Despite a growing market for over-the-counter medications and supplements, the best defence to keeping colds and flu at bay may come from your fridge instead of the medicine cabinet. Many kitchen staples act as cold and flu fighters and are packed with multiple nutrients that help prevent disease.

Helene Charlebois, RD, an Ottawa-based Registered Dietitian/nutritionist advocates a return to simple, back-to-basics eating. “Foods from as close to the farm as possible will help you get the best nutrients out of your daily intake. A variety of foods is best for good health and a strong immune system,” says Charlebois. “Relying on vitamin and mineral supplements will ensure you are not deficient in certain nutrients but you may be missing out on critical nutrients that don’t come in pill form. To boost your Vitamin C intake choose a glass of 100 per cent orange juice like Tropicana Pure Premium. You’ll get a full day’s supply of Vitamin C and a healthy dose of folate, potassium and powerful antioxidants.” (more…)

The immune system is the body’s first line of defense against disease and infection. A healthy immune system is important at every age. A strong immune system helps protect against infections from bacteria and viruses. It also helps protect against other health problems such as arthritis and certain types of cancer. (more…)

There’s an easy way to ward off the aches and pains of cold and flu season this year – clean your hands often with an alcohol gel sanitizer.

“Frequent fifteen-second rubs with alcohol gel is really what we want to encourage,” says Dr. Geoff Fernie, vice president of research at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, Canada’s largest provider of adult rehabilitation services. “While good old fashioned soap and water is still an effective way to get soiled hands clean, there are greater germ killing benefits to using an alcohol rub.” (more…)

Millions of Canadians are affected by cough, cold and flu symptoms every year. These symptoms are easy to recognize, and often include congestion, sneezing, sore throat, fever and a general feeling of discomfort.

Cold and flu viruses spread easily, especially amongst children and, unfortunately, their family members! Even if we can’t cure the cold or flu, we can follow some basic guidelines to keep up with our daily activities: (more…)

By Neil Schachter, MD

Your body has developed a wide range of activities to ward off disease, but while some things we do, like get enough rest, nutrients, and exercise can enhance our natural defences, other things depress the immune function. A healthy immune system means that the protective mechanisms in our blood chemistry and respiratory tract are working well. If, however, you develop infections easily, this indicates that the immune system may be under performing. You can do something about it.

The key to improving immunity lies in protecting and encouraging our natural defence resources. Regular hand washing, good nutrition, plus natural immune system boosters like Cold-fX are all effective, proactive measures. Here are five lifestyle choices that will also make a difference: (more…)

Imagine how the spread of a bad cold, or flu, could devastate an NHL team for weeks and weeks of the hockey season. Even at the best of times, all that vigorous training and hard-hitting play pushes the body of a professional athlete to the limit, including the ability of their immune system. No wonder, hockey greats like Mark Messier are ardently pro-active when it comes to fighting germs. In fact, Messier has such a passion for nutrition, fitness and natural medicine, to his teammates he was also “Dr. Mark”. (more…)

If bugs, bacteria and viruses ruled the world, there’s no doubt they would run it like an exclusive club with the motto- resist at all cost. The clubhouse rules would include all sorts of strategies to make sure that members remained undisturbed.

But Dr. Marc Ouellette of Laval University, a specialist in infectious diseases, has made it his mission to decode and break these rules. He wants to guarantee that antibiotics remain effective and that bugs are kept in check.

“In many cases, we are at the last drug, we’re only one step ahead of these rapidly-mutating pathogens,” he notes with some concern.

Bugs and viruses, known as pathogens, have a huge set of tools they can use to thwart efforts to get rid of them. (more…)

At one time or another in her life, every woman has experienced one. What is it you ask? I’m talking about yeast infections. Any woman who’s had one knows what an ordeal it is to get rid of one. Here are five tips to avoid a yeast infection before it ever starts. (more…)