If you flick on the news for more than 30 seconds, you’re sure to hear a lot of hype and scare tactics about the
“killer” flu that’s been going around.
Jack Lalanne knows the secrets of keeping yourself fit and healthy
A while back it was the bird flu. Now it’s the swine flu. And I’m sure there will be yet another deadly flu scare next year.
While scientists rush to develop the latest modern flu shots, you can actually take a note from the old time trainers and
significantly reduce your odds of ever catching the flu just by following these “old wives” tales for flu prevention.
Much of this advice is routinely ignored by the mainstream media. But that doesn’t diminish the effectiveness of this simple regimen.
So without further ado, here are a few simple steps you can take to dramatically reduce your liklihood of catching the flu this year:
#1: Avoid Sugar
Consuming sugar can slow-down your immune system. And if you’re exposed to the flu virus while your immune system is weakened, you’re at an increased risk for catching the flu.
So just by avoiding sugars, you can ensure that your immune system is up to the task of defending your body from the flu virus.
#2: Get To Bed
This point of advice certainly isn’t sexy, but it’s vitally important. With all the technological distractions we’ve got at our disposal, it’s incredibly difficult to find time for sleep.
But you must. Because when you start short-changing yourself of your much needed rest, it hampers your immune system and makes you far more susceptible to the flu virus.
On top of that, many people end up craving sugary carbs when they’re running low on sleep so this is a double-edged sword.
#3: Get Your Vitamin C
While most of the medical community will argue that higher doses of Vitamin C make no difference when it comes to preventing flu for “normal” people, most medical researches agree that hard-training athletes can benefit from higher doses of Vitamin C. How much Vitamin C you should take is up for debate but one thing is clear: The Recommended Daily Allowance of Vitamin C (60 milligrams per day) is dreadfully low and any hard-training athlete should consider at LEAST 10 times that amount.
#4: Gargle and Clean your ears with 3% Hydrogen Peroxide solution.
This is a weird one. But many people swear by it. Back in 1928, Dr. Richard Simmons proposed that cold and flu viruses enter the body through the ear canal.
And 3% hydrogen peroxide solution (found at any drug store and sells for less than two bucks) is incredibly effective at killing bacteria and viruses.
So by gargling with 3% hydrogen peroxide solution and putting a few drops in your ears at the first signs of a cold or flu, you might be able to decrease your odds of catching the flu.
#5: Sit Down. Shut up. Breathe.
I firmly believe that people today encounter more stress on a daily basis than any other generation in history. And sooner or later, this will take a toll.
So if you can find just five minutes a day to meditate and clear your mind, it can go a long way towards keeping you healthy. You don’t have to get fancy. Just take five minutes and #1) sit down. #2) Shut-up. and #3) Breathe. (In through your nose, out through your mouth. )
Follow these five “old-wives” tales and you might find yourself virtually flu-proof even while those around you get sick.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Right on Matt! I definitely agree that taking preventative measures by keeping healthy and fit, eating the proper nutrition, and meditating can make the biggest difference by keeping our immune systems functioning at optimal levels. This way the flu has little chance of breaking through your body’s natural defense mechanisms.
I just posted a blog on how meditation can help those of us that lift weights achieve our goals of being healthy and fit. It’s very important to, as you said, SIT DOWN. SHUT UP. and BREATHE. Who knew something so simple could have such a dramatic effect on your life, body and health.
Great post!
Brandon
hardgainermusclebuilding.com/blog
I ALWAYS give my wife the instructions on what to do when she gets sick and every time she follows it, shes ready to go the next day. I do the same and works for me to.
And now that you mentioned meditation, I have been practising astral projection, where you have to lie down and not move at all. This greatly relaxes you, but I would still like to know how to meditate.
Hey Ash:
I started looking into meditation a few years ago. And at first, I was really obsessed with how to meditate the “right” way. One day I went to the library, pulled every single book on meditation off the shelf, and read each and every one before leaving.
By the time I was finished, I had written down about 30 different “right” ways to meditate. Each author had their own opinion on what you should do.
But eventually I realized I was wasting my time trying to figure out the “right” way. So here’s how I got started:
I would sit or lie in a comfortable position and take deep breaths (in through the nose, out through the mouth). My only thought was counting my breaths, 1-4. Try to banish any other thought from your mind and just focus on 1,2,3,4.
I did this for 5 minutes at first and eventually worked my way up to 15 minute sessions. Sounds incredibly simple and easy but I found it was EXTREMELY difficult to focus JUST on counting four breaths.
But like anything, you get better over time. So if you’re looking for a simple way to get started with basic meditation, give that a try.