Most think that one day, perhaps when we least expect it, fate comes knocking at our door and there it is: cancer, heart disease, dementia or whatever we fear most. If this were indeed how we get sick, and there’s nothing we can do about it, then it becomes easy to rationalize dangerous behaviors such as smoking, being sedentary or overeating. However, we know now that many of the diseases that knock on our door can be prevented by healthier lifestyle choices. In this flu and cold season, therefore, I’m going to go further than most recommendations for avoiding these illnesses — because developing a powerful immune system is the foundation of avoiding or minimizing the effect of all disease.
“It is a doctrine of war not to assume the enemy will not come, but rather to rely on one’s readiness to meet him; not to presume he will not attack, but rather make oneself invincible.” This passage from the “Art of War” (which was written more than 2,400 years ago by Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu, and has been used as a guidebook by business leaders and coaches worldwide) sums up perfectly how we can manage health risks. While invincibility is a tall order, there’s no question we can significantly reduce our risk for infectious diseases and chronic conditions. Becoming a warrior for our own wellness involves easy-to-do tactics that alter our lifestyle.
How can we become a Sun Tzu warrior for our own health? The approach is threefold: Become aware of the threats around us, do all we can to lower those risks and build a strong immune system to defend against those threats.
Step 1: Know Your Risks
We know that the leading causes of death in the U.S. are heart disease, cancer, respiratory diseases, strokes, accidents and Alzheimer’s. We also know that the real causes of death are lifestyle characteristics that include smoking, a sedentary lifestyle, obesity and not using a seat-belt. These are things we can do something about to build our own “invincibility.” Find out who your enemy is by talking to your doctor about what risks are specific to you and your lifestyle, and begin to chip away at those risks with small positive steps.
Step 2: Lower Your Risks (Eliminating Bad Habits)
Strategies that help reduce the likelihood of becoming ill and/or developing a life-threatening disease include stamping out killer bad habits. Preventive measures include:
— Not smoking (even socially). Really, this is pretty much a no-brainer now. If it’s bad for you, smoking pretty much caused it or makes it worse. Don’t be a caveman. Begin taking steps to quit. Set a date for quitting, take small steps to reduce your smoking as the date approaches and free yourself to be healthy, to live long and well.
— Avoiding sugar. Excessive sugar intake increases cortisol levels in our body. This leads to stress and causes inflammation. Inflammation is the leading cause of disease. Except for sugars that are in unprocessed food, we should seriously limit sugar. And be aware that sugar is added to most processed food, even food not considered sweet.
— Reducing chronic stress. While much can be said about stress management, one step that you can take immediately is to “unplug” — if only for a few minutes — each day to quiet your mind through meditation or mindfulness practice. Find a place where you can be undisturbed for several minutes while you stop, take a few deep breaths and consciously notice your breath as you inhale and exhale. A regular mindfulness practice will help manage your stress response, and you’ll be happier for it.
— Minimizing the amount of fatty and high-cholesterol foods you eat. Like sugar, these types of foods cause inflammation in the body and leave us vulnerable to illness. Learn how to identify the enemy by learning how to read a food label. Don’t let anyone sneak these threats to your health into your food.
Step 3: Build a Turbo Immune System (Replacing Bad Habits With Good Ones)
After minimizing or eliminating behaviors that put you at risk, you can build a warrior’s immunity by adopting these better habits:
— Move! Minimize the time you sit each day. This goes beyond simply hitting the gym for an hour. In addition to your typical exercise routine, make sure that you’re moving throughout the day, whether it’s housecleaning, gardening, standing up while taking a phone call or making your business meeting a walking discussion, get in as much movement as possible each day.
— Get a flu shot. The vaccine in a flu shot gets our immune system revved up, enabling us to avoid getting sick or recover faster if we do get the flu. It also helps protect vulnerable people around us who may have a suppressed immune system. If we’re healthy, we won’t be “spreading it around.” There is a myth that a flu shot causes the flu. This might have been true in the early days of vaccinations, but that’s ancient history. That said, you may get a few reactions, like soreness at the vaccination site, low grade fever and aches (this is your immune system kicking into gear). Note: Consult your doctor if you are allergic to eggs or have had an allergic reaction to flu shots in the past. There are many different vaccines available, and there is likely one that your doctor can recommend.
— Wash your hands regularly. Use warm, soapy water, and make sure to get between your fingers. I wash my hands long enough to sing “Happy Birthday” twice (usually to myself). Hand washing is a simple and effective preventive measure against getting sick. As a reminder, if you do need to sneeze, do so into your arm or elbow — not your hands.
— Eat a Mediterranean-type diet. Replace the high-fat and sugary foods with nutrient-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, fish, beans, wild grains and a small amount of lean meat.
— Have purpose in your life. Psychiatrist and holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl understood this when he wrote “Man’s Search for Meaning.” Studies continually demonstrate that having meaning and purpose in life strengthens our immune system and creates a greater sense of well-being. Your purpose doesn’t have to be grand to be effective.
While being proactive about our health cannot guarantee we’ll never get sick, it can reduce the chances of developing life-threatening diseases, and will also enable us to recover more quickly should we get sick. As with crossing the street, look first in the direction where the most immediate threat will come, and plan accordingly. Live Long; live well!
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Cold and Flu Prevention: Building the Resistance of a Warrior originally appeared on usnews.com
