How to strengthen the immune system: old and new facts

With the onset of cold weather we are beginning to take special care of your health and take many vitamins, herbs or medicines that, we think can help improve the immune system and to cope with colds and other evil spirits that are around in the autumn and winter pond a dozen. But things are not so simple and many of our beliefs are erroneous standard.

Let's start with the basics of repetition and ask your doctor. Who else, no matter how the doctors who are taking the brunt of the common cold and other winter delights, be aware of preventive measures and precautions? Here they have and ask.

Healthy sleep

The fact that our health is directly dependent on the amount of quality sleep, we already know. But very often we ignore this fact, and if the summer we are surrounded by additional sources of energy in the form of warm the sun and the vast number of regular, fresh fruit and vegetables in the winter there is neither the first nor the second, nor third.

According to the study, published in Arch Intern Med (as well as a blog by Eric Barker), an experiment was conducted with a group of one hundred and fifty three people. Healthy people were put

rhinoviruses (The main cause of common colds). More likely to get colds in those who slept 7 hours per day, was higher than three times what the people who gave sleep 8 hours. The difference in duration of sleep is just 1 hour, and the risk of ill - up to three times!

Wash your hands

The fact that you need to wash your hands, even little children know. Especially after you've been on the street, or kept in the hands of money.

I think that a few useful facts can not hurt.

Studies have shown that when washing hands at least 5 times a day, your chances of getting reduced by 45%. Pathogenic microbes can live on your hands for a few hours, so hand washing or special treatment alcohol solution (available at pharmacies or stores of household chemicals and cosmetics) will significantly reduce the likelihood of cold.

If you think that nothing bad will happen if you forget to wash your hands, then here's another some interesting facts, after which you wash your hands after each answer the phone Up!

Based on the survey (US and Canada), 47% -60% of adults sometimes wash their hands without soap and about a quarter of respondents do not wash their hands after sneezing or coughing. And about 45% of students did not wash their hands after using the toilet.

I think that if you hold a survey among our population, the figures are not very different (and I think that the picture will be even more "colorful"). Need more motivation?

Fewer cigarettes and alcohol

Yes, that the use of alcohol and smoking reduces the immune system, too, everybody knows. I'm not talking about the stack after you have soaked or held in the cold for 5-6 hours, or hot mulled wine. There probably talking about long-term and frequent use.

In our nose has special cilia (tiny hairs that cover our nasal passages), which play a rather large role in protecting our body from colds. They are a kind of filters that prevent the penetration of viruses. Inhaled cigarette smoke paralyzes their work and you open up the infection. One cigarette stops these cilia 30-40 minutes.

Physical activity and sauna (bath)

Studies have shown that people who visit the sauna (bath) twice a week, the chances of catching a cold are reduced by 50%. Influenza viruses and colds can not withstand temperatures above 80%, so it is not only the opportunity to have a good time with friends. So you also do the prevention of colds.

The same goes for physical activity. The cold weather does not mean the cessation of physical activity. We're not bears that hibernate in the winter?! Daily charging twenty minutes will be enough to reduce your chances of snot in two or three times.

Chicken bouillon

Chicken soups and broths are the most common food that advise doctors all over the world to their patients colds. He is well-moisturizes, nourishes and warms the body. Particularly good effect chicken broth, to which was added garlic, which, in fact, is the primary means antiprostudnym. Just in combination with chicken soup it works even better.

More sunlight and vitamin D

Sunlight has a truly healing power. Not only physically, but also emotionally. The less sunny days, the more we are prone to depression and stress. This in turn reduces the immune system even more. Under the influence of the sun in our body produces vitamin D, which also plays an important role in the fight against viruses. Little sun = deficient in vitamin D. Therefore it is necessary to look for other sources. For example, take the form of vitamins and eating more orange juice, fish of the salmon family, eggs, shrimp and milk.

Massage

Nice massage relaxes and relieves stress. So you kill two birds: getting a good prevention of diseases of the back and raise resistance to colds.

Relaxation, you get a massage in time, stimulates your immune system interleukinsWho are leaders in the fight against cold and flu viruses.

Let's talk a bit about the common misconceptions!

What works in our opinion, but it does not really help at all

If you follow all the instructions in the complex, you are, of course, is not likely to get sick. But whether all this work alone, it was not proven. This does not mean that you should abandon it and start looking for alternatives. All of these tools are working in one way or another. Just do not perceive them as a panacea for the winter viruses and rely on them at 100%.

Vitamin C. No one cancels the importance of this vitamin in strengthening our health. Just the fact that you begin to eat the ascorbic acid in batches (in the permitted limits, of course), it is absolutely not save. Research involving 11,000 participants have shown that taking doses of vitamin C 200 mg increases resistance to cold for a few hours.

That is, if you are going to the clinic for help in the midst of an epidemic, it helps, but it does not guarantee protection for the whole day. Remember, you have only a few hours!

Echinacea. Basically, it all depends on the processing, which has passed the plant. But it can be safely regarded as a sort of placebo among medicines for colds. Echinacea works no better and no worse than other herbal teas for colds.

But we remember that self-hypnosis - a great power.

Zinc. Some of the studies have shown that if you take zinc at the first cold symptoms during the first day, cold can retreat. But then the results of these studies have been challenged. It has been carried out yet another study, and more than fourteen placebo-controlled studies on the effects of zinc on the body in the fight against colds showed an interesting result: 7 showed a positive effect, while others have shown no 7 effect.

That is, while taking zinc likely to get sick you have 50% to 50% - either sick or not.

Sahlin and other saline nasal sprays. These nasal sprays can help to cope with the overall load on the body, but does not guarantee you protection. That is, if you think you sprinkle spray before going out, set yourself invisible shield against viruses, you're wrong. The complex will help them play a greater role, but by themselves they will not particularly help.

Nonprescription means of prevention and antihistamines. As saline sprays, they will help relieve the general condition, but will not protect you against viruses. Just as not to shorten the time of illness.

Then just remember all the "favorite" proverb that if you treat a cold, it will be held for seven days, and if not treated, for the week.

Antibiotics. Antibiotics do not work either, because the cold - it's a virus, and their main task - the fight against bacteria. That is the big guns are floating only when the cold tightened and gradually turns into pneumonia, bronchitis or especially severe bacterial tonsillitis.

But at the same time for some reason, every time when approaching epidemic antibiotics from the shelves of pharmacies simply blown away by wind magic.

Increasing the number of colds people. When young children are just beginning to walk in the garden, they often get sick. After about a year, maximum two, the option "weekly walk, two sick" changes to "get sick several times a year." The body becomes immune to various viruses and becomes stronger. The older the person, the more he suffered from a cold, so to large types of viruses had developed immunity. Provided, of course, that he is more or less healthy lifestyle.

Therefore, despite the huge accumulation of sick people to clinics and hospitals, doctors are sick not so often compared to other people.

All of the above can be both true and not. Each of us has our own immune system and health status also all different. But even following the basic rules of hygiene, sufficient sleep, active lifestyle, healthy eating and good humor to help cope with the upcoming cold weather.

From my own experience, that in recent years one of the proven and delicious home agents in the fight against colds became a ginger tea. Moreover, in several embodiments: plain black tea with a pinch of dry ginger slices or fresh root ginger and milk tea (sometimes called Tibetan) supplemented with cardamom and nutmeg ground.

Ginger is an excellent natural antiseptic and companies with cardamom and nutmeg wonderful struggling with a cold and a bad mood. Every time when I start to tickle in my throat, I brew myself a tea. And drink it just like at least a few times a week can be a very good winter habit.