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If you don鈥檛 want an aching throat, stuffed-up sinuses or any of the other hallmark symptoms of cold and flu season, you鈥檝e got to get聽. There are plenty of tips, tricks and even over-the-counter remedies that promise to give you better immunity 鈥撀燽ut that doesn鈥檛 mean you should use them. It might surprise you, but some of the best-known immunity-boosting advice is nothing more than a myth.

We鈥檙e busting some of the most common immunity myths. Get the facts on how you should eat, fine-tune supplements and adjust your lifestyle to help keep colds, flus and other illnesses at bay.

1. Your first step when getting sick is to load up on vitamin C

One of the most prevalent immunity myths out there? Taking a whole bunch of vitamin C will kick a cold before it even begins, or shorten the cold鈥檚 lifespan if you鈥檙e already sick.

While vitamin C is a great natural immunity booster, it isn鈥檛 exactly the cure-all it鈥檚 often advertised as. This nutrient does play an important role in immune function, and taking vitamin C supplements can be beneficial. But you don鈥檛 want to overdo it, especially if you鈥檙e planning to dramatically up your vitamin C intake.

More isn鈥檛 always better when it comes to vitamin C. Your body can only absorb so much 鈥� and the rest just goes to waste. Stick to the daily recommended dose for adults, which is聽, and don鈥檛 go above the upper limit of 2,000 milligrams per day. Getting too much vitamin C can cause problems of its own like nausea, headaches and vomiting.

笔濒耻蝉,听聽that taking huge doses of vitamin C supplements doesn鈥檛 actually help you fight off illness. While this nutrient can be beneficial for immune health overall, it doesn鈥檛 have聽聽when you鈥檙e trying to keep colds at bay.

2. You should take a whole lot of zinc while you鈥檙e sick

Here鈥檚 a myth that鈥檚 often found alongside the previous: You鈥檝e got to take more zinc if you want to shorten a cold.

Zinc, like vitamin C, can have a positive effect on your immune system. It can help with everything from wound healing to immune cell function. And it鈥檚 often touted as one of the best minerals for slashing a cold鈥檚 typical lifespan to help you feel better faster.

However, zinc isn鈥檛 exactly the cold-curing powerhouse you might think it is. While a research study from 1984 did show that zinc supplements may be able to reduce a cold鈥檚 severity, more recent results are mixed. As聽聽explains, an analysis of multiple studies found that taking zinc supplements within 24 hours of the first signs of cold may reduce the length of your illness by one day. But all of the studies reviewed were limited 鈥撀爐hey featured too few participants, used different dosages and forms of zinc, and supplemented zinc for varying amounts of time.

So, there鈥檚 no truly conclusive proof that zinc will zap your cold in its tracks. It isn鈥檛 a bad idea to take zinc 鈥� but there鈥檚 no reason to go overboard. Large amounts of zinc can be toxic to the body, so make sure you stick with the聽聽for adults to be safe and get what your immune system needs. 8 milligrams for women and 11 milligrams for men daily is just right.

There鈥檚 one more must-remember tip about taking zinc. You don鈥檛 want to take this supplement on an empty stomach. Doing so can cause nausea 鈥� an added symptom you definitely don鈥檛 need if you鈥檙e already suffering from a cold or the flu.

3. Citrus fruits are the only immunity-boosting superfoods

Citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C, which we know is a much-beloved immunity-boosting nutrient. But just like you learned above, vitamin C isn鈥檛 the be-all, end-all for your health and your immune system鈥檚 strength. And it鈥檚 certainly no cure-all for colds and flus.

Many people turn to citrus fruit in an effort to increase their vitamin C intake naturally. But while the citrus family does offer a lot of vitamin C, it isn鈥檛 the only immunity-boosting powerhouse. There are plenty of other immunity superfoods that can deliver the nutrients you need to stay healthy even during cold and flu season.

Citrus fruits contain plenty of vitamin C 鈥� a 100-gram serving of lemon, for example, provides聽聽while a 100-gram serving of oranges offers聽. But there are other foods, including meat and veggies, that can offer just as much of this key immunity nutrient. Here鈥檚 a sample of some other awesome options rich in vitamin C:

• Yellow bell peppers, which offer聽聽per pepper
• Red bell peppers, which offer聽聽per pepper
• Guavas, which offer聽聽per 1 cup serving
• Strawberries, which offer聽聽per 1 cup serving
• Kale, which offers聽聽per 100 gram serving

Plus, don鈥檛 forget that no fruit, veggie or any other food is a cure-all. While vitamin C is a good nutrient to look for, you can also find immunity helpers in foods like chicken (which is rich in zinc as well as vitamin B6), carrots (which contain vitamin A) and even bone broth. It鈥檚 a good idea to eat a balanced diet so your immune system gets every one of the nutrients you need for great overall health.

4. Food or supplements alone will improve your immunity

Your diet definitely plays a role in your immune system鈥檚 health and function. But believing that you can simply eat a ton of immunity-boosting foods 鈥� or take a bunch of immunity-strengthening supplements 鈥� to stay healthy, that鈥檚 a myth.

While a diet rich in immunity-friendly nutrients is crucially important for keeping your immune system strong, there are a whole bunch of lifestyle factors that can impact your health. And if your lifestyle isn鈥檛 also supporting your immune system, you could wind up canceling out all the good that food and supplements can offer.

Sleep and stress are two of the biggest lifestyle factors to pay attention to. If you aren鈥檛 getting enough sleep, you鈥檙e weakening your immune system, potentially聽聽and stressing yourself out. Try our聽聽every time you head to bed. And when it comes to stress, missing out on sleep can lead to increased cortisol (the stress hormone). So if you鈥檙e already feeling stressed out by work, your busy schedule or your social life, you鈥檒l also weaken your immune system and up your odds of getting sick. Try creating a calming, relaxing ritual at home聽, meditation or other stress-soothing activities you enjoy.

Additionally, it鈥檚 another myth that exercising isn鈥檛 good for your immune system. Exercise is actually one of the best ways to boost your immunity 鈥� working out helps combat stress and benefits your overall health. Try to fit in regular exercise so you鈥檙e getting your heart pumping each and every day, even if you鈥檙e taking walks or sticking with short bursts of intense activity.

5. Only fresh fruits and veggies can give your immune system a boost

Sure, fresh fruits and vegetables are fantastic for delivering the nutrients you need, whether you鈥檙e targeting your immune system or other health needs. But that doesn鈥檛 mean you should only consume fresh produce 鈥� there are other forms that can offer just as many essential nutrients, and they won鈥檛 spoil as quickly.

It鈥檚 tough to get your hands on quality fresh produce in the colder months. But you shouldn鈥檛 worry about reaching for canned veggies or frozen fruit. It鈥檚 a common immunity myth that only fresh produce will do. Both canned and frozen fruits and vegetables are great sources of nutrients, and they can help you ensure you鈥檙e getting plenty of healthy variety into your diet.

Plus, as聽聽explains, frozen can be even better than fresh in some cases. Research has discovered that frozen produce of all different varieties have almost identical nutritional value compared to their fresh counterparts. And while fresh produce can lose vitamins after just 5 days inside your fridge, frozen fruits and veggies maintain their freshness and won鈥檛 lose any nutrients. In tests, frozen fruits and vegetables were found to have higher levels of vitamin C 鈥撀燼 key immunity booster 鈥� along with more antioxidant compounds, lutein and beta-carotene than fresh produce after refrigeration.

Canned fruits and vegetables are similar to frozen varieties. The produce is picked at just the right ripeness, and the nutrients are essentially 鈥渓ocked in鈥� during the canning process when the fruits and vegetables are preserved. This leads canned foods to聽聽regardless of their time on your shelf.聽聽has even suggested that eating a good amount of canned fruits and veggies in addition to your usual fresh produce can deliver higher levels of essential nutrients than opting for fresh alone.

Just make sure you鈥檙e choosing canned fruits and vegetables that don鈥檛 contain additives so you鈥檙e getting the nutrients you need without anything else. Look for canned produce in its simplest form, with no additives included in the mix. And don鈥檛 forget about BPA. While some canned food manufacturers have begun phasing BPA linings out of their canned goods, it鈥檚 still possible to pick up canned produce that includes BPA 鈥� so take a close look for a Proposition 65 warning label that can indicate the presence of this harmful substance.

So, while fresh is聽usually聽best, it isn鈥檛 the only option for a healthy immune system. If you want to stock up while you鈥檙e at the store, canned and frozen produce are both solid choices. Or, if you aren鈥檛 going to eat your fresh produce ASAP, opt for frozen or canned so you can lock in nutrients without worrying about freshness.

The post Stop Falling for These 5 Immunity-Boosting Myths appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.