Welcome to my blog, Harmony Shift. If you’re new welcome, it’s nice to have you. This is where I help shift workers live happier, healthier lives through proper nutrition, sleep, exercise, meditation, journaling, and getting out in nature. This week’s topic is about the immune system myths that are out there spreading like the common cold. I’m here to set the truth free by providing my 7 popular myths about the immune system that you need to know. Hopefully this should make you feel better, maybe literally. Ok so let’s dive right in and see what the myths are.
Your immune system is always working to keep you healthy. With over 85% of your immune system in your gut, understanding how your body protects itself from these viruses, gives you ammunition to fight off these nasty germs. There are a lot of immune system myths out there about keeping you healthy. But what (or who) do you believe, remember my last blog post about trusting social media people! Do your own research to separate the fact from fiction so you don’t fall victim to these immunity myths.
Immunity Myth #1: Cold weather makes you sick.
People often contract common cold viruses in cold months. So, there might be people that believe low temperatures are responsible for making you sick. Not true! There is a link however, between chilly temperatures and sickness, but it is a correlation, not a cause-and-effect. Most likely the changes in behavior associated with cold weather, or colder temperatures are what trigger these seasonal surges. Cold weather keeps people indoors for longer periods of time, so there for this leads to the spread of germs between people who are in close contact with one another.
A similar pattern occurs when children return to school after summer break, or a holiday/Spring break. Also, in certain viruses like the Rhinovirus (the microbe responsible for the common cold) for example, is usually living dormant in your nasal passages waiting for more suitable temperatures. When cooler weather comes along, it wakes up and reproduces, hence the cold arrives in cold weather.
Immunity Myth #2: Seasonal allergies is a sign of a weak immune system.
Also, not true. It’s actually the opposite. You have an over-active immune system which causes your body to think that small particles in the air is harmful microorganisms. It can be difficult to distinguish allergies from other upper-respiratory issues because they share many of the same symptoms but are not contagious. The difference is allergies aren’t triggered by bacteria or viruses so, when harmless particles like dust, pollen, or mold are introduced to your body when you breathe, your immune system responds to these particles like it would a potential pathogen. To help minimize your allergy symptoms, try to identify the source of your allergy. For example, if it is pollen, avoid blooming plants and dust allergies can ramp up when it is windy outside so, consider protecting your mouth and nose with a mask on windy days.
Immunity Myth #3: Handwashing “kills” viruses.
This is a big misconception. No, handwashing does not “kill” viruses because technically viruses aren’t living things. Which means they can’t replicate on their own, but the good news is washing your hands does rid the viruses in another way. Soap adheres to the membrane, or outer wall of viruses and the soap molecules compete with the lipids within the virus membrane to help pry it apart and render it harmless. This stickiness means microbes can be rinsed away with the viruses with water when you wash your hands.
Immunity Myth #4: “Feed a cold, starve a fever”.
This is probably one of the most popular sayings and myths out there. I heard this one as a kid. So, I know most of you have heard it as well. But the truth is your body needs adequate food and fluid intake to stay hydrated and to replace the calories burned from a fever. However, if you’re feeling sick you might not have a very big appetite which is completely normal. Don’t force yourself to eat if you don’t want to because your body might not be ready. But whether you have a cold or fever, it is important to eat what you can when you’re sick. My recommendation is to stick to whole, nutritious foods if you’re under the weather. Many fruits, cooked vegetables, and protein are easy on the stomach and supply you with the essential nutrients your body needs. I will try and find the recipe of the oatmeal my wife makes. It is specifically designed for colds and flu and to boost your immunity. I believe it’s called “cold busting oats”, but there are a lot of recipes online if you want to try one for yourself.
Immunity Myth #5: Chicken noodle soup may shorten your cold
I remember as a kid my momma used to make me Campbell’s chicken noodle soup when I was sick, and it felt sooooo goooood! I know it doesn’t have any magical healing powers, but there’s something about that warm bowl of soup that makes everything better. That’s not to say chicken noodle soup is a bad idea. It’s a great way to acquire some hearty nutrition (as long as it’s homemade). Be careful of some of the soups on the shelves these days, they are full of a lot of junk! Antioxidants and vitamins from the veggies help support your immune system. And protein from chicken gives sustainable energy to aid in the fight. I will also add a recipe that we use to make our own bone broth. This is probably one of the best ways to help your immune system any time of the year. You basically cook a whole chicken and then put the left over bones in a crockpot and make your own chicken broth (which can be used for cooking later on).
In conclusion, I hope this helps during this time of year. There are a lot of myths out there and I want you to stay informed and stay healthy. Read up on some home remedies that help boost your immune system as well. Those are generally good to have just in case the doctor wants the cold to “just run it’s course” At least you will have something at home to help with your symptoms.
Until next time,
Darren
Harmony Shift 