Tips to Keep You & Your Family Healthy this Winter!

1. Remove or Reduce Toxic Chemicals from your Home – Toxic chemicals from cleaning and personal care products can enter your body through inhalation, ingestion and absorption by your skin and can contribute to a lower immune system, trigger allergies, skin irritations and headaches and increase many health risks. There are safer, more effective alternatives – become an educated consumer!
2. Wash hands – Make an extra effort to wash hands when in public, around people who have been coughing or sneezing and always before eating! Follow the 20 second wash rule. Have young children sing the ABC song while washing. Always have hand sanitizer handy!
3. Research Your Supplements – It can be difficult to get all the vitamins and minerals we need from food so taking a multivitamin can help meet our daily needs IF they have a high absorbency rate! Vitamin C, E and Beta-Carotene are great immune system boosters. When included with zinc and B vitamins, this combination can naturally help maintain energy throughout the day and fight off the beginnings of a cold.
4. Get more D-In the winter months we are exposed to less sunlight thus our bodies need extra vitamin D, which is important to help build strong bones (as it helps the body use calcium) and boosts our immune system during flu season. The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends 400 to 800 IU of vitamin D daily for adults younger than 50, and 800 to 1,000 IU for adults 50 and older. Good natural sources come from fatty fish like cod liver oil, sardines, salmon, mackerel and tuna.
5. Probiotics are strains of good bacteria that protect the digestive system and aid in absorption of nutrients. They are critical for a healthy gut, strong immune system and total body health. Look for a brand that has 10 billion flora or more!
6. Fiber – Flushes our system of toxins so that our bodies can effectively function. The average suggested daily fiber intake for adults and children age 4-8 is 25 grams. Girls age 9-18, 26 grams, boys 9-13, 31 grams and 14-18, 38 grams … An apple has about 4 grams of fiber. Other good sources include berries, beans, avocado, and nuts.
7. Omega-3 – Not only can omega-3 fatty acids help with brain health, focus and memory and overall body function, but reduces inflammation thus increasing air flow and protecting lungs from colds and respiratory infections. Good sources are fish oil, especially salmon, mackerel, and herring and walnuts.
8. Exercise – Regular, moderate exercise improves cardiovascular and bone health but also has benefit for immune system and mood. Keep moving!
9. Stay Hydrated! Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day, more if you exercise and/or increasing fiber. Water will also help the body carry nutrients to cells and flush toxins from your organs.
10. Sleep – Not only restores your energy bank, but allows your body to recover from the stresses of the day and undergoes a natural detoxification process. When you are under the weather, extra sleep is a necessity. If you have trouble falling asleep, the scent of essential oils like lavender, can have a calming effect and help your body relax.

Guest Blogger Jennifer Korneski is a graduate of Rowan University with a degree in Exercise Science and a Masters in Public Health from UMDNJ-School of Public Health/Rutgers. She worked in Corporate Health Education & Promotion prior to teaching Health & Physical Education for 12 years. Currently she works from home as a Marketing Executive for a leading Wellness Manufacturer. For more information on this topic from Jennifer, email her at: [email protected]