Prepare for the Fall Spike with the #SuperstoreFluCrew

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for Atlantic Superstore/Loblaw, all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Quite frankly, I know my germ-free days are numbered. Every fall the kids go back to school, and Suzi goes back to teaching 10 fitness classes/week. And it’s only a matter of time before I get over tired and get hit with whatever nasty bug is floating around. I may not have kids, but my clients certainly do, and it’s impossible for me not to be exposed to all of the germs floating around out there when I’m surrounded day in and day out with groups of people exercising, sweating, coughing and sneezing!

The Fall Spike

Studies show school children bring home germs from school and spread them throughout their entire family, causing sickness ranging from colds to severe asthma flare-ups – known as the Fall Spike.

• The Ontario Lung Association notes that when children go back to school, it’s back to close quarters with classmates – and the viruses they carry.
• A study from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology also shows a link between peaks in asthma hospitalizations and higher rates of respiratory tract infection after students return to school, particularly after summer vacation.

Fight the Good Fight with Good Nutrition

While it’s important to focus on nutrient rich foods year round, it is particularly important at this time of year as they contribute to good overall and immune health during the Fall Spike and leading into cold and flu season.

Some of the nutrients that are particularly important at this time of year include:

• Vitamin C and E which are antioxidants important for the maintenance of good health and are found in citrus fruits and seeds/nuts.
• Zinc (which can be found in nuts and seeds) and Vitamin A (found in beta carotene in orange vegetables like sweet potato and butternut squash) which have been shown to help maintain immune function.
• There is also interesting research that probiotics (like those found in Kefir) modulate the immune system, making these important foods as well.

• Protein, found in meats, eggs, seafood (like salmon, tuna and trout), milk products, legumes, and nuts and seeds, help build and repair body tissues and antibodies.
• The B Vitamins, which help to maintain good health, are found in abundance in foods like leafy greens, whole grains and winter squashes.

Including a variety of these foods in your diet each week helps you to maintain good health this fall (and all year round!). Good nutrition = a healthier body and immune system = fewer colds and flu attacks.

I know that families (kids and husbands too!) can be a bit of a pain when it comes to introducing new foods, but it’s easier to get them to try new things when you involve them in the meal planning (and prepping), and when you add ingredients of different colours and textures, to multiple meals to make the family accustomed to eating them.

In-store dietitians at your local Atlantic Superstore can help you prepare for cold and flu season with recipes that contain nutrient-rich foods that help support good overall and immune health.

Need Recipe Ideas?

Need some ideas of ways to incorporate some of these foods into your life? Here are some great recipes you can try:

Sweet Potato and Carrot Miso Soup

Bacon Maple Spiced Nuts (these are amazing AND addictive!)

Sweet Potato Nacho Bake

Sweet Potato Aloo Gobi

Citrus and Beet Salad (I’m grabbing some oranges and grapefruit to make this one ASAP)

Citrus and Shrimp Salad

Get the Flu Shot

The flu shot is the best way to prevent the flu, and is available through in-store pharmacists at Atlantic Superstore stores across the region starting in mid-October.

I know the flu shot can sometimes be controversial because there are so many types of flu virus and we don’t get immunized for them all. However, it remains the best way to help prevent the high risk populations from contracting the virus. Even if we get hit with a different type of flu virus than we have been immunized against, having the shot can shorten the lifespan of the illness and help prevent related complications. Personally I’ve been getting the flu shot since 1992, my brother is a quadriplegic (as a result of a car accident in 1992 – that’s how I know how long it’s been), and I have since been diagnosed with a lung condition making it necessary for me to have it to prevent complications.

In 2015, more than 5000 Canadians were hospitalized with the flu, including more than 1500 kids.

[Tweet “From the food aisle to the pharmacy, the #SuperstoreFluCrew is a great resource to help keep your family healthy this cold & flu season”]

And I can’t finish this post without sharing my personal tips for helping to prevent the spread of germs and viruses year round:

1. Take your shoes off when you enter your home – we pick up all sorts of dirt, germs, viruses and who knows what else when we are outside. Removing your shoes not only helps keep your floors clean, but it helps to prevent all of those germs from being tracked around your home.
2. Wash your hands thoroughly when you come inside. Especially if you work in a public setting (school, retail, etc.), make it a habit to use warm soapy water and wash from wrist to fingertip each time you come home. And instill it in your whole family to do the same. I believe our hands are the #1 way we spread germs so why not stop that dead at your door?!

Get ready for the Fall Spike

Book a free appointment with an in-store registered dietitian for more information on foods that help support good overall health and immune health, and while you are there, visit your in-store pharmacist for your flu shot.

If you do get your Flu Shot at the Superstore, grab a picture and tweet me at @suziconfesses using the #SuperstoreFluCrew hashtag!

Updated to add: In case you’re wondering – yes I did get my flu shot!