TV Host Dr. Yael Varnado, MD, Shares Her Top Suggestions for Staying Healthy During the Cold & Fly Season

When winter comes, we are all challenged to stay healthy and avoid colds and flu. Joining us today with timely tips for staying health is Dr. Yael Varnado, a practicing Physician at Johns Hopkins Hospital, founder of AskDoctorV.com and the non-profit, ‘Get Checked 4 Life. Dr. Varnado is a frequent guest and medical contributor on the Today Show, CNN, and Dr. OZ to name a few.

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST WINTER WELLNESS CHALLENGE THIS TIME OF YEAR? 

This flu season is shaping up to be one of the worst in decades. If you do come down with the flu this winter, and there’s a good chance that you might, you will be well prepared by having Boiron’s Oscillococcinum on hand to help reduce its severity and duration. Recognized as the #1 pharmacist recommended brand, Oscillococcinum is for everyone age 2 and up. It has been shown in clinical studies to relieve flu-like symptoms such as body aches, headache, fever, chills, and fatigue. This homeopathic medicine is widely available in local supermarkets and pharmacies. For more, visit: oscillo.com.

DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING YOUR HEALTH THIS TIME OF YEAR? 

Healthy digestion is something we don’t often think of, but it’s so important. My go-to is Florassist probiotics by Life Extension, the health solutions experts that use scientific research to create products for people wanting to live their healthiest lives. They offer a diverse family of Florassist probiotics to help to promote healthy digestion, maintain GI balance, oral hygiene and whole-body health. FLORASSIST GI provides a novel blend of bioactive compounds that target and remove unwanted bacteria, while delivering 6 healthy probiotic strains for digestive health support. For more information and to get $10 off your first order and free shipping visit: Life Extension.

HOW IMPORTANT IS GETTING PLENTY OF REST AND QUALITY SLEEP THIS TIME OF YEAR?

One of the best ways to stay healthy this winter is quite simple: sleep! But it’s not always so easy to come by. That’s why Objective, a science-backed and natural source for targeted wellness solutions, just released: Fast Asleep. People that take melatonin can have odd experiences such as intense dreams, but what I love about Fast Asleep is that it is a natural product that doesn’t have melatonin. Added benefit, it is a delicious mint chocolate and includes calming GABA to relax your mind, and saffron to keep you sound asleep all night. In a double-blind study, 100% of subjects—that's everyone—taking saffron showed significant improvement in 3 key sleep categories: ease of falling asleep, quality of sleep, and feeling refreshed upon waking. You can get Fast Asleep at objectivewellness.com.