Woman's World

Outsmart winter’s worst flu and colds

- —Brenda Kearns

This year’s flu season could be a doozy, since we’re battling a bug (the H3N2 virus) that vaccines trounce only 33% of the time. As always, scrubbing your hands plummets the risk of influenza and winter colds by 55%. Add these simple strategies to make your immune system so feisty, it’ll conquer any viruses that do invade— fast!

Bite into hearty bread Eating foods that require a bit of chewing can protect against illness, report National Institutes of Health researcher­s. Turns out regularly crunching on raw veggies, whole fruit, grainy breads and even al dente pasta can triple your production of flu-fighting immune cells! The reason: Chewing creates tiny abrasions in your mouth, and as your immune system repairs them, it produces the white blood cells that kill viral invaders. Tip: Chew around 30 times per bite.

Pork chops for dinner

Pork is loaded with zinc, a mineral that destroys germs at their most common point of entry, the tissues lining your nose and throat, says immunologi­st Laura Costarelli, PH.D. No wonder Italian researcher­s say enjoying three pork meals weekly can cut your risk of viral infections by 25%, plus help you bounce back 48% more quickly if you do pick up a bug.

Take in sunshine

In the middle of summer, your skin can make a full day’s supply of immunity-boosting vitamin D-3 if you stand outside for 20 minutes. In the middle of winter? Too cold! Thankfully, Boston University researcher­s say vitamin D-3 supplement­s can give you the same immunity-strengthen­ing edge that sunshine can, cutting your risk of influenza and colds by as much as 64% if you take 3,000 IU daily. Note: Check with a doctor before starting a new supplement.

Pedal inside

Hop on a stationary bike or take an indoor cycling class: Peddling for 30 minutes four times weekly can cut your risk of colds and flu by up to 60%, suggests research in the journal Aging Cell. Explains study co-author Ross Pollock, PH.D., exercise turns back the clock on your immune system, helping it fight invading viruses as vigorously as it did in your youth.

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