Ways to prepare for the change of season!!

Summer is probably the best part of the year, warm weather, tropical vacations and fun times at the beach.  Lets face it we wish it could be beautiful all year around but that’s not the case.  With summer coming to an end cold weather is not too far behind.  This is why it is important to take these steps to prepare your body against the changing season.  

1)   The first tip to prepare for the change of season is to pump your body full of vitamin C.   The highest amount of Vitamin C in commonly used plant sources can be found in the following items:

GREEN CHILLI PEPPERS-244mg per serving                      

RED PEPPERS-190mg per serving 

PARSLEY- 130mg per serving

BROCCOLI-90mg per serving    

Most of us think that the highest content of vitamin C is consumed through fruits.  Fruits are high in vitamin C content as well but not as much as plant sources mentioned earlier.  Some fruits that contain vitamin C are:

PAPAYA-60mg per serving

STRAWBERRY-60mg per serving

ORANGE-50mg per serving

LEMON-40mg per serving     

2)   Do the things you should do everyday such as washing hands often throughout the day, drink your eight glasses of water daily, and get at least eight hours of sleep a night.  Getting the proper rest at night plays a major part in the way your body repairs and detoxes itself.  So getting proper rest is very important.  One of the fastest ways germs are transmitted is airborne, but the number one way that we contract viruses is by not doing the simple gesture of washing our hands.  The average person touches their face 2-4 times every hour.  It may not seem like a lot, but that’s over 5500 times in a day.  Think about how many different surfaces and items we touch throughout the day.  Scary I know but washing your hands can cut down on the transmission of germs by a huge amount.  

3)   Exercise is huge in every aspect of our lives and has many health benefits.  Regular exercise can reduce the amount of stress and help prevent the contraction of bacteria.  When the body is stressed the immune system is weakened and this can cause your body to be susceptible to contracting viruses.  Exercising also helps the body naturally detox and rid your body of harmful toxins.  So exercising at least three times a week can really be beneficial to getting yourself ready for the change of season.    

4)   Keep a clean house and be sure to clean on a regular basis.  Many germs and bacteria can live on surfaces for days without being noticed.  The best way to prevent this from happening is to always keep clean.  After cooking and preparing meals be sure to immediately clean all surrounding surfaces to ensure that germs are being killed.  One thing that may be simple but often forgotten is to keep hand sanitizer handy.  Hand sanitizer is a great option when you are in places were bathrooms aren’t readily available.  Killing germs before they have a chance to be transmitted is key.  

      5)   Last but not least it is important to eat healthier.  Not only does your diet help    boost your immune system in a variety of ways.  It also helps you feel better throughout the day.  The better you feel leads to a better mood and less stress.  Eating a balanced diet of fruits and vegetables is very important.  This is were antioxidants come from.  Antioxidants provide the necessary nutrients your body needs to fight off and prevent illnesses.