10 Essential Tips to Combat Colds All Year Long

By Lizzie Fuhr

Updated on 3/5/2015 at 8:15 PM

POPSUGAR Photography
POPSUGAR Photography

Constantly battling a cold or the flu? Stop bugs in their tracks with these tips that boost your immune system, so you're able to stay healthy, productive, and focus on things that are much more fun.

  1. Eat for color: Bright and beautiful produce owe its hues to germ-fighting antioxidants. If your plate looks muted, your immune system is feeling similar.
  2. Keep up cardio: Don't skip out on exercise! Studies have shown a 25 to 50 percent decrease in sick time for people who exercise most days of the week.
  3. Try probiotics: Probiotics are known to help maintain a strong immune system. Here are some of our favorite store-bought foods that help keep your gut healthy.
  4. Go to yoga: Calming down and twisting out toxins with yoga gives your immune system a big boost. Try these targeted poses that each offer big benefits.
  5. Cut back on sweets: Naturopath practitioner Dr. Holly Lucille says eating too much sugar contributes to being "immuno-compromised or susceptible to catching flus." Look at your sugar intake, and make necessary changes.
  6. Stay hydrated: Flush out toxins and stay balanced by drinking the right amount of water every day. Basically, finish the glass on your desk, and pour another.
  7. Get more sleep: People who get enough sleep are less likely to catch a cold than those who sleep less than seven hours a night. Just another reason to hit the hay.
  8. Sip on bone broth: Bone broth is rich in glutamine and glycine, two amino acids that "help repair cells and heal gut inflammation," says dietitian Esther Blum. She says this recipe has played a major role in keeping her flu-free this year.
  9. Stay happy: Keeping a positive attitude does more than stave off stress: science shows that optimism also boosts your immunity.
  10. Sprinkle this spice: Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, has anti-inflammatory, antivirus, and antifungal properties. Try these turmeric-spiced recipes, or warm up with some turmeric tea.