I’m not here to pass any judgements on the man cold, nor can I confirm or deny its legitimacy. What I can tell you, is that my Dad definitely falls victim (every time), and I may or may not be far behind. There is nothing worse than being sick, and if you’re like me, it comes not when you’re stressed with an endless to do list, but when you’ve finally got some free time. Like on the weekend, or even worse, during a vacation. Talk about the worst possible time! There’s already so much to worry about with foreign drinking water and different foods, the last thing you need dampening those two precious vacation weeks a year is a cold.

But it’s actually more common than you think. It’s called leisure sickness.

It’s the sickness that happens when you can finally relax after a really busy week.

Think about it, it’s almost more work to take a week off than it is to just stick to the regular scheduled programming. It’s always a mad rush to meet deadlines before the work week ends, not to mention coordinating plant waterings, cat feeders and confirming travel itineraries at the same time. Even though they’re all exciting things to prepare, it’s still a kind of stress that puts your body in the fight or flight mode. This short term life saving process actually suppresses your immune system, making you more vulnerable to colds and bacteria. Then, once you finally come down from that wired high, the cracks in the armour give way and the symptoms show up.

The good news is, just because it’s common, doesn’t mean we have to roll over and accept it.

Sleep, sleep, sleep.

I cannot emphasize this enough. Especially when life gets hectic, it’s important to still prioritize those 8 hours of sleep every night, but not just any 8 hours either. Your body gets its most restful sleep before midnight, so aim for a 10 pm bedtime. After midnight, your natural cortisol cycle starts up again, increasing to an 8 am peak that wakes you up in the morning.

Vitamin C.

Eating lots of vitamin C rich foods is textbook cold and flu prevention for a reason. Oranges and citrus foods are obvious choices, but did you know that apples, bell peppers and kiwis are actually better food sources of this immune boosting vitamin?

So, load up on as many of these foods as possible, because when fighting a bug, the amount of vitamin C your body uses actually increases. It’s water soluble so any excess will be eliminated when you go number 1, so there’s no risk for toxicity.

Lots of bacteria…

…the good kind that is! Consume probiotics and fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, natural yogurts, and kombucha. These provide your body with healthy bacteria that is critical for your overall health but especially for your immune system! 70% of your immune system is in your gut because this is where most of the pathogens enter the body. Having enough of the good bacteria in your gut provides you with a physical barrier against the pathogens that can make you sick.

Of course this is not an exhaustive list, but these three things will go a long way in keeping your body in tip top shape. No need to let a sore throat or a head cold stand in your way of exploration and adventure. But, if all else fails, a few drops of oil of oregano under the tongue works wonders for a speedy recovery!