Cold and flu season is almost here again. For the most part, our immune systems do an extraordinary job of helping us defend against disease-causing germs. While it can seem challenging to get through an entire cold and flu season healthy, the following healthy habits may help decrease your chances of getting sick.
1. Eat More Fruits and Veggies
Filling your plate with more fresh fruits and vegetables during cold and flu season can help your immune system to stay strong. Eat colorful fruits and vegetables like sweet potatoes, carrots, blueberries, and spinach to provide your body with much-needed vitamins and nutrients. Aim for 2 1/2 cups of fresh vegetables and two cups of fresh fruit per day, says the USDA guidelines.
2. Drink Up
Our body is made up of mostly water. Staying properly hydrated helps to keep your respiratory system tissues moist, helps your kidneys to flush toxins from your body, and help thin out mucus. So, aim to drink at least 2 liters of water daily to keep your immune system working well.
3. Catch Some ZZ’s
Getting enough sleep allows the immune system to repair and stay strong. Getting adequate sleep has been shown to help your body defend against sickness and promotes better health. So, aim for 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep a night to keep your immune system in optimal condition.
4. Get Moving
As the weather turns cooler, you may be tempted to cut back on your regular exercise routine. Don’t! Daily exercise can help lower stress, improve immunity, and give our bodies extra energy to fight off any nasty germs. In fact, a recent study has shown that just 30-45 minutes a day of moderate activity—like brisk walking—can lower your chances of developing Upper Respiratory Tract Infection (UTRI) symptoms.
5. Wash your Hands
One of the best and easiest ways to stay healthy this time of year is to regularly and thoroughly wash your hands. Good handwashing techniques can lower your risk of contracting and spreading diarrheal illnesses (like norovirus or infections from Salmonella or E. coli) by 31%, along with respiratory illnesses (like the common cold) by 16-21%, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Get in the habit of washing your hands every time you come home from a public place, before eating, and after using the bathroom. The WHO recommends washing hands with soap and water for at least 40 seconds (See the proper handwashing steps HERE).
6. Get a boost
Unfortunately, sometimes practicing the healthy habits above doesn’t always protect us completely. In addition to eating a healthy diet and getting adequate water daily, it is also important to take a good multi-vitamin and a probiotic.
A 2015 study showed that probiotics were better than placebo in decreasing the number of people experiencing episodes of acute UTRI by about 47% and the duration of each episode by about 1.89 days. Why? Because taking a daily probiotic supplement—like SmartyPants Adult Probiotic Complete gummy vitamins—can help restore and boost your guts “good germs” making your digestive and immune systems run more efficiently.
In fact, each serving delivers 7 billion CFU’s per 2 gummies (that’s 7x more CFU than leading gummy probiotics!), and they use the unique multi-strain probiotic in spore forms: strains DE111® and IS2*. This supplement has a proven 99% survivability against time, changing temperature, and harsh stomach acid. This ensures that the probiotics get to your large intestine alive, where they can flourish, multiple, and promote good gut bacteria and digestive health*.
These probiotics also contain Wellmune® prebiotic immune support*. Wellmune® is a fiber that helps feed the special probiotic bacteria in SmartyPants Probiotic Complete products while naturally boosting and supporting your immune system.
These great tasting SmartyPants Adult Probiotic Complete Gummies are vegetarian and made with first-class ingredients. There are NO artificial colors, sweeteners, flavors, or preservatives; NO High Fructose Corn Syrup; and absolutely NO GMOs, Gluten, Tree Nuts, Peanuts, or Dairy.
Plus, SmartyPants is dedicated to bringing more health and wellness to more people. For every bottle sold, a one-for-one nutrient grant is awarded to Vitamin Angels to provide a child in need with life changing vitamin A supplementation for one year. So far, they’ve helped over 2 million children! How cool is that?
7. Stay Connected
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This is a sponsored post for Smarty Pants Vitamins. All opinions are our own.
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
