How to Stop a Cold (or the Flu) Before it Starts

-

What works -- and what doesn't -- when it comes to revving up your immune system

Once you notice trees dropping their leaves, days getting shorter, nights getting darker, and the air feeling a little crisper, you can be sure of two things: Drugstore aisles will be crammed with cold and flu preventions, from echinacea to zinc. And "coffee talk" with friends, family, and coworkers will inevitably turn to how to prevent a cold or the flu – or even ways to steer clear of the latest virus.
Seems like everyone has his or her own method for preventing colds and flu, from simple rules like never leaving the house with wet hair, to more deliberate methods such as:
  • Taking a special combo of vitamins and minerals
  • Sipping an effervescent vitamin drink
  • Getting a daily dose of an herbal remedy
  • Loading up on garlic
You know that taking steps to protect your immune system is wise. In fact, doing so can make your RealAge as much as 6 years younger. But on the flip side, taking unnecessary vitamins and supplements can make your RealAge almost 2 years older.
So with cold and flu season right around the corner, it's important to know which, if any, supplements can really help prevent a cold or the flu. Take our quick interactive quiz and find out how to stop a cold in its tracks.

What really keeps cold and flu bugs at bay?

1. Your neighbor is an avid skier and swears that taking vitamin C every day keeps her healthy and on the slopes. She also claims it will help keep you cold-free. Is she right?
  • Yes
  • No
  • Maybe

The correct answer is:

Maybe
It depends on how active you are. Despite long-held beliefs linking vitamin C and cold prevention, the only people for whom a daily dose of vitamin C has proved to reduce the incidence of colds are those who regularly engage in strenuous outdoor activities in cold climates.
2. You saw a woman at the health food store stocking up on echinacea and overheard her tell her friend that it's a cold's worst enemy. Is it?
  • Yes
  • No
  • Maybe

The correct answer is:

Yes and No
This herbal remedy has not proved effective at preventing colds, but it may be helpful in treating them.
3. You clipped a coupon from the local paper for a new probiotic supplement. Could this be the answer to preventing colds and the flu?
  • Yes
  • No
  • Maybe

The correct answer is:

No
Probiotics are the latest buzz in the nutrition world, and although the latest studies show they may help to shorten the duration of a cold, they don't seem to prevent them.

 

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

5 Low-Cal Game Day Snacks

-
Combine 1 month of holiday feasting with 1 football season of noshing on high-calorie snacks, and what have you got? Double the size in belly, hips, and thighs. But cheer up! We've got diet snack solutions to help. That's right. Game day food makeovers that look and taste like the originals. Your guests won't even know they're low in fat (and you'll stay in your skinny jeans till baseball season). Lite Wings: Cut the saturated fat and sodium with these cornmeal-crusted boneless buffalo wings. Serve them with a light blue-cheese dip. Pizza-to-go: For maximum calorie control, make it yourself. If convenience is a priority, order a thin-crust veggie pizza from Domino's, Pizza Hut, or Papa John's. All three can deliver a pizza that weighs in at less than 250 calories a slice. Chips and dip: Serve baked chips with a Greek-yogurt-based fat-free dip. At about 15 calories a tablespoon, you can have more than a handful.   Chocolate fix: Make y...
Read More>>

Best Way to Stay Healthy? Call In Sick

-
Next time you get a sore throat and sniffles, here's what you need to do to avoid can't-get-out-of-bed misery later: stay home. Research shows that people who report to work sick are much more likely to get laid out flat by an even nastier bout of illness down the road. Sick at Work People who came to work sick at least six times within the previous year were 50 percent more likely to need extended sick leave later on -- as much as two or more weeks off within the next 18 months. Why is punching the clock when you're sick so bad? Researchers speculate that when people don't take time to rest and recuperate, the body gets more and more run down -- to the point where it can't keep a little illness from ballooning into big trouble.    Healthy Solution Okay, so sometimes you might feel like you really just don't have time to be sick. Or maybe you don't have the luxury of copious sick days. If you can swing it, stay home. But also try these ...
Read More>>

Put the garlic piece in the ear before sleeping, the benefit will shock you

-
Image
Typically, the garlic ingested to increase the test in food which is very beneficial for the health. It is also eaten, as well as its oil is used in troubleshooting of many problems. Garlic oil is used in many problems related to ear or nose. This thing usually we all know. But Garlic is beneficial in many other things besides this. There are also many advantages by keeping the cut bud of Garlic in the ear. So let's know, about those benefits. Helps in Reducing High fever Many times a very high fever causes due to viral or other reason. In spite of taking medicines, there is no comfort. In such a situation, if you try to sleep with a piece of Garlic on the mouth of the ear, you will see that in a short time, fierce fall in fever. Immediate prevention of ear problem People who have pain in their ear, or problems with water or pus. Garlic is a very useful thing for them. For this, cut the Garlic before sleeping at night and place it on th...
Read More>>

Adsense