Is there any truth to “starve a cold” and “feed a fever”? How about hand-washing; does it truly matter? Do we need to wear a hat, gloves and scarf over our neoprene clothing? Sounds a little paranoid to have all these things to remember, doesn’t it? So to keep it easy to understand, I’ve provided my top seven myth-busting answers to help you protect your body against the elements this winter.

 

Starve a cold – False. You never “starve” anything, especially when your body needs nourishment to become well. Think about it this way: If your body needed medicine to get better, you’d take it, right? Food is a “drug” and embodies many nutrients (antioxidants) that our body needs on a daily basis. To stop feeding our body healthy food would be foolish. Beta carotene, vitamins C and E are all rich in nutrients that supply our bodies with antioxidants that help neutralize toxins. Fresh fruit and vegetables are the easiest way to get the nutrients your body needs. Use steam versus boiling water when cooking vegetables so that you don’t lose the benefits of the nutrients.

Bioflavonoids are found in the core and white pulp of various fruits and vegetables (i.e. Citrus, peppers, cherries, grapes), providing the purest form of antioxidants our body needs when fighting illness/disease. Incorporate the entire food into your diet as much as possible to ensure the utilization of the benefits it provides. 

 

Feed a fever – True. Again, your body needs proper nutrition. A fever occurs when our body is under stress, reacting to illness. Food rich in vitamins C and D help fight virus, along with Zinc. Eating lots of fruits, vegetables and low in sodium soups are each healthy choices. Lean protein (chicken, turkey) and fresh catch fish (salmon, tuna) along with a variety of nuts (almonds, walnuts) will help you keep your body nutritionally balanced, as well.

 

Drink plenty of fluids – True, but only certain types of fluids. Water, herbal teas and maybe a cup or two of coffee are acceptable. Alcohol and soda are an absolute no. Fruit juice should be freshly squeezed.

 

Cover your nose and mouth when coughing/sneezing – True. Unless you’re trying to “share-the-love” you don’t need to get everyone else sick. Always cover your nose/mouth every time you cough/sneeze and avoid handshaking/touching.   Alcohol wipes are available in pocket and/or purse size containers and are adviseable to have on hand at all times, especially during winter months.

 

Anti-bacterial hand sanitizers are better than soap and water for disinfecting/cleaning your hands – False. Anti-bacterial products attack the healthy as well as the toxic bacteria. Opt for good old fashion soap.

 

Wear a hat (or head covering) – True. Our head, as well as the rest of our body, needs to be insulated to keep our body warm. It’s hard to determine just how much heat we lose through our head, but just like any other uncovered part of our body our head needs to be insulated, as well. 

 

Stay warm to stay well – True. When our body temperature drops our body becomes more vulnerable to illness/disease.   Warm blood elevates our white blood cell count, which in turn helps to keep our body producing natural disease/infection fighting cells in our body. When we’re cold, our defense mechanisms suffer. Staying warm enables our blood stay warm in turn helping our white blood cell count elevate, providing our body with a fighting chance to stave off infection and disease.

 

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