How To Avoid Getting Sick This Winter

Green Lifestyle Expert Marisa Miller Wolfson makes sure we stay nice and healthy this Holiday Season with her simple, but incredibly effective, staying healthy tips;

You know how unfun it  is to be the Sicky Sickerson at holiday celebrations:  groggy, foggy,  sniffly, snotty, coked up on cold  medicine,  trailing tissues wherever you go.     I used to get colds or flus  twice a year. After going vegan, I’d only get  hit once a year, but it would always be around the holidays. My family got used to greeting me at the airport with a nasty cold sore on my lip and a nose red enough to give Rudolph a run for his money.   I hated it so much that I’ve put a lot of energy into not getting sick, and guess what? I’ve succeeded! I haven’t had a full-blown cold or flu  in over THREE years! As soon as I feel oogie, I batten down the hatches and keep  the bug  at bay. I’ve gotten  this  down to a science, and I’m eager to share my insights with you:

1. GET PLENTY OF SLEEP

A new study comes out every year supporting the importance of sleep in immune function. In fact, a 2009 study suggests that the whole reason why  animals even evolved to sleep was to  maintain our immune systems.  Get 7-8 hours of sleep every night. If you fall asleep within 10 minutes of  hitting the hay, it means you’re  not getting enough sleep.     If I’m suddenly overcome with a feeling of utter exhaustion,  it means I’ll be sick the next day. Now, whenever that happens, I cancel all plans and  go to bed  early.

2. LEARN HOW TO SAY “NO”

If you start to get that ominous tickle in the throat, say “no” to social obligations. While your friends will miss you at the cookie swap, they’ll be glad not to have your germs near their ginger snaps. And while your boss  might miss you at the holiday party, she’ll miss you more when you have to call in sick. It’s just not worth being miserable or unproductive (and infectious)  for days or weeks for just one night of “fun.”

3. TAKE YOUR VITAMINS AND DRINK YOUR WATER

This hearkens back to Mission #3. You don’t need me to tell you why vitamins are helpful in fighting illness. And water is the most  important element for  sustaining life and health. Drink it!  Staying hydrated will keep you energetic and healthy. Anecdotally, I’ve noticed that I’ve often gotten sick after I’ve  scarfed down  salty snacks that dried me out.

4. AVOID  TOO MUCH ALCOHOL OR CAFFEINE

While it’s tempting to lean on alcohol or caffeine during high-stress times, they’ll come back and bite you in the booty. They’re natural  diuretics that deplete your body of essential hydration, leading to headaches, lethargy, and skin breakouts. Unless you want to spend 30 minutes photoshopping holiday snapshots, avoid them.  If you do indulge in a  pumpkin spiced latte or some spiked soy  nog, be sure to drink an equal amount of water with it. Better  alternative to  caffeine: have a green  drink that will give you a  healthy jolt of energy.

5. HAVE A GREEN DRINK EVERY DAY IF POSSIBLE

I ran into a friend recently who successfully fought off ovarian cancer and insists that her success is due in part to consuming  one green  juice every day. Your body’s defense against cancer is the same defense against the common cold–the immune system! No better way of boosting it than  drinking a health cocktail packed with  immune-boosting antioxidants and phytochemicals from whole fruits and veggies.     Try making your own juice or blended salad. Here’s a recipe from Dr. Oz, but don’t feel like you need an exact recipe. Experiment with a mix of veggies and fruits until you find a mix that you like.

6. WASH THOSE HANDIES!

You’re allowed  to get a little OCD about germs during flu season. Be sure to wash often and wash well; get fingertips and thumbs, which are often missed. According to flu expert Dr. Michael Greger,  germs don’t care if you use cold or hot water. Just wash long enough to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice…in your head or to the  stranger’s ankles in the bathroom stall behind you.

7. TAKE ZINC

As soon as you start to feel cold/flu symptoms coming on, take a zinc supplement. Zinc is a well-known immune booster that finds its way  into many immune-boosting supplements. I credit Cold-Eeze with nipping my colds in the bud. Sore throats and sniffles don’t last more than a couple of days after I start taking this Wonder Lozenge. Put it on your shopping list to buy at a drugstore near you and keep a couple of lozenges in your bag so you can always have a stash on hand. (EDITORS NOTE: GGA Founder, Chloe swears by Astragalus and Black Elderberry Sambucol Syrup x2 a day when she starts feeling icky.)

Already sick, and need holistic relief FAST?   Read our article on fighting flu from last holiday season here, and feel better sweetcheeks!

Marisa Miller Wolfson is the Outreach Director for Kind Green Planet, a nonprofit dedicated to teaching people about healthy, humane, eco-friendly living. She’s currently in post-production for her documentary about veganism and is co-drafting a city council resolution to lower NYC’s global warming “foodprint.” She also loves coaching people on plant-based living through Vegan at Heart, a free email mentoring program for treehuggers, animal lovers, and health nuts who consider themselves vegans at heart but not necessarily in practice.

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