Immunity. The change in seasons brings not only the holidays and colder weather, but also new viruses and bacteria which will attempt to test our immune systems. Some people are simply blessed with a strong constitution and rarely get sick; others are less fortunate. The good news is that we can all strengthen our resistance in a variety of ways. First and foremost, eating a healthy balanced diet and getting regular exercise is extremely important! We must know what we are putting in our bodies because everything we eat affects us down to a cellular level. Consistently eating sugar, drinking alcohol and smoking can have very detrimental effects on our health and on our natural ability to fight infection. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and drink lots of fresh juice and water while limiting your intake of meat, processed foods and bad carbohydrates.

Secondly, there are a number of immune system enhancing supplements which can greatly improve your natural defenses. At the salon, most of us take Lysine on a daily basis. It is an essential amino acid which cannot be synthesized by the human body and must be acquired through food (proteins naturally contain lysine). It helps the body to produce antibodies, enzymes and hormones and is even used to treat cold sores because of its strong ability to boost immunity. There are also great vitamins which have been shown to enhance immunity in the human body: Vitamins B, C, D and Zinc as well as a combination of the following herbs: Echinacea, Goldenseal, Usenea and Ginko.

Finally, never underestimate the importance of frequent hand washing or sanitation and the wiping down of shared surfaces. I rarely get sick, even though I work on people all day long because I make it a practice to never touch my face. Always to keep your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth and wash your hands before eating. Just remember, the more good things we put in our bodies, the stronger they will be and the less we have to worry about getting sick during cold and flu season.