insideKENT Magazine Issue 45 - December 2015 | Page 111

sip something lovely from the same
cup (or bottle – your choice), but
it’s going to end up in tears (and
sneezes, and coughs…).

Stay Away from People
Well, as we said, not all of our top tips are going to be possible, but this is
the time of year when people get together more than any other. It could be
a planned event such as the office party, or it could just be that more
commuters are taking the tube, train, or bus because it’s cold out there and
walking isn’t much fun. Bodies in an enclosed, confined space will easily
transmit the germs that go on to make us poorly, so staying away from
these places is the best plan to keep healthy and hearty through winter.
Wash Your
Hands
It’s a good rule for
life anyway, but at
this time of year,
it’s even more
important. Most
infections are
carried through the
air, but there are
some germs that
prefer skin-to-skin
contact, be it a
handshake, hug,
kiss, or anything
else. And what do
we like to do at
Christmas? Shake hands, hug, kiss, and anything else; so, we get colds.
But if everyone washed their hands more often throughout the day, and
dried them thoroughly (preferably using paper towels), we’d all be a lot
healthier.

Herbal Remedies, Vitamins, and
Probiotic Supplements
There are some excellent herbal
remedies, vitamins, and
supplements that will boost the
immune system and make it less
susceptible to colds. Simply add
some of these to your daily routine,
and you’ll soon be feeling much
better. Echinacea, for example, was
traditionally used by Native
Americans to heal wounds and
prevent infection. Use it for six to
eight weeks to allow it to do what
it needs to do, but don’t use it long
term since it will lose its
effectiveness. Zinc and garlic are
also both excellent ways to prevent
catching a cold. They can be taken
in pill form, or eaten (garlic as it is,
and zinc in other foods such as
seafood, eggs, and oysters). And
of course, you mustn’t forget your
vitamin C, which is famous for its
immune system boosting properties.

No Sharing
When it comes to our health, not sharing is definitely caring. It might be fun
to delve into a bowl of popcorn, enjoy a bag of sweets with friends, or even

We eat less fresh fruit and veg in
the winter, preferring the ‘comfort
foods’ which may not contain as

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many vitamins. That’s why taking a
multivitamin once a day can make
up for what you’re missing when
you no longer fancy a salad and
prefer to munch on a meaty
shepherds pie or steak and kidney
pudding.
Probiotics are ‘friendly bacteria’
which we need to keep us healthy.
Although some of them come from
our food, it’s possible to get top ups
through probiotic supplements
including yoghurts and drinks.
Get To Sleep On Time
We all know how it feels to function
on too little sleep – we feel groggy
and moody and downright
miserable, and we don’t want to
have to do any work if we can help
it. Well, our immune systems feel
exactly the same, and although we
still have to leave the house and do
the school run, pick up the week’s
groceries, and head into the office
on a few hours of rest, our immune
system is more likely to go on strike;
its work ethic is just not that great.
While our immune system snoozes,
the germs and viruses and nasties
can get in and wreak havoc. Going
to bed earlier and not using phones,
tablets, or TV in bed wi