World Cup Wellness
With excitement about the FIFA World Cup reaching fever pitch in every household across South Africa, it’s easy to neglect our health as we flock to stadiums, lose sleep to watch late night games or gather around our televisions armed with junk food and beer.
Prevention is better than cure, so beef up your family’s immune system with a winning game plan for tiptop health.
Think of your immune system as the “foot soldiers” of a winter wellness army. While you’re out and about having fun, environmental factors such as poor nutrition, freezing stadium seats, lack of sleep and plummeting temperatures wage war against your body’s ability to fight off germs and viruses.
Start your road to health by detoxifying both body and environment in simple, cost-effective ways.
Super Sunlight
Begin your plan by getting sufficient sunlight. A minimum of 20 minutes every day in non-midday sun will convert cholesterol to Vitamin D, which helps our bodies to absorb calcium and works wonders for our hormonal systems. Since it’s soccer season, grab a ball and play outside with the family. This way you can take care of both your exercise and sunlight needs.
Fighting Fit Foods
Natural nutrition is also a vital link in the disease-free chain. Our reliance on convenient, genetically modified and overly processed foods robs us of basic nutrients, which means that we are also more likely to fall ill.
As a rule of thumb, opt for unprocessed foods which are as close to their natural state as possible – rolled oats instead of sugary, chocolate coated cereals, for example. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables (washed in vinegar water if they’re not organic); avoid white flour found in pastries, breads and pasta; and add healthy fats to your diet, such as olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds and fatty fishes, which also provide essential fatty acids.
British health experts have identified several super foods renowned for boosting immunity, so try to eat some of these every day, either as snacks or main meals. Stock up on beetroot, blackberries, carrots, homemade chicken soup, garlic, pears, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, turmeric powder and avocados. These all contain various powerful nutrients and antioxidants for great health.
In general, Vitamin C promotes better white blood cell activity in the body and increases your antibody quotient, so take a good supplement. Ask your pharmacist for a good whole food supplement which includes Echinacea and zinc. And don’t forget to drink plenty of water! You might also want to take a probiotic.
Squeaky Clean
Next, take a close look at hygiene, especially if you’re winging your way down to watch a game of soccer. We tend to forget that a major reason for succumbing to colds and flu is how we transmit germs via breathing stale, recycled air indoors or by using the same objects, such as telephones, stair rails and even doorknobs.
To avoid germs in crowded places, wash your hands regularly with soap and warm water, scrubbing for at least 15 to 20 seconds. And, although it might seem vaguely paranoid, use your elbow or sleeve to flush toilets or touch elevator buttons and wear gloves, if possible, when you’re using a stair rail.
Think about those around you when you’re in packed places. Cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze and dispose of used tissues by flushing them down the toilet.
Dress for Success
If you’re spending lots of time outdoors, layer up! The best defence against chills is wearing more layers of clothing, rather than one stiflingly hot padded jacket. Start with thermal underwear, followed by comfortable tracksuit pants or jeans, a sweatshirt and then a warm jacket. When you’re hot, simply take off an item of clothing.
Remember, too, that body heat escapes from our extremities, so keep your hands, feet, neck and head covered with insulated gloves, wool socks, a scarf and a warm beanie or ski hat.
Ear Muffs, Anyone?
A part of the body we tend to forget about – particularly when we’re screaming with thousands of others for our favourite team – is our ears. Hearing is a crucial part of overall health, and recent studies in Johannesburg have shown that the sound level inside a 2010 stadium could actually lead to permanent hearing damage.
The popular vuvuzela, which is blown by eager South African fans, was at the heart of the study and researchers tested the possibility of noise-induced hearing loss as a result of sound levels in stadiums.
So if you’re going to be one of the thousands of fans enjoying a truly South African soccer World Cup experience, best you stock up on health – as well as a set of quality ear plugs!
Story by Beth Cooper
