Gabe Yanez
It is time. Summer time. Time to hit the beach, turn on the grill, spend time outdoors, and do all the summer weekend things. One thing that would put a damper on the weekend–getting sick.
Let’s dive in.
Yes, Summer Colds Are A Real Thing
It’s true — Cold and Flu Season doesn’t peak until the fall and winter, so why are we over here being such buzzkills in the middle of summer? Believe it or not, getting a bad cold has nothing to do with the weather and everything to do with your exposure to certain viruses, meaning you can get sick at any time of the year. In fact, the heat and humidity of the summer months might make you feel worse if you were to catch a cold then. As more and more people get vaccinated for covid-19, restrictions are lifted, and we start to put this pandemic behind us, it is important that we don’t lose sight of immune health and just how important it is, regardless of whether we are in a global pandemic or not. So how do you ensure that your immune system is in top notch shape? Vitamin C gummy vitamins of course.
Actually, do the opposite. Studies have shown that refined sugars (like those used to sweeten gummy vitamins) can actually suppress your immune system for hours after ingesting. Adequate protein is also an important piece to optimizing your immune system. So… maybe not the best idea to jump on the vegan bandwagon anytime soon.
So you threw the gummy vitamins in the trash and you are cooking your high protein meals. Perfect.
Now, remember to add garlic, onions, ginger and plenty of spices like oregano, turmeric, and rosemary to your meals. Garlic and onion have been shown to have antimicrobial properties. They’ve also been shown to make food taste good (win-win). What’s next? How about some fermented foods to help support your gut microbiome? Our immune response is heavily dependent on a healthy gut so a little kimchi here, a little kefir there wouldn’t be a bad idea. After all that garlic, onion, and kimchi, you may just want a breath mint before you get too close to anyone, but at least your immune system will be rocking and rolling. And finally, sleep. You won’t do a good job fighting off a cold (or anything else for that matter) on poor sleep. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep nightly and you’ll be all set once cold and flu season does come around.
Make Short Work Weeks The Norm
Iceland did it and they seem to be doing just fine. That’s right. Iceland experimented with a four day work week and to absolutely no one’s surprise, they saw significant improvements in mental health and stress levels across the board.
Not only that, according to data collected by employers, the move to a four day work week did not have a negative impact on productivity. In some cases, it actually appeared as though productivity increased after making the shift to a shorter work week. Burnout is real. Chronic stress is real. Would a four day work week work out here in the U.S? I don’t know, but the principle behind this social experiment seems pretty sound. Less can be more when it comes to hours worked. Is a 60-80 hour work week worth it if it means putting your body in a state of constant stress? We don’t think so.
Tonic Shots
- Did someone say to “add spice to your meals?” No better spice mixes out there than the ones from our friends at Mother Tongue.
- We found another brand to check out when it comes to buying meat raised the right way. Check them out!
- Add fish to your protein rotation. These fish are sustainably sourced and never farm raised!
- Add some of this vinegar to your next salad and enjoy the health benefits of this delicious dressing.
