Studies Show That Older People Are More Prone To Illness, Danone Issues Some Guidelines To Help Stay Full Of Life This Winter
Recent figures from the CSO[1] have found that 61% of Irish adults state that they are full of life all or most of the time. As winter approaches, Danone has developed a series of guidelines to help older adults to stay full of life over the coming months.
It is important to be proactive about your health, especially at this time of year – the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that between 5% and 15% of the population are affected by upper respiratory tract infections, and the elderly are particularly at risk of flu, especially infection with complications that can result in severe illness requiring hospitalisation[2].
Kellie O’Connor, Nutritionist, Danone Ireland explains: “The harsh weather during the winter months can challenge our natural defences and certainly as people get older, their natural defences can become weaker. With this in mind, it is important to take care of yourself – especially during the winter months, and so I have developed a series of tips to help ensure we can all enjoy life to the full this winter.”
“Probiotics can play an important role in supporting the health of the elderly population, particularly in winter. Out of the 26 clinical studies on Danone Actimel, one study in particular has shown that elderly people suffering from winter infections who consumed the probiotic Actimel made a faster recovery than those who did not consume it. Indeed there was a 20% drop in the length of recovery time in the test group when compared to the control group.[3] Therefore, I would recommend taking a probiotic such as Danone Actimel, daily when preparing for winter, as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle.
Kellie O’Connor’s Top Tips for enjoying life to the full this winter:
1. Eat Well & Keep Hydrated – Having a healthy balanced and varied diet is very important to ensure that you are getting all the nutrients you need to stay healthy.
2. Exercise and Get Outside – It is important to ensure you get out and about whatever the weather and exercise regularly. Just make sure to wear winter-ready gear when out and about, and have a warm shower as soon as you get home.
3. Stay Warm – Make sure to layer up to keep you warm and dry on those cold winter days, and keep your rain gear ready for rainy days or sudden showers.
4. Keep Hands Clean – Keeping your hands clean is thought to be the simplest and most effective way to help prevent germs from being passed from one person to another.
5. Sleep Well – A good night’s sleep is one of the body’s great ways to repair and strengthen your defences naturally. An average of 8 hours is recommended.
6. Drink a daily probiotic, such as Danone Actimel every day.