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Heart Disease and Woman

www.hearttruth.com

February is American Heart Month and is kicked off by National Wear Red Day on February 1st. Every woman needs to know about heart disease.

The Heart Truth is that heart disease is the #1 killer of American women.  In fact, one in four women dies of heart disease.  But heart disease can also lead to disability and a significantly decreased quality of life.

The Heart Truth is that women don’t take their risk of heart disease seriously—or personally.  Women often fail to make the connection between risk factors, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and their own chance of developing heart disease.

The Heart Truth is that all women can take steps to lower their risk of developing heart disease. If you’re a woman ages 40-60, it’s especially important that you begin right away to lower your risk. That’s the time when a woman’s risk of heart disease starts to rise.  Younger and older women also need to act now.  Heart disease can begin early, even in the teen years.  But it’s also never too late to improve heart health—even for those who have already had a heart attack.

Whatever a woman’s age, she needs to take action to protect her heart health.

What is Heart Disease?

Coronary heart disease is the main form of heart disease. It is a disorder of the blood vessels of the heart that can lead to heart attack. A heart attack happens when an artery becomes blocked, preventing oxygen and nutrients from getting to the heart.  Often referred to simply as heart disease, it is one of several cardiovascular diseases, which are diseases of the heart and blood vessel system.  Other cardiovascular diseases include stroke, high blood pressure, angina (chest pain), and rheumatic heart disease.

One reason some women aren’t too concerned about heart disease is that they think it can be “cured” with surgery.  This is a myth.  Heart disease is a lifelong condition—once you get it, you’ll always have it. True, procedures such as bypass surgery and angioplasty can help blood and oxygen flow to the heart more easily.  But the arteries remain damaged, which means you are more likely to have a heart attack. What’s more, the condition of your blood vessels will steadily worsen unless you make changes in your daily habits. Many women die of complications from heart disease, or become permanently disabled.  That’s why it is so vital to take action to prevent and control this disease.
What Are the Risk Factors for Heart Disease?

Risk factors are conditions or habits that make a person more likely to develop a disease.  They can also increase the chances that an existing disease will get worse.  Important risk factors for heart disease that you can do something about are:

• High blood pressure
• High blood cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Smoking
• Being overweight
• Being physically inactive
• Having a family history of early heart disease
• Age (55 or older for women)

Some risk factors, such as age and family history of early heart disease, can’t be changed.  For women, age becomes a risk factor at 55.  After menopause, women are more apt to get heart disease, in part because their body’s production of estrogen drops.  Women who have gone through early menopause, either naturally or because they have had a hysterectomy, are twice as likely to develop heart disease as women of the same age who have not yet gone through menopause.  Another reason for the increasing risk is that middle age is a time when women tend to develop risk factors for heart disease.  Family history of early heart disease is another risk factor that can’t be changed. If your father or brother had a heart attack before age 55, or if your mother or sister had one before age 65, you are more likely to get heart disease yourself. While certain risk factors cannot be changed, it is important to realize that you do have control over many others.  Regardless of your age, background, or health status, you can lower your risk of heart disease—and it doesn’t have to be complicated.  Protecting your heart can be as simple as taking a brisk walk, whipping up a good vegetable soup, or getting the support you need to maintain a healthy weight.
Some women believe that doing just one healthy thing will take care of all of their heart disease risk. For example, they may think that if they walk or swim regularly, they can still smoke and stay fairly healthy. Wrong!  To protect your heart, it is vital to make changes that address each risk factor you have. You can make the changes gradually, one at a time.  But making them is very important.  Other women may wonder: If I have just one risk factor for heart disease—say, I’m overweight or I have high blood cholesterol—aren’t I more or less “safe”?  Absolutely not. Each risk factor greatly increases a woman’s chance of developing heart disease.  But having more than one risk factor is especially serious, because risk factors tend to “gang up” and worsen each other’s effects.  So, the message is clear:  Every woman needs to take her heart disease risk seriously—and take action now to reduce that risk.
Tips for Heart Health

• Don’t smoke, and if you do, quit.  Women who smoke are two to six times more likely to suffer a heart attack than non-smoking women. Smoking also boosts the risk of stroke and cancer.

• Aim for a healthy weight.  It’s important for a long, vigorous life.  Overweight and obesity cause many preventable deaths.

• Get moving.  Make a commitment to be more physically active.  Aim for 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity on most, preferably all, days of the week.

• Eat for heart health.  Choose a diet low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol, and moderate in total fat.

• Know your numbers.  Ask your doctor to check your blood pressure, cholesterol (total, HDL, LDL, triglycerides), and blood glucose.  Work with your doctor to improve any numbers that are not normal.

To learn more or for resources including Fact Sheets, Tools, Links, and Clinical Guidelines visit these links:

http://www.womenshealth.gov/hearttruth/factsheets.cfm
http://www.goredforwomen.org

Popularity: 5% [?]

Corporate fitness and health and wellness in the workplace is
extremely important to not only employees, but also to the employers.  
motivFIT now offers a Corporate Fitness Challenge, which is a six week fitness
and nutrition overhaul for work places  with guaranteed results!
Imagine having a corporate health and wellness plan that produced
amazing results for all of your employees that participate!

The average participant in the program loses 10-12 pounds and 8 to
10 inches over the course of 6 weeks, and adopts new habits of better
eating and increased physical activity. As a result, employers reap the
benefits of a happier team, improved collegiality, better energy and
focus at work and reduced health risks!

• Get fit with your own personal trainer: includes three sessions with your coach!
• Lose weight with a Complete Food Guide
• Pick out something new everyday with our easy to make recipes.
• Five optional group workouts to boost team spirit!
• Individualized fitness programs and accountability with food and exercise journaling.

The Corporate Fit Challenge is a fun way to get started on a healthy
fitness program and build camaraderie with your co-workers. We offer
personal training sessions, nutrition plans, on site or off site group
workouts (optional) and more.

We can accommodate all fitness levels in your office – from
self-identified couch potatoes to fitness enthusiasts! We conduct
on-site or off-site personal training sessions.

motivFIT is excited to share this program with
you and hope that with your help, we can organize a Corporate Fit
Challenge with a few simple steps in your work place. The cost of this
program is very affordable and the effects are priceless.

Corporate Fit Challenge is a nationally recognized wellness program.
The program can help people of all fitness levels from self professed
“couch potatoes” to fitness enthusiasts.

This program can be implemented easily and affordably!

Please visit us at www.motivFIT.com to schedule a consultation or for pricing information.

Popularity: 8% [?]

There are a growing number of boot camps in Summerlin, Nevada. How are you to choose the best fitness boot camp program?  Let us help you sort through the possible confusion. By comparing Boot Camps in Summerlin.

How to Choose the Right Fitness Boot Camp in Summerlin by Using motivFIT’s RED FLAG System.

First, it’s important to understand who we are and our background.

motivFIT is the first certified fitness camp training program in Las Vegas and is locally owned and operated.  Don’t be fooled by the boot camp imposters: those barely-certified trainers dabbling in fitness while looking for work.  Carrie and Jeff Morgan have a committed, full-time passion to help clients learn to enjoy fitness again for life.  Jeff & Carrie are both certified through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), which is Accredited by the NOCA.

motivFIT has become well respected throughout the fitness community of Las Vegas and is the Premier Fitness Camp to join in Summerlin!  Our Fitness Camp instructors are the most qualified, highly educated, certified fitness camp instructors in the area with several years of combined health and fitness education & experience.

motivFIT maintains the highest standards for training, education and safety.

REMEMBER: Boot camps in Summerlin are not about military exercises designed for 18 year olds. Our Fitness Camps are about appropriate, challenging, fun and safe exercises that will sculpt your body the right way as quickly as possible.

Second, be sure to ask the following questions when researching Boot Camps in Summerlin and other fitness classes in the Summerlin area:

1. Are you and your fitness instructors certified Personal Trainers?
There are many people out there that have been working out in the gym for years and therefore believe that they are qualified to be a “personal trainer” and give instruction.  Just because a person knows how to lift a weight, doesn’t make them an expert in health science.  Would you get medical treatment from someone that knew a lot about medicine, but doesn’t hold a Doctorate in medicine and is not board certified through the state? BEWARE of “boot camps”, in which, the instructors teaching the class are not certified personal trainers, but individuals that went through the boot camp in Summerlin, got results, and now feel qualified to teach a class.

RED FLAG #1 – Non-Certified Personal Trainers teaching the class

2. Where did you receive your Personal Training Certification and who is the organization accredited by?
Anyone can log on to the Internet, pay for a Personal Training Certification, and now they hold a “Personal Trainer Certification”.  Don’t be fooled by imposters!  For more information on recognized and accredited certifications please visit the NOCA website.

RED FLAG #2 – Did not receive Personal Training Certification from an Accredited Institution

***Don’t be afraid to ask for them to show you their certification.  They should be able to provide you with a current certification.***

3. Please tell me about your fitness background and experience.
Ask them how long they have been training and if this is what they do full-time. Ask to see written client testimonials.

If the boot camp in Summerlin or fitness class you are looking to join can’t answer these questions or provide you with the requested information, then run!  If you log onto a Summerlin Boot Camp website and there is no information on the company background, certifications and experience, or testimonials, then chances are you are dealing with a fake.  A lot of us will shop around for months when it comes time for us to buy a new T.V., furniture, or even a car.  Don’t you think you owe it to yourself the same research when it comes to your HEALTH?

RED FLAG #3 – Part-Time or barely-certified trainers dabbling in fitness while looking for work.  Can’t provide background information on company or individual and have no proven track record.

4. Cost of the Camps
If someone is charging you 5 bucks a class, all I can say is you will get what you pay for.  Would you go to the lowest cost Doctor in town when seeking medical treatment?  This is your health that we are talking about!  Inexperienced trainers and fakes will try and earn your business by offering the lowest priced Summerlin Boot Camp in town.  Why do they do that??  The simple fact is that they do not believe in what they are doing or they don’t truly believe they can help you to achieve your health and fitness goals in their Boot Camps in Summerlin.  The other reason is that they want to load up there Boot Camp class sizes with 30-40 people per trainer.  How do you plan on getting the proper exercise instruction with this many people in a class??  You won’t!

The maximum numbers of clients in our Fitness Camps are 15.

The cost of motivFIT Fitness Camps are higher than most other Boot Camps in Summerlin.  Why?  Because we believe in what we are doing and know, without question that we are the best Outdoor Fitness Camp in the State!  As a result, our clients come back month after month. Just read our Client Testimonials.

RED FLAG #4 – Boot Camps in Summerlin charging dirt cheap prices. You will get what you pay for.

Finally, it is our goal at motivFIT to help educate you to make the right decisions when it comes to your health. Whether you choose to join our Fitness Camps or not, we hope that you will use this Red Flag System to compare the best boot camp in Summerlin for you.  Your health is important to us and we want to make sure that you find a true Fitness Professional to work with. When researching Boot Camps in Summerlin and other fitness organizations, if you receive at least one RED FLAG be very cautious of what you might be getting yourself into.

Join motivFIT’s Fitness Camps to ensure your experience is fun, safe and designed to perfection!   For more information, please visit motivFIT.com

Popularity: 100% [?]

Henderson Fitness Camp

There are a growing number of boot camps in Las Vegas, Nevada and around the country. How are you to choose the best fitness boot camp program?  Let us help you sort through the possible confusion. By comparing Boot Camps in Las Vegas

First, it’s important to understand who we are and our background.

motivFIT is the first certified fitness camp training program in Las Vegas and is locally owned and operated.  Don’t be fooled by the boot camp imposters: those barely-certified trainers dabbling in fitness while looking for work.  Carrie and Jeff Morgan have a committed, full-time passion to help clients learn to enjoy fitness again for life.  Jeff & Carrie are both certified through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), which is Accredited by the NOCA.

motivFIT has become well respected throughout the fitness community of Las Vegas and is the Premier Fitness Camp to join in the Valley!  Our Fitness Camp instructors are the most qualified, highly educated, certified fitness camp instructors in the area with several years of combined health and fitness education & experience.

motivFIT maintains the highest standards for training, education and safety.

REMEMBER: Boot camps in Las Vegas are not about military exercises designed for 18 year olds. Our Fitness Camps are about appropriate, challenging, fun and safe exercises that will sculpt your body the right way as quickly as possible.

Second, be sure to ask the following questions when researching Boot Camps in Las Vegas and other fitness classes in the Las Vegas area:

1. Are you and your fitness instructors certified Personal Trainers?
There are many people out there that have been working out in the gym for years and therefore believe that they are qualified to be a “personal trainer” and give instruction.  Just because a person knows how to lift a weight, doesn’t make them an expert in health science.  Would you get medical treatment from someone that knew a lot about medicine, but doesn’t hold a Doctorate in medicine and is not board certified through the state? BEWARE of “boot camps”, in which, the instructors teaching the class are not certified personal trainers, but individuals that went through the boot camp in Las Vegas, got results, and now feel qualified to teach a class.

RED FLAG #1 – Non-Certified Personal Trainers teaching the class

2. Where did you receive your Personal Training Certification and who is the organization accredited by?
Anyone can log on to the Internet, pay for a Personal Training Certification, and now they hold a “Personal Trainer Certification”.  Don’t be fooled by imposters!  For more information on recognized and accredited certifications please visit the NOCA website.

RED FLAG #2 – Did not receive Personal Training Certification from an Accredited Institution

***Don’t be afraid to ask for them to show you their certification.  They should be able to provide you with a current certification.***

3. Please tell me about your fitness background and experience.
Ask them how long they have been training and if this is what they do full-time. Ask to see written client testimonials.

If the boot camp in Las Vegas or fitness class you are looking to join can’t answer these questions or provide you with the requested information, then run!  If you log onto a Las Vegas Boot Camp website and there is no information on the company background, certifications and experience, or testimonials, then chances are you are dealing with a fake.  A lot of us will shop around for months when it comes time for us to buy a new T.V., furniture, or even a car.  Don’t you think you owe it to yourself the same research when it comes to your HEALTH?

RED FLAG #3 – Part-Time or barely-certified trainers dabbling in fitness while looking for work.  Can’t provide background information on company or individual and have no proven track record.

4. Cost of the Camps
If someone is charging you 5 bucks a class, all I can say is you will get what you pay for.  Would you go to the lowest cost Doctor in town when seeking medical treatment?  This is your health that we are talking about!  Inexperienced trainers and fakes will try and earn your business by offering the lowest price Las Vegas Boot Camp in town.  Why do they do that??  The simple fact is that they do not believe in what they are doing or they don’t truly believe they can help you to achieve your health and fitness goals in their Boot Camps in Las Vegas.  The other reason is that they want to load up there Boot Camp class sizes with 30-40 people per trainer.  How do you plan on getting the proper exercise instruction with this many people in a class??  You won’t!

The maximum numbers of clients in our Fitness Camps are 15.

The cost of motivFIT Fitness Camps are higher than most other Boot Camps in Las Vegas Valley.  Why?  Because we believe in what we are doing and know, without question that we are the best Outdoor Fitness Camp in the State!  As a result, our clients come back month after month. Just read our Client Testimonials.

RED FLAG #4 – Boot Camps in Las Vegas charging dirt cheap prices. You will get what you pay for.

Finally, it is our goal at motivFIT to help educate you to make the right decisions when it comes to your health. Whether you choose to join our Fitness Camps or not, we hope that you will use this Red Flag System to compare the best boot camp in Las Vegas for you.  Your health is important to us and we want to make sure that you find a true Fitness Professional to work with. When researching Boot Camps in Las Vegas and other fitness organizations, if you receive at least one RED FLAG be very cautious of what you might be getting yourself into.

Join motivFIT’s Fitness Camps to ensure your experience is fun, safe and designed to perfection!   For more information, please visit motivFIT.com

Popularity: 35% [?]

Interval training is a type of physical training that involves bursts of high intensity work. This high intensity work is alternated with periods of rest or low activity (the intervals in interval training).

Why is Interval Training Important?

I have posted a couple of nice resources on why Interval Training is so important and it’s benefits.

Interval Training for Fat Loss « Athletic Excellence: Creating the …

Have you ever considered interval training for fat loss? Athletes have been training this way for decades to enhance their performance and at the same time develop and maintain a lean physique. Interval training involves alternating …

Fat Loss Interval Training

The interval training portion of your workouts is very important for fat loss. Not only has research shown that long, slow cardio doesn’t work that well for fat burning, but studies also show that interval training works better to help…

Research Confirms Benefits Of Interval Training

Short bursts of high intensity exercise, otherwise known as interval training, has once again proven itself to be the ideal exercise for improving fitness and increasing fat loss. A recent study by Canadian researchers found that six …

Implement Interval Training in your exercise routine today and watch the fat melt away!

Popularity: 34% [?]

I get a lot of questions on how to strengthen the lower abs and get rid of lower abdominal fat.  Today I have posted some great exercises that help in strengthening you lower abs and help flatten your stomach.  Add these lower abdominal exercises to your workout and watch your stomachs flatten!

How to lose belly fat with these great lower abdominal exercises.

Popularity: 27% [?]

We all make excuses at one time or another for our behavior and the reasons vary widely. It’s easier for most people to find an excuse to not exercise than to actually do the work.  Simply put, this is laziness! We all work hard to make money to provide for our families.  Why not take that same work ethic and apply it to our health and fitness?  Let’s face it.  If we are in poor health, our work is not going to matter because we will end of on our death beds with Type II Diabetes, Heart Disease, or some other preventable disease.

It’s time to face your excuses head-on so that you can overcome them and choose to live a healthier lifestyle. Here is a list of the top 10 reasons why people choose not to exercise.  See if you might qualify to be in the top 10.

Running At Sunrise

10. Don’t Enjoy It- Find something you do enjoy.  Maybe it’s playing tennis, hiking, rock climbing, or running.  Just find something that you enjoy and use that as your form of exercise.  Personally, I’m not a big fan of cardio equipment; however I love to take a SPIN class, Body Sculpting class or play a couple sets of tennis.  I use these as substitutes for my cardio workouts when I want a change.

9. Don’t Want To Be In Pain- Everything with value and importance in life comes to us at a cost.  There will never be a magic pill that we can take and in 6 weeks we’ll be fit.  If you want the results, you need to do the work.  Ask yourself this question: Which is more painful? Staying fat and out of shape or going through the pain of exercise?  When the pain to stay the same is greater than the pain to change, there will be a change in the game!

8. Not Fit Enough – We all need to start somewhere.  Some of us started exercising when we were 5 years old and others have never started.  The bottom line is we need to start at some point.  You will get fit as you begin the process and develop the habits of continued exercise.  You will never get fit unless you do the work to get fit.

7. Not Motivated – This can be cured with a big enough reason why you need to exercise.  Unfortunately, some people have to receive a life altering message from their Doctor that they need exercise now because they have developed Type II Diabetes or Heart Disease.  All of these could have been prevented with regular exercise.   When your reason “why” to exercise burns inside of you, I promise you will be motivated to do it.

6. No Energy- Typically, the lack of energy is due to poor eating habits and lack of exercise.  Once you start exercising, you will notice a few changes that will result in an increase in your energy levels.

1. You will begin to make healthier food choices, which will process and breakdown in your body better resulting in increased energy stores.
2. Your metabolism will skyrocket.  Your metabolism is the rate at which your body burns calories.  When this increases you will feel your energy levels increase.
3. Exercise releases endorphins, which have a huge impact on your energy levels.
4. Because you have started to exercise, your self worth will improve, which will actually increase your productivity levels both at home and at work.
   

   Squatsa on BOSU

5. Don’t Know How – Hire a Personal Trainer to help teach you.  A good Personal Trainer will meet you at whatever your current fitness level is and take you through the various stages, so that you can train on your own.  If you don’t have the money, then join a group fitness class.  If you have a gym membership, most of these are free.  Join an Outdoor Boot Camp class.  The cost can be a fraction of what you might pay for private training.  If you can’t do any of these, then use the Internet.  There are tons of ‘How-to Videos” online at places like YouTube.  Also, there are tons of free community websites, like SparkPeople, that you can join.

4. Kids- This excuse, in my opinion, is by far one of the worst excuses that people use to not exercise and pursue their health and fitness goals.  Please do not use your kids as a crutch.  They need you to be around for a few years.  If you are lying in the hospital bed due to health reasons that could have been prevented with proper exercise, will this benefit your kids?  Your kids will follow your actions.  If they never see you exercise, there is a good chance they might never exercise and end up in the same place as you.  Make your kids a part of your exercise routine.  Go for a walk with them.  Play some type of sporting activity.  Most gyms these days have a daycare.  Use it for an hour.

3. Knee Injury – This is one of my personal favorites.  Not being able to exercise because an old ACL injury that happened 15 years ago.  You still have an upper body.  Forget the legs and work your upper body.  By super-setting and having little rest in-between fitness exercises, you will keep your heart rate up.  This will increase your post-oxidative state when finished and therefore burn more calories throughout the rest of the day.

2. No Money- The excuse of no money often fits into the equation of not being able to exercise.  Can’t afford a gym membership or hire a personal trainer.  How much money does it cost to go for a walk in the neighborhood?  Does it cost you money to do push ups and sit-ups at home?  How about grabbing a set of dumbbells and head to the park for some circuit training exercises?  With the power of the internet, you can research tons of exercises that you can do right from home that do not require the cost of any equipment or gym membership.

Plank on Medicine Ball

1. No Time – This is by far the biggest excuse that people use not to exercise.  The bottom line is we all have 24 hours in the day.  It’s how we choose to use those 24 hours.  Most of us want to use our work as a crutch.  It only takes 30-60 minutes out of your day to exercise.  If you exercise 5 days per week, then you have only spent 2.5 – 5 hours out of a 168 hour week to work on what is most important to you;  Your health!

Popularity: 60% [?]

There are a lot of you out there that wonder how you might exercise with a knee injury. I have a lot of clients that come to me with knee problems and would like to use the excuse not to exercise because of a knee problem. People seem to forget that they have an upper body when it comes to knee injuries. While you are letting your knee recover, and it will take some time because of the vascular recovery time in the ligaments surrounding your knee, you can lift weights and do upper body exercises. If you keep the tempo up with only about 20 seconds rest in between sets, your heart rate will stay in the 80% target zone. This is high-intensity training and the result will increase your post-oxidation state, which will increase the amount of calories burned throughout the rest of your day. I believe that this is by far the best form of training for weight loss and overall conditioning. We have helped 100’s of clients achieve their fitness goals through our Outdoor Fitness Camps using this style of training. Do this combined with proper nutrition and you will see results.

Popularity: 28% [?]

H1N1 already started the moment kids headed back to school. Even if you don’t have kids, you’re bound to come in indirect contact with a child at some point in your day between the super market and shaking hands with a businessman/father to three little ones. By enhancing your body’s natural infection-fighting mechanisms, you can oftentimes avoid illness — even if you are exposed to infectious organisms that are making other people sick. Practice these ten daily habits as a powerful preventative measure for protection against H1N1 Swine Flu.

1. Wash your hands often with soap and water. Flu and cold viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing by people with colds or influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something – such as a surface or object like a door handle – with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose. Since your hands come into contact with many different objects during the day, they have a higher chance of attracting germs.  You should wash your hands thoroughly and often—for 15-20 seconds with warm water and soap each time you wash. When you can’t escape to wash your hands, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Avoid touching your eyes, mouth or nose. If there are germs on your hands, putting them near your face is the surest way to get them in your system.

2. Avoid close proximity to sick people. Conversely, if you or your kids are sick with flu-like symptoms, the CDC recommends that you stay home from school, work, the gym, etc. for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone. Keep away from others as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness.

3. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you sneeze. Then throw the tissue in the trash after you use it and don’t touch anything or anyone until you wash your hands.

4. Exercise Regularly. Keeping fit and active helps to lower stress, increase oxygen levels in blood, and circulate lymph throughout the body. Simply 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day can help the immune system to optimally carry out its defense.

5. Eat nutrient-rich food. Consume a varied diet of colorful fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish and nuts to boost your immune system. Here are the top nutrients to add to your family’s diet so you’ll miss less school and work due to illness:

• Water helps keep mucous membranes moist enough to combat the viruses they encounter while flushing toxins out of the body.  Drink half your body weight in ounces of filtered water to ensure proper hydration (for instance:  If you weigh 150 pounds, you need 75 ounces of water each day).
• Vitamin C increases the production of infection-fighting white blood cells and antibodies and increases levels of interferon, the antibody that coats cell surfaces, preventing the entry of viruses.  Enough Vitamin C for optimal health can be obtained from five daily servings of fresh fruits and vegetables including kiwi fruit, papaya, mango, guavas, citrus fruits, strawberries, red peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, potatoes, and leafy greens like spinach.
• Vitamin E stimulates the production of natural killer cells, those that seek out and destroy germs and cancer cells. Vitamin E enhances the production of B-cells, the immune cells that produce antibodies that destroy bacteria. Vitamin E supplementation may also reverse some of the decline in immune response commonly seen in aging.  Foods high in vitamin E include sunflower seeds, almonds, peanut butter, olives, spinach, mustard greens, turnip greens, and papaya.
• Zinc increases the production of white blood cells that fight infection and helps them fight more aggressively. It also increases killer cells that fight against cancer and helps white cells release more antibodies.  It can be found in crab, oysters, eggs, turkey, beef, beens, pumpkin seeds, and wheat-germ.
• Selenium inhibits the formation of free radicals. It does this by activating an inhibitory enzyme that halts this process. Best food sources of selenium are tuna, red snapper, lobster, shrimp, whole grains, vegetables, brown rice, egg yolks, cottage cheese, chicken breast, sunflower seeds, garlic, Brazil nuts, and lamb chops.
• Vitamin B6 helps with the production of antibodies, aids in protein metabolism, and cellular growth. It helps maintain the health of lymphoid organs (thymus, spleen, and lymph nodes) that make your white blood cells. Vitamin B6 is also important for the absorption of zinc and is integral to the transfer of selenium in the body.  Good sources include bananas, baked potato with skin, carrots, lentils, tuna, salmon, sunflower seeds, and wholegrain flour.
• Carotenoids like beta carotene & lycopene increase the number of infection-fighting cells, natural killer cells, and helper T-cells, as well as being a powerful antioxidant that mops up excess free radicals that accelerate aging.  These compounds are largely responsible for the red, yellow, and orange color of fruits and vegetables, and are also found in many dark green vegetables. Think of vibrant colors when selecting carotenoid-rich foods starting with the reds like tomatoes, red bell peppers, ruby red grapefruit, through the oranges like carrots, papaya, squash, sweet potato, and on to the deep greens like spinach, kale, and collard greens.
• Garlic not only has natural anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties, but also has more than 70 sulfur-containing compounds that help the body make other immune-stimulating compounds such as cysteine and glutathione. This health-building herb is also rich in potassium, zinc, vitamins A and C, calcium, manganese, copper, vitamin B1 and iron.  Minced fresh is best- add to salads and fresh steamed veggies.
• Yogurt provides the body with healthy bacteria known as probiotics that help create a barrier effect in the intestinal tract and crowd out pathogens such as Salmonella. This helps strengthen the body’s first line of defense: preventing allergens and pathogens from getting into our bloodstream.  Avoid high-sugar versions and be sure to check the label for “live active cultures”.
• Lemons are the ideal food for restoring acid-alkali balance. Drinking freshly squeezed lemon juice in water, or adding it to tea, salad dressings, or cooking, helps to maintain the body’s internal “climate” at a pH which supports healthy bacteria instead of the viruses and harmful bacteria which thrive in more acidic environments.
• Essential fats are necessary for the body to absorb vitamins K, A, D, and E.  They are called “essential” because your body needs them for both physical and mental health.  Omega 3’s are particularly beneficial and can be found in cold water fish like salmon, albacore tuna, sardines, anchovies, and cod liver oil.  Non-fish sources include olive oil, ground flax meal, walnuts, and avocados.
• Virgin Coconut Oil like mother’s milk, is high in lauric acid which is known for its anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties that help prevent and fight viruses such as the flu, pneumonia, and MRSA. Aim for 3 tablespoons per day spread throughout each day.
• Echinacea is a substance that boosts the body’s immune system, but unlike traditional antibiotics that kill bacteria directly, echinacea works indirectly, killing the germ by strengthening your immune system.  There is evidence that it stimulates the body to produce more infection-fighting white blood cells, such as T-lymphocytes and germ-eating cells called macrophages. It may also stimulate the release of interferons, which infiltrates the genetic control center of germs, preventing them from reproducing. Echinacea also seems to search out and destroy some viruses, such as the common cold and flu viruses.  Take 300mg/day, 3x a day when you feel a cold coming on or have been exposed to a contagious virus or when your body is undergoing stress or change (example: new school season).  Take for two weeks, then stop.
• Multivitamins help to replenish levels of vital vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants improving your immune systems natural defenses against illness.  Just remember that it’s never a substitute for proper nutrition.
• Eliminate foods void of nutrition. While it’s great to ensure you are getting enough of the healthy foods, it is also important to remember that unhealthy foods depress the immune system. Here are some foods to avoid:
• Foods high in sugar such as baked goods, sodas, and juices.
• Highly processed and refined foods (anything in a “crinkly-sounding” package like chips & crackers)
• Foods high in hydrogenated oils
• Fried foods
• Avoid white flour, white rice, white breads, and white pasta.  Opt for the healthier whole-wheat or whole grain alternative.

6. Breathe plenty of fresh air. Open the windows, go for a brisk walk outside, sit in the sunshine and breathe in the fresh air. Outdoor exercise in the sunlight benefits by increasing oxygen uptake by your cells.  It’s also well known that the sun is the best source of vitamin D, but it also aids to create a feeling of well being which in turn contributes to an improved production of the cells, structures, and chemicals that the body uses to build the immune system.

7. Laughter lowers blood pressure, reduces stress hormones, increases muscle flexion, and boosts immune function by raising levels of infection-fighting T-cells, disease-fighting proteins called Gamma-interferon and B-cells, which produce disease-destroying antibodies. Laughter also triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers, and produces a general sense of well-being.  So throw in a funny movie, read cartoons, or share funny stories with a friend—laughter is the best medicine!

8. Don’t smoke and avoid second-hand smoke. We think of smoking as causing problems long in the future, but smokers have a much higher rate of immediate infection. Using tobacco in any form will decrease the immune function by flooding the body with free radicals. Smoking also affects both your antibodies and your cells that attack foreign substances. Smokers are more likely than nonsmokers to have upper and lower respiratory tract infections due to suppressed immune function and paralyzed cilia, the hair-like projections in the lungs that sweep out microbes and other matter that can cause disease & infection.

9. Get sufficient sleep. Keeping a regular sleep pattern can help boost the level of certain hormones that help immune system functioning. It is common to see that people who suffer from insomnia or other sleep disturbance also tend to get sick more frequently, have more allergies than others, and may even suffer from other immune-related disorders. During sleep our bodies ‘re-charge’ – so it is important to aim at getting 7-8 hours of sleep each night.

10. Avoid alcohol. While you don’t need to stop drinking completely, it has been shown that people who drink more tend to get sick more often.  If you drink, choose a glass of red wine. In addition to benefitting the heart, a Spanish study, found that those who drank a daily glass of red wine had fewer colds then non-wine drinkers.

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