6 unexpected reasons you’re under the weather

Here’s how to avoid getting sick over the holidays


December 24, 2015
PHOTO: FILE

Plagued by the flu? Are you in the doldrums this winter? According to research, your habits and winter pattern may be to blame. As compiled from Reader’s Digest magazine, certain seasonal routines may be silently weakening your immune system. Here’s how to avoid getting sick over the holidays.

1. You OD on sweets

“There’s evidence that sugar consumption lessens our abilities to fight off infections,” says Kathryn Boling, a family medicine doctor at Mercy Medical Centre in Baltimore. “We put ourselves at increased risk right at the peak of the cold and flu season.” Eating simple sugars can halt phagocytosis, a process in which white blood cells attack and engulf viruses and bacteria, by 50%. To keep sweets in check, eat a handful of cashews and almonds before heading to holiday parties or family gatherings and make it a habit to opt for sugar-free beverages.

2. You change your sleep schedule

“We go to parties, or work late to finish up last minute projects, stay up a little later and sleep later in the mornings,” says Dr Boling. “That disruption of the sleep routine can be a trigger in people prone to headaches.” In a study by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, researchers recruited women being treated for transformed migraine (when occasional migraine progresses to daily migraine). Women randomly assigned healthy sleep habits, such as going to bed at the same time nightly and getting eight hours of sleep, experienced a 29% reduction in headache frequency and 40% reduction in headache intensity, which only exacerbates in winter time. Set a reasonable time to hit the sack each night and stick to it.

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3. You get dehydrated

While cold air doesn’t necessarily make you sick, dry winter air can increase your risk of infection. “A virus replicates much more effectively on a dry mucous membrane than it does on a moist mucous membrane, so cold and flu spread like crazy in dry environments,” says Boling. Turn on a humidifier (if you have one at hand) when you go to sleep at night or drink plenty of water, and apply lots of moisturiser. “Hydrate inside and out,” says Neha Vyas, a family medicine doctor at Cleveland Clinic. “Scratching itchy, dry skin can introduce germs into your body.”

4. You almost always stay indoors

This time of the year, you may spend extra hours working at your desk to complete assignments before vacation, or laze indoors to avoid the chill. “When you’re not exposed to sunlight, you tend to sleep more and exercise less, which contribute to a weaker immune system,” says Dr Vyas. Vitamin D levels may also play a role. Vitamin D boosts immune cells’ production of microbe-fighting proteins. Adults with low Vitamin D levels are likelier to report recently being sick. A Japanese study found that children who took Vitamin D pills had a 40% lower rate of flu than those who took a placebo. Consider taking a Vitamin D supplement for an extra immunity boost.

5. You are a shopaholic

Holiday shopping involves handling cash, going for shoes and bangles at jam-packed malls, opening store doors, and using ATMs. One British study found that ATMs around the world have nearly the same amount of bacteria that can cause diarrhoea and other sicknesses as public toilets. When New York University researchers tested global money bills, they identified 3,000 types of bacteria, including bacteria that cause gastric ulcers, pneumonia, staph infections, and food poisoning. If possible, avoid touching door handles or shopping carts, and wash your hands or use hand sanitiser before you eat lunch at the mall.

6. You are struck with holiday blues

It’s normal to feel a little lonely amid extra offs from work or the holiday cheer. A lot of us may be away from families, or simply feeling dejected since many are busy travelling. “People who don’t have social support systems may watch TV, see families celebrating together, and feel much more isolated and depressed than they do other times of the year,” says Boling. “This causes an increase in the stress hormone cortisol, which suppresses the immune system.” If you feel depressed, catch up with your work buddies or old pals. According to research, volunteering or reconnecting with friends is extremely beneficial for a mild case of the blues. It may be just what you need to spark holiday spirit, celebrate the Quaid’s birthday and stay healthy.

By Umnia Shahid

Published in The Express Tribune, December 25th, 2015.

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