How I... Keep from Getting Sick

I haven’t been sick for 4 years.

Considering my Dad gets sick twice a year without fail and my mother has her usual flu once a year (and not to mention nearly all my friends getting sick from stress or just hit by the bug once or twice a year), I’d say a consecutive 4-year sick-free streak is pretty good.

That’s not to say I don’t feel like I’m about to get sick, once in a while. I get a sore throat probably once a year, but I always manage to fight it off before any other symptoms arise. I’m happy to say I can hardly remember what a stuffy nose or cough feels like!

I don’t think I do anything too remarkable to stay healthy, seeing as how my parents try the same things and they end up getting sick… but there are certain things I do when it starts getting colder to keep my immune system running well.

1.         I drink lots of water.

                        I was going to say ‘drink lots of liquids,’ but not all liquids are the same, obviously. Water is the most basic makeup of our bodies. It replenishes all our organs and keeps us running at our optimum levels. I’m not suggesting for someone to just carry around a jug of water and try to get 8-glasses in every day, people sometimes forget that there’s water in the foods that you eat. An apple is about 80% water, so if you have one of those a day, combined with your regular foods (a potato is about 75% water, for example) then you’ll be getting your fill.

2.         I consume a ton of Vitamin C.

                        Generally I don’t drink orange juice (I’m not a fan), but I LOVE Mandarin Oranges. From the time they’re available in the 5-pound boxes at the supermarket, I will eat at least 2 a day every day. They’re delicious, convenient to bring along with you as a snack, and they leave your fingers smelling like oranges J

3.         I don’t drink coffee nor soda/pop.

                        I have never been a coffee drinker (with the exception of Iced Cappuccinos from Tim Hortons in the summer) and even throughout University I never needed or felt like I needed the help of caffeine. Most people I know drink an average of two cups a day. And yes, I know, coffee helps you stay awake, but there aren’t really many health benefits to it. Caffeine just isn’t that great for you!

                        I also am not a huge fan of pop. I’ll drink iced tea, which really can’t count since it isn’t carbonated, but I have maybe one can of Sprite or 7-Up a year. Again, that caffeine can really mess with a person’s system.

4.         I keep warm.

                        I mean… duh, right? But how many times have I seen younger people walking out in 5-degree weather in a t-shirt? Sure, you may think you look cool, but I personally don’t find frostbite and pneumonia that appealing. I really bundle up, so I can avoid that ‘chill’ in the air. This isn’t to say I’m always prepared – there are always days I’m caught unprepared – I forget my umbrella, or my toque, or my gloves… and I suffer for a while… but I always make sure to get my core temperature back to normal as soon as possible.

5.         I never go out with wet hair.

                        This relates to the previous tip. Generally if you have wet hair, it will leave you cooler than if your hair was dry. If it’s freezing outside, your hair is going to freeze. Your hair is attached to your head. Your head needs to stay warm! Simple.

6.         If I feel my throat is starting to hurt, I take Echinacea pills.

                        I know there’s no empirical proof that these work, and studies are still being conducted… but for me they seem to do something. As soon as I feel the onset of a sore throat I will have one or two pills a day. By the way, the ones I have are 500mg (sometimes I’ll buy the 1000mg) and they’re HUGE. They’re pretty much horsepills so I have to get lots of water. By the end of the second day my sore throat is pretty much gone. I’m not sure if it these pills or the fact I always try to sleep more if I feel like I’m coming down with something, but I do find Echinacea effective. Plus, some pills you can buy from the market are almost 99% natural!

7.         I sleep more.

                        Nice and simple. If you’re pulling all-nighters and partying all hours into the night, then your body doesn’t have time to recuperate and recover. Try to get at least 7 hours.