Tips for a tougher immune system

Press, 22 May 1986, Page 9

Tips for a tougher immune system

Have you ever noticed how some people seem to catch every cold, flu and sore throat that comes around, while others remain unscathed?

Exposure is certainly a factor (your odds of illness are greater if you work or live around a lot of other people), but there’s some personal biology at play, too. Your immune system, like your muscular system, responds to how you treat it. Treat it well and it will treat you well. But neglect it and it will neglect you. Here are some tips for keeping your body’s defence system as loyal and fit as possible this winter. Eat right

“It’s not that just certain nutrients affect the immune system,” says Purdue University professor of nutrition, Thomas Petro. “Eveiy nutrient affects the immune sys-

tern.” Hence the importance of the proverbial well-balanced diet — one rich not just in fruits and vegetables for vitamins A and C, but one serving up adequate cereals, breads and beans for vitamins B and E, dairy products for calcium and vitamin D, and lean meats, poultry and fish for protein and zinc. Exercise

Research shows that moderate exercise on a regular basis can increase the body’s production of germ-fighting white blood cells, and it appears to make things uncomfortable for germs by raising body temperature, too. It may not be a good idea to exercise strenuously once a cold or flu has hit, however, as increased blood flow could help invading organisms spread. Saunas and steam baths may have the same effect.

“Bodywork”

by

PORTER SHIMER

Go easy on stress It’s tough enough to wage war inside your body without having to be fighting battles outside as well. Studies leave little doubt that the body’s

internal defences suffer during times of emotional duress. Stress that motivates and challenges is one thing; the kind of stress that causes worry and frustration is quite another matter. Don't smoke Smoking tends not only to dry up the body’s stores of vitamin C, it also tends to parch the nose and throat, creating tiny cracks through which bacteria and viruses can enter the bloodstream. Smokers get more colds than non-smokers, and their colds last longer. Keep up the humidity Exceptionally dry air can be as parching to the respiratory tract as cigarette smoke, so if you suspect the air in your house is on the dry side (30 per cent to 40 per

cent is considered most healthy) invest in a humidifier. Keeping the heat in your house to less than roasting levels also can help maintain air moisture. Soups and broths Hot, steamy broths can help fight colds and flus by keeping the mucous membranes of the nose free-flowing, thus reducing the likelihood of germs and viruses entering the bloodstream through otherwise vulnerable nasal tissue. Grow some faciai hair Yes, there’s evidence that facial hair can help cut down on the number of germs entering the nose and mouth by acting as filters. Copyright Universal Press Syndicate.