Colds & Flus: Andrew Huberman’s Guide to Never Getting Sick
Start doing these things to stop getting sick
As someone who gets sick often, I hadn’t yet researched how to stop getting sick. So when I saw that Andrew Huberman had released a new episode on preventing colds and flu, I knew I had to listen to it.
This post drops nuggets of wisdom and action points that you can implement to avoid catching a cold, especially during these freezing winter months.
Disclaimer: All of the content in this post is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute any medical advice. Always consult a medical professional before making any decisions.
1. Don’t touch your face
One of the things that we do unconsciously after meeting new people is touching our faces (especially our eyes) immediately after shaking their hands or hugging them. Our face has a lot of entry paths for bacteria such as our nose, mouth, and eyes so doing this puts you at a high risk of introducing the cold and flu virus into your body.
Action Point: Try to actively avoid taking your hands anywhere near your face, especially after being in public places and meeting someone for the first time.
2. Quality sleep
Being sleep deprived (getting between 50% and 70% of your sleep requirements) can weaken your immune system. Make sure you get the adequate amount of sleep that you need to not feel sleepy during the day except taking a short nap or some NSDR.
What is even worse is a combination of sleep deprivation and hard bouts of exercise. This will most likely result in you getting sick but everyone is unique and you need to keep track of the activities that precede you getting sick to be sure.
If you somehow wake up early and don’t get enough sleep but want to exercise, then reduce the intensity of the workout by 25% to 50% to not compromise immune system function.
Action Point: Get enough sleep!
3. Exercise
Exercise that is 60 minutes or less in duration and of high intensity, but not so intense that your body feels destroyed, improves your innate immune system allowing you to prevent colds and flu. You should also strive to exercise regularly. I tend to do 6 days a week with 5 days for a powerlifting split and one day for cardio that incorporates both Zone 2 and 5 cardio.
Be cautious, however, because exceeding 75 minutes of exercise has been shown to weaken the immune system. If you are someone who needs to do long bouts of exercise, make sure you are covered in all other areas to prevent getting sick.
Action Point: Exercise regularly for 60 minutes or less with good intensity.
4. Nutrition
Being in a caloric deficit or fasting for extended periods can put the immune system in a complicated state. However, intermittent fasting has been shown to have some benefits and this is something that I like to do from time to time.
In addition, when you exercise inflammation in the body increases, and ingesting complex carbohydrates (oatmeal, rice, pasta, etc) and fruits after exercise can combat some of the negative effects that this has on the immune system and also promote recovery.
Gut and nasal microbiome
The microbiome in the nasal passages is most effective at combating cold or flu viruses. Huberman encourages nasal breathing as a way to allow cold and flu viruses to get trapped in the mucosal lining. This is something that you should be doing in sleep but also at all other times, except during hard exercise, talking, or eating. We heat the air when we breathe through the nose and this shifts the probability that cold or flu viruses will get embedded in the mucosal lining.
Your gut microbiome can also be improved by consuming 2 to 4 servings of low-sugar fermented food. You can remember these as the 4Ks:
- Sauer(k)raut
- Kimchi
- Kefir
- Kombucha
Go for the refrigerated ones and not the ones that have to be refrigerated after opening and the low-sugar option as this is important in the long term to prevent issues caused by sugar.
Something else that Huberman does to improve the gut microbiome but sounds odd/gross is to swish some water in your mouth and swallow it first thing in the morning or before going to bed at night. I am going to be implementing this personally just to know if it has any effects but it is up to your discretion.
Action Point: Get enough nutritious food, feed your gut microbiome, and breathe through your nose.
Stress
Chronic stress or stress that affects sleep can negatively impact your immune system. If you suffer from chronic stress, it is recommended that you seek help to manage it. Short bouts of stress, however, can improve the immune system so long as you have time to recover from it.
Sauna
A study showed that three rounds of 15 minutes in the sauna, separated by 2 minutes where they cool off with a shower resulted in an improved innate immune system.
Supplements to stop colds or flu
A lot of people wonder whether Vitamin C can help to prevent a cold. Unfortunately, research has shown that Vitamin C supplements do not assist in curing/preventing colds unless in super high doses (6 to 8 grams) which can cause significant gastric distress. If you are getting sufficient amounts in your diet, you don’t need any more.
What can help is Vitamin D (1000 to 2000 iU). This will help you avoid any deficiency and boost your immune function. It would be good to get a blood test if you can afford it to know what amount you need exactly.
Zinc supplements help if you get 100mg or more. Taking it on an empty stomach can cause gastric distress so it might be better to divide it into two doses and have it with a meal. I recently bought this one because it said 100mg but you have to take four pills (lol) so you can buy any one you like. Zinc has been shown to have a 3x faster recovery rate when supplemented with it to stop a cold faster.
If you’re already feeling sick
If you feel a cold coming already, the best way to prevent it is to sleep! Getting a lot of quality sleep is the best way to stop a cold from getting worse. Take a warm shower, get in bed, and rest to allow your body to recover.
