anti-illness cocktail

I work in the health/fitness industry. As you can imagine, I come across several people, which can also be interpreted as lots of germs. We spray down everything and clean whatever can be touched after workouts and sanitize and wash our hands throughout the day, but germs still spread. I also have family members and friends I see each day, who are often sick. I say this without worrying about being "jinxed." I have not been sick all year (with a cold or flu virus).

What's my secret? I drink at least one glass of the mixture above each day. It is made up of 1/2 cup of water, ice, and 1/2 cup of diet sierra mist cranberry splash, and 1 tube of the off-brand of emergen-c, pink lemonade flavored. I also eat at least 2 mandarin oranges throughout the day, as well as pineapple slices. I take a multi-vitamin mainly rich in B vitamins, C, zinc, and folic acid. Most important, I exercise 6 days per week. That's 5 days of lifting for 30-40 minutes, and 1-2 hours of cardio per day, as well as 90 minutes of hot yoga twice each week. Exercise is the most important thing you can do in order to not get sick! Well, besides washing your hands. In a study done in 2007, 70% more employees who did not engage in physical activity everyday got sick and called out of work over those who did engage in physical activity. If you really want to know all the nerdy stats, let me know and I'll share my 20 something page paper from college with you. Anyway, exercise strengthens the immune system!

So lesson overview: fruits, multi-vitamin, vitamin c supplement, sanitize hands, and exercise!!!