Something to think about...

For the past few weeks, Chris has been urging so many to really take a stand and choose to start living healthier lives.  Really making that effort to eat healthy and start an exercise plan benefits in so many ways...we feel better, boost our confidence, maybe shed some unnecessary pounds, and just overall improve our quality of life.
Well, I was reading the January 2012 Max Sports and Fitness magazine recently and came across a short excerpt that I found to be very interesting...especially with it being that time of year when flu/cold season is around.  I don't know about you, but I get my flu shot annually.  Honestly, I've never really given it much thought before...I get my shot and get on with life.  After coming across this short article though, I now have given it much more thought.  Researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have found that your flu shot may provide better protection to you if you maintain a normal weight... definitely another reason to stick with that healthy eating and exercise plan!

(actual piece from the excerpt) "The findings, published recently in the International Journal of Obesity, explain why obese people were most susceptible to developing influenza during the H1N1 pandemic compared to their normal weight counterparts.  According to the researchers, influenza vaccine antibody levels decline more rapidly in people who are overweight than in those of normal weight.  Added to this, heavier people's CD8+ T cells (a white blood cell that helps to fight infection) are less responsive than those who are not as heavy-making them less able to fight off the flu bug.  Researchers predict that as the obesity epidemic grows, the number of fatalities from the flu could rise sharply."

Those finding are just outright disturbing! But the truth is, we can EASILY do something to change that and to prevent that last statistic from happening! Take a stand...not down the road...but today! Make that choice to make your health a priority and realize that it will be a choice you will never regret!