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on the floor and tossing it in the trash? Well, you are. But you will be a very sick good citizen if you don't lather up in the bathroom afterwards and disinfect those hands. 4. Catch some Zzz's – a lot for that matter. Your body needs sleep to recoup from the day's energy expenditure. Results from a 2009 Carnegie Mellon study on sleep and the immune system suggests that anything short of seven (consecutive) hours nearly triples your odds of catching a cold. If you've already bought into the Korean bbalibbali (rush-rush) culture or feel like such a “drastic” lifestyle change is impossible, here is a bit of more savory advice: Eat. You can't underestimate the importance of good nutrition when it comes to your immune system. Vitamins, minerals and antioxidants buttress your body against infection. The popular saying “feed a cold, starve a fever” makes its rounds every winter but is baloney. Being sick is often accompanied by the loss of taste and smell, taking all the enjoyment out of the gastronomic process, but if you are sick or if you want to keep from being sick, you do need to stay hydrated and consume enough calories. Mice exposed to the flu suffered more symptomatically and recovered more slowly when they were on a low-calorie diet. Our advice? Save the dieting for bikini season, stay flu-free now. No one can see under that parka anyway. Now that you've got the green light to indulge in the healing properties of liquids and food, it's time to bundle up with a warm bowl of nanna's homemade chicken soup or string some garlic around your neck you say? Please abstain, or abstain sparingly. Those are just two old wives tales that won't get you much more than a few spoonfuls of nostalgia and the death to any chances of meeting your future soul mate on the public transit. So what can you do to keep from getting sick?
acids. Omega-3s combat chronic inflammation, contribute to a clean plaque-free artery, are great for joint health (arthritis is another problem that flares up in cold weather), and keeps your nerves and mind at ease by insulating nerve cells, allowing them to better communicate with each other. As the Declaration of Independence does not apply to fish, it can be freely said that not all fish are created equal. Mackerel, trout, herring, tuna and salmon have the highest levels of omega-3s. Getting enough omega-3s should be no problem in Korea as mackerel seems to be the nation's fish of choice, popping up in stews, entrees and side dishes. High five Korea! If only then for purely aesthetic reasons, omega-3's keep your skin and hair smooth and glowing. Oysters Instead of going to the drug store and buying zinc lozenges slurp down some oysters. They are high in zinc, an essential mineral that has a strong track record for fighting the common cold. Common side effects of zinc supplements include nausea and headache so your best bet is to consume the product naturally in your diet, and oysters contain more zinc than any other food. Chili Peppers Speaking of oysters, go ahead and splash a tongue-tingling helping of Tabasco on your halfshells on the rocks because chilies are third on our list. Chili peppers are packed with vitamin C. In fact, they contain more vitamin C than any citrus fruit. To put this in perspective, one pepper contains 150 milligrams of vitamin C (twice the recommended daily allowance for women) whereas a very large orange only has 100 milligrams. Don't worry about vitamin C overload; your body will pass out the excess once it has had its fill of the nutrient.
The better question is, “What should you eat?” Here are some immune-boosting “superfoods” that will help you bite back. Fish Fish is your best natural source of omega-3 fatty
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