Consumer Voice :: Senior Citizen Senior Children Relationship

BACK TO INDEX

LOW RESISTANCE

Are you frequently under the weather? If your body a human internet for every cold germ or cold sore? When the bug for the new flu hits town, does it bug you first? If so, take heart: It could be that you just need to start taking better care of yourself. If you're not well-nourished, well-rested, at least moderately well-exercised and physically prepared to control the stress that faces you everyday, you might find your body battling bugs more frequently than you would like. That goes double if bad habits-smoking, drinking too much alcohol or not eating the way you should-are taxing your system.

Arm yourself against germs

Empty the fruit bowl

Eat at least three pieces of in-season fruit a day. People who eat three to six pieces of fresh fruit a day live longer and are markedly healthier than those who don't.

Take vitamin C

Studies done on 800 people tell that the current daily value for vitamin C-60 milligrams-is not the optimal amount. To ensure benefits, aim for between 200 and 300 milligrams a day.

Get your zinc

Your immune system needs and adequate amount of zinc for healthy healing functions. Women should be sure to get about 12 milligrams of zinc a day.

Take a multivitamin

In one study among a group of people over age 60, those given a daily multivitamin a day for 18 months did significantly better at tests measuring their immune levels than the group inactive look-alike pills for the same time period.

Think before you drink

People who consume more than for alcoholic drinks a day get more colds than nondrinkers.

Toss the butts now

Women who smoke are more likely to have more prolonged and more severe respiratory infections.

<<Prev