Arm Yourself with Defenses against the Flu!

The Flu is everywhere!  The best defenses you can use to keep as healthy as possible this flu season, along with washing your hands alot, is to CHILL.  This is a very stressful time of the year and stress alone can make you sick, plus it can tear at your natural defenses...your immune system.  If everything is not as perfect as you would like this holiday season, don’t sweat it; no one will know it 100 years from now.   My mom used to tell me that when my children were little and I was stressing about  “ My house is a mess!”  and “ Just once I would like to have Christmas morning perfect with everyone happy!”

Your holidays will be perfect if you stay healthy and keep your family healthy.  Here is a trick I used when I started wrapping presents Christmas Eve and realized I didn’t have enough presents.   I took a shiny penny, taped it on a Christmas card and underneath the penny I wrote, This shiny penny is from Santa to use for a very special gift that you and your parents can go and pick out!  After Christmas, you and your special someone can use that penny as a special day to be together and pick out a special gift.   That will be a special gift that will never be forgotten.  My children loved it and we now have all those special pennies on our Christmas tree, with notes about the day and what the penny bought.  Also, remember Boerne has beautiful shops, why go to an overcrowded shopping center where you feel like you have to wear a mask?  Make a day of parking your car shopping and walking.  Boerne’s shops will put you in the spirit of the season, instead of making you feel like you need some spirits to get you through the day! Plus, walking will get your blood flowing, your good ‘ ole endorphins moving around and before you know it you’ll be singing about Jolly Old Saint Nick!

Finally, along with some exercise make sure you are eating right.  Getting enough vitamin C and anti-oxidants are essential this time of year to keep your immune system fighting off those flu bugs.  The following foods are the natural way to arm your body with tons of vitamin C and A, your best defense to fight off the flu.

VEGGIES HIGH IN VITAMIN A-   1 Carrot (270% RDA), Sweet Potato (440%RDA) Spinach (70% RDA), Hot Chili Peppers (80% RDA), leaf lettuce (40% RDA)

Other good sources that will give you your RDA of vitamin A are ¼ cup of broccoli and 4 asparagus spears.

FRUITS HIGH IN VITAMIN A- Apricots (45% RDA), cantaloupe (100% RDA), Mango (40% RDA), watermelon (20% RDA).  Other great sources include peaches and tomatoes. 

VEGGIES HIGH IN VITAMIN C- Hot Chili Peppers (170% RDA), Broccoli (220% RDA), Bell Peppers (190 % RDA), cabbage (70% RDA), tomatoes (40% RDA), cauliflower (100% RDA) and other great source is a potato which is 45 % RDA.

FRUITS HIGH IN VITAMIN C- Cantaloupe (80% RDA), grapefruit (110% RDA), Kiwifruit (240% RDA), strawberries (160% RDA), orange (130% RDA).

                  Question/comments to Pamela Painter: fitnesstogo@hotmail.com