Dr Oz’s Super Immunity Checklist & Vitamin C Smoothie Recipe

Dr Oz did a segment on Super Infections and then gave some immunity warning signs along with Dr Oz’s Super Immunity Checklist and a fabulous cold fighting Vitamin C Smoothie Recipe.  Here are some things Doctor Oz said you can do to prevent a cold:

Dr Oz’s Immunity Warning Signs

1.  High Sugar Diet

Guess how many teaspoons of sugar American’s eat daily (on average)?  Dr Oz said that the average American eats 22 teaspoons of sugar each day, and often in places that they would not expect such as condiments or soda.  You should get no more than 6 tsp of sugar a day.  Dr Oz said that sugar interfaces with white blood cells and prevents them from fighting off colds for around 5 hours, by when you are often eating another meal full of sugar.

2.  Extra Weight or BMI > 40

Dr Oz said that a BMI of 18-25 is normal, and over 40 is morbid obesity.  If you fall into the category of morbid obesity, you are more likely to get a cold and you will find it harder to recover from the cold as well.

3.  Stress

Stress can cause headaches and even trouble sleeping, but also stress can suppress your immune system.  Dr Oz said that if you have stress, you are 75% more likely to catch a cold.

4.  Dry Nose

Dr Oz said that a runny nose traps bacteria that gets in and allows your nose to throw out the germs.  However, if you have a dry nose, the bacteria stay trapped inside.  Dr Oz suggested using a humidifier or a Neti Pot if you need to moisturize your nose.

If you do catch a cold though, you can cut down the cold by taking Vitamin C in large doses.  Dr Oz suggested making the following Vitamin C Smoothie Recipe:

Dr Oz’s Vitamin C Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients:

– juice from 2 oranges

– 1/2 a cantaloupe

– 1 cup strawberries

– 1 tomato

Blend all of the ingredients together, and you will have Dr Oz’s super immunity smoothie!

Dr Oz gave one final tip about preventing colds.  In the hospital, doctors wash their hands for 20 seconds, but then how they dry their hands is just as important.  Air blowers can dry out your skin too much, so you should use a cotton towel to dry your hands.