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HEALTHY LIVING

Essential tips to support your immune system

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(Family Features) The immune system – made up of organs, tissues, cells and proteins – is your body’s personal defense system against bacteria and viruses, helping ward off illness and infection. Because of the vital role it plays in keeping you healthy, it’s important to take steps to keep your immune system strong.

Consider these healthy habits that can go a long way toward supporting your immune system and maintaining your health.

Practice Proper Hygiene
Good hygiene – and avoiding close contact with people who are sick – is a key component of maintaining a healthy immune system. Practices such as washing your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; covering your nose and mouth with a tissue or your elbow when coughing or sneezing; and disinfecting oft-touched objects and surfaces like doorknobs, light switches, counters and remote controls can help remove germs and reduce their spread.

Consider a Nutrient-Rich Supplement
The body requires many essential nutrients to form the foundation of a healthy immune system. Consider adding a nutrient-rich supplement like Airborne, which has been reformulated with seven key essential nutrients – vitamins A, C, D and E; zinc; manganese; and selenium. Available in effervescent tablets and chewable gummies, with flavors varying from Zesty Orange to Very Berry and Citrus, the addition of vitamin D and increased levels of zinc mean the improved formula provides the most essential nutrients of any Airborne immune-supporting supplement.

Maintain a Healthy Diet
Because a poor diet can weaken the immune system, according to research published in “Science Direct,” giving your body the nutrients it needs is key to helping your immune system thrive. Including a variety of fruits and vegetables, which are rich in antioxidants and vitamins, as well as whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats as part of your meals can help strengthen your immune system. Also remember to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and limit processed foods, sugary snacks and beverages high in added sugars that can weaken your immune system and have a negative impact on your health.

Engage in Regular Physical Activity
Not only can maintaining a regular exercise routine help build muscle and improve endurance, it helps improve circulation, too, which allows immune cells to move more freely through the body. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week, such as brisk walking, cycling, swimming or dancing. This activity also promotes the production of endorphins and can help reduce stress, further benefitting to your immune system, according to the Mayo Clinic. Just be sure not to push yourself too hard, as excessive exercise can have the opposite effect and put your body under more physical stress.

Get an Appropriate Amount of Sleep
Sleep and immune health are intertwined. In fact, inadequate or poor-quality sleep can lead to a higher susceptibility to illness, according to research by the Sleep Foundation. During sleep, your body repairs and rejuvenates itself, so aim for the expert-recommended 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night. Establish a regular sleep schedule by going to bed and waking at the same time each day, even on weekends, and create a relaxing routine to signal to your body it’s time to wind down. This may include limiting screen time an hour before bed, reading or practicing relaxation techniques. A comfortable, cool and dark sleep environment can also improve the quality of your sleep.

Manage Stress Levels
Stress, both physical and mental, can weaken your immune system and lead to a higher risk of infection, particularly if it leads to sleep disturbances, reduced water intake, less frequent exercise or unhealthy eating habits. To effectively manage stress, practice relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga or deep breathing and prioritize self-care through activities you find relaxing like reading, listening to music, journaling, exercising or spending time outdoors.

Find solutions to help support your immune system at schiffvitamins.com.

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock


SOURCE:
Airborne

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HEALTHY LIVING

A lesson in kindness, inclusion and how kids eat differently

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(Feature Impact) The school year brings new classmates, routines and opportunities for children to learn about people whose experiences may be different from their own. They could include friends who use a wheelchair, carry an inhaler or even receive nutrition through a feeding tube.

Watch this video to learn more

https://youtube.com/watch?v=p9srvT963jE%3Fsi%3DFgjL9HX00c698jNa%26controls%3D0

For families who rely on tube feeding, it is an essential part of daily life but is often understood only by those who experience it. That limited awareness can leave children who are tube fed and their families feeling isolated or unseen, according to Gerard Minor, a pediatric gastroenterology and hepatology specialist.

Parents can use everyday questions as opportunities to help children understand there are many ways people receive nourishment. Teachers, classmates, caregivers and communities can also help make tube feeding part of the everyday conversation around childhood rather than something that separates children from it.

“Helping children understand those differences early can encourage curiosity, kindness and inclusion,” Minor said.

To help bring greater awareness, understanding and representation to children and families who experience tube feeding every day, Compleat, a leader in tube feeding formulas, launched “What Is Better Than How,” featuring “Sesame Street’s” Elmo and his signature warmth and curiosity. The original song celebrates the many ways people eat. Some people eat with a fork, some use a spoon and some use a tube, reinforcing a simple message: What matters is not how you eat. What matters is that you are nourished, loved and included.

To hear the song, create a personalized version and learn more about the campaign, visit Compleat.com/WhatIsBetterThanHow.

SOURCE:

Nestle Compleat

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Dry eye: An overlooked perimenopause, menopause symptom

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(Feature Impact) Dry eye is one of the most overlooked symptoms of perimenopause, the phase of fluctuating hormones leading up to a woman’s final period, and menopause, the point in a woman’s life when she’s gone a year without a period.

In fact, 79% of women1 recognize hot flashes as a symptom of menopause, but only 14% recognize dry eye as a menopause-related symptom, according to the 2026 Bausch + Lomb (Peri)Menopausal Survey. What’s more, 78% of women1 were surprised to learn that dry eye is a symptom of perimenopause or menopause.

“Dry eye is still widely overlooked as a symptom of menopause, and many women think it’s just a minor nuisance, but the truth is it can significantly affect your daily life,” said Neda Gioia, OD, CNS, IFMCP, FOWNS, founder, Integrative Vision. “Early symptoms are often misunderstood or self-treated but it’s very important for women who experience symptoms to see an eye doctor and get an accurate diagnosis and treatment.”

During perimenopause and menopause, declining hormone levels can impact tear production, tear quality and tear evaporation, contributing to dry eye symptoms including redness, fluctuating vision and a gritty or tired feeling in the eyes, all of which can impact day-to-day comfort and quality of life. If left untreated, dry eyes may worsen over time, potentially impacting eye health and vision. Among peri-, menopausal and post-menopausal women who experienced dry eye, 80% said the symptom came as a surprise.

Respondents reported their dry eye symptoms caused difficulty reading (58%), difficulty using screens (53%), difficulty driving (26%) and reduced productivity (17%), underscoring the often-overlooked impact dry eyes can have on everyday life.1

However, there are a variety of products and treatment approaches available to help manage dry eye symptoms. For example, Bausch + Lomb offers a range of options designed to address the main causes of dry eye.

A doctor-recommended, clinically proven once-daily soft gel supplement that targets the key root causes of dry eyes, Blink NutriTears supports healthy tear production and provides lasting, continuous relief.* § As part of a comprehensive approach to dry eye management, the supplement can be used with Blink Triple Care Preservative Free Lubricant Eye Drops, which are designed to directly address tear evaporation, one of the leading causes of dry eye, and provide instant and long-lasting symptom relief.

An eye care professional can help determine the approach that’s right for each individual. To learn more about dry eye and products to help combat it, visit JustBlink.com.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

12026 Bausch & Lomb (Peri)Menopause Survey via Suzy, n=402; Women ages 30–80+ who are perimenopausal, menopausal, or post-menopausal
§Based on a clinical study

SOURCE:

Bausch + Lomn

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Life insurance is on the to-do list right after cleaning out the garage!

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(Sheeka Sanahori) Being an adult comes with a never-ending list of responsibilities: Cook dinner. Scrub the bathroom. File taxes. The tasks grow even longer when sharing a household with a partner, building a family, or taking care of others. No matter how you define “adulting,” getting life insurance tends to be one part of the to-do list that keeps getting set on a procrastination loop.

New survey data backs that up: there are plenty of other tasks adults would rather focus on first.

The Adulting Task Americans Keep Avoiding

According to the 2026 Life Happens Life Insurance Survey, a financial literacy nonprofit organization, 39% of U.S. adults would rather clean out their email inbox than figure out their life insurance needs. Another 31% would rather clean out the garage or basement. One in five U.S. adults would be willing to sit on hold with customer service for three hours before life insurance planning. Even though many adults have it somewhere on their list, nearly half (46%) say they’ll either deal with it later or not at all.

They Know It Matters

Nearly a third of adults have already figured out a life insurance plan, and they feel good about their decision. Others are feeling more conflicted: 14% have a policy, but they’re not sure if they have enough. Another 12% say they either don’t know where to start or they think it’ll be too expensive.

It’s no wonder people are putting it off: Navigating a new-to-them form of financial planning can come with a lot of complicated emotions. Four in 10 feel either overwhelmed, anxious, or some combination of both. Sixteen percent of U.S. adults feel guilty for putting it off, but when the outcome is more procrastination, that feeling lingers.

Why Later Keeps Winning

If you’ve ever faced an important decision without having enough information to make an informed choice, you know how stressful it can be. While the generations have different takes on making major decisions with a gut feeling or “pure vibes,” most of the time, people want to feel like they’re making an informed choice. Forty-five percent of U.S. adults say cost concerns, confusion or procrastination are the main reasons they have delayed or would delay looking into life insurance. For more than one in five, the plan is to seriously look at it when they feel more financially stable. For 12%, they say they’ll do it when they’re older.

Men tend to feel more confident about their life insurance decisions to date; 53% of men vs. 41% of women feel confident their family would be financially protected.

The First Step Feels Bigger Than It Is

Learning more about life insurance, how it’s priced and how it works could help get many consumers out of their procrastination loop. A quarter of people say they’d make a decision if they learned it was easier to get than they previously thought. Thirty percent would make the purchase if they learned it was more affordable than they believed it to be. Others need an experienced professional to talk to or an online calculator tool to give them guidance.

Methodology: Life Happens commissioned Atomik Research to conduct an online survey of 2,000 adults, including 700 Gen Z respondents, 700 millennials, and 600 Gen X respondents throughout the United States. The margin of error for the overall sample is +/- 2 percentage points and +/- 4 percentage points for each generational sample, with a confidence level of 95 percent. Fieldwork took place between July 14 and July 20, 2026. Atomik Research, part of 4media group, is a creative market research agency.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock (couple using computer)

   

SOURCE:

Life Happens

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