Your Immune System Is Your Ally Against Colds

The other day one of our sales reps called to ask for the updated website ranking numbers which she uses in her sales approach. Having been very busy with the Petanque America tournament and some responsibilities for the Fernandina Beach PEG channel and a number of charities, I had not had any time to gather these numbers from some 25 different sources. While on the phone discussing the issue I heard that she was sniffing a lot and learned that she had a cold. I told her not to go on sales calls until she was feeling better. My advice was based on both concern for her health and the certainty that she would pass her cold on to other people.

Then I got to thinking how I used to catch a cold or flu about twice a year, like clockwork. I would usually get sick once during the winter. Then I would get sick again at some point during the year when I was tired and stressed out and my defenses were down. First several years – my corporate years- I could even make a bet that on Christmas Day I would be sick as a dog. Too many hours, not enough sleep, an immune system ready to be raped.

It was never anything serious. I might feel miserable and miss a day or two of work, but with rest and fluids, I would feel fine again within a week. It was mainly an annoyance. Something I thought we all had to live with.

Then, with just a few changes to my diet and lifestyle, I stopped getting sick as often and in the last eight years, I have had only a handful of colds, all stress and lack of sleep related. Did you know that getting less than six hours of sleep per night can increase your risk of contracting a cold or flu virus by 300 percent.

It certainly has nothing to do with the flu vaccine. Over the years I have consciously observed that every person I know who gets the flu shot also seems to catch several colds each year.

The changes I recommend are natural, cheap and proven effective. Here they are:
•    Optimize you vitamin D levels
•    Cut out the sugar and refined carbohydrates from your diet
•    Take a selenium supplement

The Miracle of Vitamin D

I used to think that the seasonality of cold and flu had something to do with “cold weather.” After all, that is when most of us catch a cold. What I have learned since then, is that the rate and severity of cold and flu infections is closely correlated with our vitamin D status. When I moved to Florida and the Caribbean from places like New York and Holland, where it was often cold, grey and rainy during the winter, I started noticing much less colds. In Florida and the Caribbean the sun shines most of the time and the ocean is never too far away (saltwater is good in fighting about everything that ails you) My vitamin D status has been optimal ever since. And it makes a big difference.

Vitamin D is actually a hormone, and it is essential for your immune system to function properly. In fact, the “activated” form of vitamin D is required to turn on the genes that produce the antimicrobial peptides of your innate immune system. Without vitamin D, there is no innate immunity. This is just a very small part of the complex vitamin D story. It is however one of the most vital substances in the human body. Yet, most of us are deficient for at least part of the year. There are no significant dietary sources of vitamin D. So unless you live in a sunny locale, you need to supplement during the winter… and be sure that you enjoy time in the sun when it is warm.

Also Refined Sugar Can Depress Your Immune System

Cut out the sugar and refined carbohydrates from your diet and you will boost your immunity, shed fat and improve general health. The average person loses more than 90 percent of their immune function within 15 minutes of consuming a meal containing sugar and high-glycemic carbohydrates! And this deficiency can last for anywhere from two to five hours. Of course, if you consistently eat these foods, your immune system will remain perpetually depressed.

The Remarkable Benefits of Selenium

Selenium is not only a proven protection against cancer, it is also a potent immune stimulator and provides a powerful boost to our viral immunity. Rich sources of selenium include seafood, wild salmon, grass-fed butter and organ meats and especially Brazil nuts. In fact, these particular nuts are the richest food source of this mineral on the planet. You should seek to consume selenium in your diet by eating these foods. However, most of us would benefit from taking selenium as a supplement. The most bioavailable form of it is known as selenomethionine. And why is it that while nearly 50 million people died from the Spanish flu in 1918, the case fatality rate was less than five percent? That means 95 percent of those who contracted the flu recovered.

The difference is our individual immune systems.

The bottom line is that you have a great deal of control over your immunity. And there are many things you can do to strengthen and protect it. Reducing stress and getting enough rest are very important. You should also observe basic hygiene, like washing your hands on occasion. A high protein diet works wonders (proteins are the building blocks of many of your immune cells). And there are many herbs that have proven beneficial to the immune system. So optimize your vitamin D status, reduce the sugar and high-glycemic carbohydrates in your diet and be sure that you are getting enough selenium in your diet.
To a winter without colds.