Fall For Health! By Gigi Steel
O
ctober has a whole lot of wonderful attributes: cool air, pretty colors, and misty mornings, but it also comes
with the beginning of flu and cold season. Here are seven ways to stay healthy and avoid the sniffles. Watch what you eat. Sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and carrots are all high in antioxidants, which help your immune system say, “No” to germs. High vitamin C foods like tomatoes and kale will also give your body a boost. Garlic and onions not only keep spooky spirits away, they are great at fighting infection and bacteria. An easy-peasy way to get all of these nutritious foods in one meal is to make a big pot of vegetable soup. If you have a runny nose, the steam and spices can help thin out mucus and make breathing easier. If you don’t already have a cold, the soup will taste delicious as you stay healthy.
Keep up your exercise plan. Shorter days may require advanced planning, but if you take time to exercise, your body will reward you by staying healthy. Exercise will also help you sleep better at night, which will help you feel better in the morning. It’s a cycle that is important to maintain. Don’t touch your face. Picking up germs on our hands is unavoidable. There are doorknobs and
Take vitamin D—for strong bones—and to boost your
elevator buttons and shopping carts and electronic
immune system. This vitamin has been shown to be an
pens and and and . . . The potential places to pick up a
effective element at preventing the flu.
bug are endless. The easiest way for these bugs to get into your body? Your own hands putting them there.
Get your sleep. Sleep deprivation can put you at risk
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth to keep
of catching a bug. The power of sleep helps your body
them out. And most importantly . . .
fight infection and gives your mind clarity to make
Wash your hands! Hand-washing always was
smart, healthy choices. Drink plenty of water. Our bodies need water to flush out germs, for mental clarity and physical energy, and to keep our organs in tip-top shape. Drink water throughout the day to stay hydrated. This will also help your skin to stay supple and better able to resist infection. 8 | 50+ Living | October 2020
and always will be the number one way to avoid introducing the germs that cause colds and flu into your body. Like the saying goes, “Wash your hands and say your prayers, because Jesus and germs are everywhere.”
