Get control of your life Feeling out of control, whether at work or at home, stresses your immune system to the point where it overexerts and weakens itself, making you more likely to catch a cold. That's what researchers found when they studied more than 200 workers over three months. Even those who had control over their work were more likely to begin sneezing if they lacked confidence or tended to blame themselves when things went wrong.
Wash your hands again and again We're a world of dirty-handed people, which helps to spread cold and flu viruses. One study of 1,000 adults found that 43 percent barely ever washed their hands after coughing or sneezing, 32 percent didn't always wash before eating lunch and 54 percent didn't wash long enough to remove germs and dislodge dirt effectively. In one study that measured the germ count on volunteers' hands, researchers found that washing just once, even with antibacterial soap, did little good in eradicating the culprits. So wash twice, and do it often. They found that after a year of regular washing, fewer microbes remained on volunteer's hands even after just one wash.
If you're already infected
Take time to heal Too many people try to tough out viral infections. But your body is designed to rest when it gets sick so it can focus all its internal healing resources on fighting the infection. Following your regular daily routine when you're sick denies your immune system the time and energy to focus on healing. Don't feel guilty about it. Just take a day or two off; set yourself up on the couch with a blanket, a book and plenty to drink; and let your body do the work of making you well.
Suck on zinc lozenges At the first sniffle, grab some zinc lozenges and suck on the every 3 or 4 hours for up to six days (don't chew them). According to the Common Cold Centre at Cardiff University, early treatment with zinc lozenges may shorten the duration of common cold symptoms by several days, although not all studies have shown benefits. But at least two well-designed clinical studies shown that the lozenges can reduce the severity and duration of the common cold, while another study of 66 women between the ages of 60 and 91 who had serious medical conditions found that the lozenges were safe.
See your GP if you're in an at-risk group If you're in one of the groups eligible for the vaccine, see your doctor at the first sign of flu symptoms -or even if you've just been exposed to someone affected, if you haven't had the vaccine or it hasn't yet had two weeks to start working. Your GP may be able to give you a prescription for an antiviral medication such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or zanamivir (Relenza). The drugs only shorten the duration of symptoms by between 24 and 36 hours, but they may help to you avoid complications. You need to start taking medication within 48 hours of the first taking medication within 48 hours of the first symptom or the close contact with someone who's already got flu. In any case, see a doctor if your symptoms are severe or haven't cleared up within a week.
Have a little horseradish or hot sauce with
dinner to clear out your sinuses.
Who cares that it's not 'medicine'? it works!
Use a sports cream for your aching muscles Viral infections often make your muscles ache. While there are over-the-counter pain-relievers that work well, if you're looking for something that won't affect your liver or stomach, try a deep-heart rub or spray, made for sports injuries.
Start cooking when the cold season hits, it's time to make a pot of vegetable soup. Your grandmother knew what she was doing as she spooned the streaming broth into your mouth when you were a child. Not only does the steam help to open stuffed sinuses, but the antioxidants in the vegetables used to make the soup help to reduce the inflammatory response of your immune system to a cold.
Open up clogged sinuses with dinner In addition to the aforementioned vegetable soup, sushi with wasabi, roast beef with horseradish sauce and spicy chilli or curry are other delicious ways to thin mucus and clear you head during a cold.
To boost flu vaccine effectiveness
The flu vaccine works by introducing your immune system to the flu virus so it can develop an antibody response more quickly when the real thing appears. The older you are, however, the less effective the vaccine. The following can help to supercharge your immune system so the vaccine works better.
Meditate Researchers have found that people who meditate regularly show significant changes in areas of the brain related to the ability to adapt to negative or stressful events.These individuals, they also found, have much stronger responses to the flu vaccine than people who don't exhibit these meditation-related brain changes. Meditation training classes are available at community centres and recreation centres, or check with a complementary health-care practitioner.
Go for a brisk walk just before your vaccination A study of healthy young adults who boosted their immune system with a brief bout of experience or a stressful mental activity prior to getting the flu vaccine found that women, but not men, showed stronger immune responses to the vaccine than those who didn't get the boost. Brief periods of exercise or mental activity provide acute stress, 'turning on' the immune system in some way that makes it respond better to the 'challenge' the vaccine provides. Even though this study was conducted in young people, the results may also apply to older people, so it's worth giving it a try.
Dental problems
Flash a toothy smile, bite into juicy apple, kiss your partner smack on the lips - when your dental health's tip-top, there's no need to hesitate before enjoying life's little pleasures.
But healthy teeth are more than a social asset. Many of the world's healthiest, most disease-fighting foods are crunchy (think fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts) and require a good set of teeth to eat them. When your teeth hurt or fall out, your diet goes downhill. Numerous studies worldwide have confirmed that people who have lost teeth avoid hard and fibrous foods and as a result eat fewer fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Healthy gums guard against major health problems, too. A growing stack of research shows that even low-level gum disease revs up your immune system around the clock, fuelling the chronic, low-level gum disease revs up your immune system around the clock, fuelling the chronic, low-level inflammation that contributes to clogged arteries, high blood sugar and perhaps even Alzheimer's disease.
Staying on top of oral health can get harder as we age. Most older people have receding gums, a sign of early gum disease, and half already have periodontitis, or advanced gum disease. Your natural supply of mouth-cleansing saliva also declines with age, and some health conditions and the medicines used to treat them cause lower saliva output. Less saliva is one reason older teeth 'grow' a bigger layer of sticky, colourless plaque (a mix of microscopic food particles and bacteria) faster than younger people's teeth do. As if that weren't enough, natural changes in dentine - the bone-like tissue beneath the translucent enamel coating on your teeth - may make your teeth look darker.
What's more, lower saliva production and more resulting plaque increases the risk of cavities in older people. And because the sensitivity of nerves in the teeth is also reduced, it may take longer to notice the little twinges that mean a tiny cavity's growing-just one reason why you may have more untreated cavities, or worse ones, as you get older. And if you've always been cavity-prone, you may find that you're developing new ones in surprising spots, such as underneath or next to existing fillings.
Experts now say that the most cavity-prone age group isn't the under 10s; it's the over 65s. But there's one positive reason for that: better oral health means more people are keeping more of their teeth. The fact is, as recently as 1960, two out of three people over the age of 75 had lost all of their natural teeth. That number has dropped significantly, but still, gum disease and tooth decay have conspired to claim the teeth of about one in four older people - and to raise the risk of cavities for the rest of us.
Your best move for reversing-or preventing-the tooth decay, gum disease, bad breath and dry mouth that accelerate as the years pass? Give your teeth and gums the extra TLC that they - and you - deserve. Here's how.
To maintain healthy teeth and gums
Brush up your expectations when Canadian researchers polled older people about the state of their teeth and gums, they got a jaw-dropping shock: most said their oral health was great, yet 49 percent believed that tooth loss was inevitable with age. But this is simply not true. It's quite possible to keep healthy teeth for a lifetime. This is another area in which our attitudes to healthy ageing may have to catch up with the reality.
Faithfully follow the basics Unless you've been living on a desert island for the past 30 years, you've heard this a million times; brush twice a day and floss once a day as a minimum. Use an electric toothbrush if you can - studies show they clean away plaque much more efficiently than brushing by hand.
Brush along to your egg timer Two minutes of brushing, with light to medium pressure, is the most effective way to remove the most plaque, say researchers from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. Longer and harder isn't better-in fact, it may damage your gums as well as the softer, thinner enamel on the sides of your teeth.
'Although we found that you have to brush your teeth reasonably long and hard to get rid of the harmful plaque that causes dental disease, our research shows that once you go beyond a certain point, you aren't being any more effective,' says lead researcher Peter Heasman, a professor of periodontology at the university. 'You could actually be harming your gums and possibly your teeth.'
To prevent overzealous brushing, use a soft bristled toothbrush and hold it like a pencil, moving it in circles rather than up and down. Think 'sweeping' rather than 'scrubbing'.
Wash your hands again and again We're a world of dirty-handed people, which helps to spread cold and flu viruses. One study of 1,000 adults found that 43 percent barely ever washed their hands after coughing or sneezing, 32 percent didn't always wash before eating lunch and 54 percent didn't wash long enough to remove germs and dislodge dirt effectively. In one study that measured the germ count on volunteers' hands, researchers found that washing just once, even with antibacterial soap, did little good in eradicating the culprits. So wash twice, and do it often. They found that after a year of regular washing, fewer microbes remained on volunteer's hands even after just one wash.
If you're already infected
Take time to heal Too many people try to tough out viral infections. But your body is designed to rest when it gets sick so it can focus all its internal healing resources on fighting the infection. Following your regular daily routine when you're sick denies your immune system the time and energy to focus on healing. Don't feel guilty about it. Just take a day or two off; set yourself up on the couch with a blanket, a book and plenty to drink; and let your body do the work of making you well.
Suck on zinc lozenges At the first sniffle, grab some zinc lozenges and suck on the every 3 or 4 hours for up to six days (don't chew them). According to the Common Cold Centre at Cardiff University, early treatment with zinc lozenges may shorten the duration of common cold symptoms by several days, although not all studies have shown benefits. But at least two well-designed clinical studies shown that the lozenges can reduce the severity and duration of the common cold, while another study of 66 women between the ages of 60 and 91 who had serious medical conditions found that the lozenges were safe.
See your GP if you're in an at-risk group If you're in one of the groups eligible for the vaccine, see your doctor at the first sign of flu symptoms -or even if you've just been exposed to someone affected, if you haven't had the vaccine or it hasn't yet had two weeks to start working. Your GP may be able to give you a prescription for an antiviral medication such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or zanamivir (Relenza). The drugs only shorten the duration of symptoms by between 24 and 36 hours, but they may help to you avoid complications. You need to start taking medication within 48 hours of the first taking medication within 48 hours of the first symptom or the close contact with someone who's already got flu. In any case, see a doctor if your symptoms are severe or haven't cleared up within a week.
Have a little horseradish or hot sauce with
dinner to clear out your sinuses.
Who cares that it's not 'medicine'? it works!
Use a sports cream for your aching muscles Viral infections often make your muscles ache. While there are over-the-counter pain-relievers that work well, if you're looking for something that won't affect your liver or stomach, try a deep-heart rub or spray, made for sports injuries.
Start cooking when the cold season hits, it's time to make a pot of vegetable soup. Your grandmother knew what she was doing as she spooned the streaming broth into your mouth when you were a child. Not only does the steam help to open stuffed sinuses, but the antioxidants in the vegetables used to make the soup help to reduce the inflammatory response of your immune system to a cold.
Open up clogged sinuses with dinner In addition to the aforementioned vegetable soup, sushi with wasabi, roast beef with horseradish sauce and spicy chilli or curry are other delicious ways to thin mucus and clear you head during a cold.
To boost flu vaccine effectiveness
The flu vaccine works by introducing your immune system to the flu virus so it can develop an antibody response more quickly when the real thing appears. The older you are, however, the less effective the vaccine. The following can help to supercharge your immune system so the vaccine works better.
Meditate Researchers have found that people who meditate regularly show significant changes in areas of the brain related to the ability to adapt to negative or stressful events.These individuals, they also found, have much stronger responses to the flu vaccine than people who don't exhibit these meditation-related brain changes. Meditation training classes are available at community centres and recreation centres, or check with a complementary health-care practitioner.
Go for a brisk walk just before your vaccination A study of healthy young adults who boosted their immune system with a brief bout of experience or a stressful mental activity prior to getting the flu vaccine found that women, but not men, showed stronger immune responses to the vaccine than those who didn't get the boost. Brief periods of exercise or mental activity provide acute stress, 'turning on' the immune system in some way that makes it respond better to the 'challenge' the vaccine provides. Even though this study was conducted in young people, the results may also apply to older people, so it's worth giving it a try.
Dental problems
Flash a toothy smile, bite into juicy apple, kiss your partner smack on the lips - when your dental health's tip-top, there's no need to hesitate before enjoying life's little pleasures.
But healthy teeth are more than a social asset. Many of the world's healthiest, most disease-fighting foods are crunchy (think fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts) and require a good set of teeth to eat them. When your teeth hurt or fall out, your diet goes downhill. Numerous studies worldwide have confirmed that people who have lost teeth avoid hard and fibrous foods and as a result eat fewer fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Healthy gums guard against major health problems, too. A growing stack of research shows that even low-level gum disease revs up your immune system around the clock, fuelling the chronic, low-level gum disease revs up your immune system around the clock, fuelling the chronic, low-level inflammation that contributes to clogged arteries, high blood sugar and perhaps even Alzheimer's disease.
Staying on top of oral health can get harder as we age. Most older people have receding gums, a sign of early gum disease, and half already have periodontitis, or advanced gum disease. Your natural supply of mouth-cleansing saliva also declines with age, and some health conditions and the medicines used to treat them cause lower saliva output. Less saliva is one reason older teeth 'grow' a bigger layer of sticky, colourless plaque (a mix of microscopic food particles and bacteria) faster than younger people's teeth do. As if that weren't enough, natural changes in dentine - the bone-like tissue beneath the translucent enamel coating on your teeth - may make your teeth look darker.
What's more, lower saliva production and more resulting plaque increases the risk of cavities in older people. And because the sensitivity of nerves in the teeth is also reduced, it may take longer to notice the little twinges that mean a tiny cavity's growing-just one reason why you may have more untreated cavities, or worse ones, as you get older. And if you've always been cavity-prone, you may find that you're developing new ones in surprising spots, such as underneath or next to existing fillings.
Experts now say that the most cavity-prone age group isn't the under 10s; it's the over 65s. But there's one positive reason for that: better oral health means more people are keeping more of their teeth. The fact is, as recently as 1960, two out of three people over the age of 75 had lost all of their natural teeth. That number has dropped significantly, but still, gum disease and tooth decay have conspired to claim the teeth of about one in four older people - and to raise the risk of cavities for the rest of us.
Your best move for reversing-or preventing-the tooth decay, gum disease, bad breath and dry mouth that accelerate as the years pass? Give your teeth and gums the extra TLC that they - and you - deserve. Here's how.
To maintain healthy teeth and gums
Brush up your expectations when Canadian researchers polled older people about the state of their teeth and gums, they got a jaw-dropping shock: most said their oral health was great, yet 49 percent believed that tooth loss was inevitable with age. But this is simply not true. It's quite possible to keep healthy teeth for a lifetime. This is another area in which our attitudes to healthy ageing may have to catch up with the reality.
Faithfully follow the basics Unless you've been living on a desert island for the past 30 years, you've heard this a million times; brush twice a day and floss once a day as a minimum. Use an electric toothbrush if you can - studies show they clean away plaque much more efficiently than brushing by hand.
Brush along to your egg timer Two minutes of brushing, with light to medium pressure, is the most effective way to remove the most plaque, say researchers from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. Longer and harder isn't better-in fact, it may damage your gums as well as the softer, thinner enamel on the sides of your teeth.
'Although we found that you have to brush your teeth reasonably long and hard to get rid of the harmful plaque that causes dental disease, our research shows that once you go beyond a certain point, you aren't being any more effective,' says lead researcher Peter Heasman, a professor of periodontology at the university. 'You could actually be harming your gums and possibly your teeth.'
To prevent overzealous brushing, use a soft bristled toothbrush and hold it like a pencil, moving it in circles rather than up and down. Think 'sweeping' rather than 'scrubbing'.
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