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<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><strong>Trust me I was thinking of far more entertaining topics than snotty noses, but, when my 3rd client today called in claiming manflu, I went into research mode. </strong></span>
<span style="color: #008080;"> <strong>OK, here’s a challenge for you.</strong></span></h5>
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<h5 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #993366;"><em><strong>June – October 2015 = zero cold or flu’s – yes it can and should be achieved!</strong> </em></span></h5>
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Read on...
Firstly, is it possible to avoid common colds &amp; flu’s? Sure – avoid sick people! Of course for most of us this is simply not possible. We’re continually exposed to a myriad of bugs; in crowded poorly ventilated offices, exposed to kids who bring home perpetually evolving <a href="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/bfgbfbf1.jpg"><img class="alignright wp-image-2362 " src="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/bfgbfbf1.jpg" alt="bfgbfbf" width="169" height="169" /></a>new strains, congested social scenes, eg at the footy, aeroplanes etc – bugs are everywhere. There are over 100 different viruses that can result in the common cold. When someone infected coughs &amp; sneezes air-borne droplets spread the infection. Mostly, our personal army of defence is good enough to defeat invading intruders. But on occasion when our defensive team is short (usually a result of our lifestyle – and choices), invading bugs get a foot hold and for a short time win the battle. Of course in time we recruit back up support and before long we’re back in the healthy game.

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<h5><strong><span style="color: #008080;">Here’s my top 10 ways you can maintain your “undefeated army of defence” this winter.</span> </strong></h5>
<h5><span style="color: #993366;"><strong>Operation June-October 2015 = no manflu</strong></span></h5>
<span style="color: #008080;"><strong>1. DE-STRESS</strong></span>
Put simply, if you’re seriously under the pump – emotionally, physically or mentally, research strongly suggests your health and wellness is most vulnerable. At this delicate point of hormonal and neuro-transmitter imbalance, I recommend prioritising sleep, <a href="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/stress.jpg"><img class="alignright wp-image-2360 " src="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/stress.jpg" alt="stress" width="216" height="127" /></a>scheduling ‘timeout’ (sometimes NOT possible), throw in some super easy continuous exercise, or even yoga or tai-chi. If you totally feel snowed under, now isn’t the time for high intense training sessions, alcohol benders (while it may feel inviting), short changing zzzds, or over-stimulators like energy drinks, excessive coffees, or sugar hits.

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<strong><span style="color: #993366;">2. SLEEP</span></strong>
Make no mistake, sleep is king – I know I have said this before. Sleep in my opinion even trumps eating well &amp; exercise – for maintaining general wellness that is (you know what I mean). NOTE – 14 beers resulting in passing out doesn’t constitute quality sleep. There is evidence suggesting fresh lemon in boiling water, turkey, and camomile tea all encourage a deeper sleep. Herbal extracts like valerian also work well. Perhaps consider a 2 minute hit of mediation (Headspace App). And again, avoid alcohol, caffeine &amp; sugar pre-bed.

<span style="color: #008080;"><strong>3. WASH YOUR HANDS</strong></span>
Research suggests we touch our face over 50 times a day - meaning we’re unconsciously forever linking our hand (germs), with our mouth &amp; nose. Now consider the number of <a href="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/hafgdd.png"><img class="alignright wp-image-2359" src="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/hafgdd.png" alt="hafgdd" width="125" height="115" /></a>door knobs, keyboards, lift keys, seats, coins, railings etc we touch daily and “bingo” - we have germs in transit. Get yourself a tub of anti-bacterial hand sanitiser and clean your mitts regularly – particularly before eating.

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<strong><span style="color: #993366;">4. GRAB SOME VITAMIN D</span></strong>
Vitamin D is a star – both for your metabolism (keeping that energy tank humming), and for your wellness (immunology). And I’m not talking about loading up on VitD coming from a plastic bottle – get outside and grab yourself some rays. Winter in Oz still allows ray time!

<strong><span style="color: #008080;">5. EXERCISE AEROBICALLY</span></strong>
If you’re feeling a little flat and run-down, I certainly do recommend exercise, but be certain to back off your intensity by 20-30%. It’s said that if you’re unwell from the nose <a href="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/perfefdec.jpg"><img class="alignright wp-image-2355" src="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/perfefdec.jpg" alt="perfefdec" width="170" height="120" /></a>up you can still exercise. Throat down – particularly into your chest – it’s no play today.
Exercising at a conservative intensity (relatively speaking) WILL make you feel better. No oxygen = no flame – so get out there! Basically you’re in search of o2+, while avoiding excessive inflammation, which is the result of a thumping session.

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<strong><span style="color: #993366;">6. GET ALKALINED</span></strong>
Consumption of refined sugar, GUT inflamers like gluten, excessive unbalanced alcohol, sitting lots, and particularly stress, can lead to increasing our body’s acidity – lowering our pH. This can result in ill-health.
Personally, I swear by the alkalising effect of green drinks. I drink a hot spirulina drink, or <a href="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/gree.jpg"><img class="alignright wp-image-2358" src="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/gree.jpg" alt="gree" width="223" height="150" /></a>Vital greens every night. I have done this for 6 years and I’ve hardly suffered a cold since. It’s no Hawaiian cocktail, but I’m convinced it works.
I have also found value in testing my pH throughout winter with a simple pH ion Diagnostic Test strip. It’s simply a saliva litmus test that offers a reasonable value of my current pH. If it’s low (more acidic), I know it’s probably not the time to smash myself (nutritionally &amp; athletically).

Quick tip – if you’re tired as all hell, stressed to the max, don’t go throwing in foods that inflame your gut. This will likely draw your limited immune team to your gut, exposing the rest of your body to bugs your now picking from the grub that sits next to you.

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<span style="color: #008000;"><a style="color: #008000;" href="http://greenopedia.com/alkaline-diet-benefits/" target="_blank"><strong>ALKALINED FOOD CHOICES</strong> </a></span>
<span style="color: #008080;"><strong>7. KEEP ROOMS VENTILATED</strong></span>
When the sun’s out - open up those doors – let those breeding bugs out. Statistics suggest, Sydneysiders spend up to 30% more time indoors during winter. More time indoors = more potential bugs. Ventilate rooms whenever possible.
<span style="color: #993366;"><strong>8. USE A NASAL PUMP</strong></span>
This is another ripper. I use this every other week, particularly if I’m training solidly. If you feel a back log of phlegm at your nose &amp; throat junction, give this cheap and easy option a crack. It’s nothing more than a plastic bottle you fill with saline luke-warm water. <a href="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/flo.jpg"><img class="alignright wp-image-2357" src="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/flo-300x189.jpg" alt="flo" width="241" height="152" /></a>Block one nostril and give it a pump. Breathing immediately feels improved.
• As I’m usually up for trying alternative options, it was suggested I try a nasal pump with fresh lime juice. Well......fk me, it felt like I’d burnt the lower lobe of my brain – my left eye ball felt like it was being hit my Tiger Woods – and my skin sensitively was surely close to the result of an ice overdose!!! Do not try this! Mind you my wife is still laughing!!

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<strong><span style="color: #008080;">9. SPICES ARE GOLD</span></strong>
Growing up my mother would claim ginger &amp; garlic were bug fighters. It turns she out was right. There’s a stack of evidence supporting the germ fighting qualities of these super foods. Load up – and again, not from a container.
 For those interested – Jamie Oliver’s new book really goes into spice overdrive. Awesome!
<strong><span style="color: #993366;">10. BELIEF</span></strong>
Winter doesn’t mean colds &amp; flu’s. Colder weather doesn’t mean colds &amp; flu’s. And fina<a href="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/hratht.jpg"><img class="alignright wp-image-2356" src="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/hratht-199x300.jpg" alt="hratht" width="67" height="101" /></a>lly rain doesn’t mean colds &amp; flus’. Maintain your health by ‘de-stressing’, fuelling smartly, exercising at your appropriate intensity and you should be sweet June thru October.

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BP
<h4><span style="color: #000080;"><strong><a href="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/pampys-post-22-15-gus-worland-beyond-the-marathon-2/">LAST WEEK'S POST - FUN VIDEO ON TRIPLE M'S GUS WORLAND'S LATEST RACE</a></strong></span></h4>
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