Health & Well-Being

It’s time to stop getting sick! You don’t have to attach yourself to an IV drip of Airborne. Instead, use these “stay well” strategies to keep you going strong. They come from Men’s Health magazine:

• First, if you have trouble falling asleep, you may need to improve what experts call “sleep hygiene”. It’s about engaging in bedtime behaviors that are conducive to crashing out. That means no Leno and no laptop. Because losing just a few hours sleep is enough to cause the inflammation linked to heart disease, arthritis and diabetes – not to mention making you more vulnerable to viruses. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine says couples should have their arguments downstairs, banish the TV, the dinner plate, and briefcase from the bedroom. Any light, including your alarm clock, can stimulate your biological clock, so put it in a drawer. And dial your thermostat to 72 degrees or below. A drop in body temperature is essential for sound sleep.
• Protect yourself from your kids. I know that sounds harsh. But a Harvard Medical School study found that 3 and 4 year olds are the first to come down with respiratory illnesses that spread to adults. So teach your kids by example and wash your hands, throw out used tissues, and cover your mouth when you cough. And for extra protection, ask your doctor about popping a ginseng supplement. In a study, those who took ginseng daily had 25% fewer colds and less severe symptoms. The ginseng helps kill invading viruses by increasing the body’s production of 3 key immune cells.
• Get 15 minutes of sun every day. Moderate exposure to UVB rays can reduce your risk of 22 cancers. And while you’re in the sun, munch on carrots. A chemical in carrots cuts tumor development by a third, and can lower your risk of heart disease.