ and opt for whole food sources like kiwi, pineapple, mango, strawberries, bell peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale and spinach.
Feel a cold coming on? Or have a full-blown cold already? I have tips for that too! Comment below to let me know if you’d like to find out how to cut your cold time in half and feel better fast.
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