Is ‘Man Flu’ a real thing?

Today’s post is about ‘Man Flu’.

One of my work colleagues was making comments about catching man flu and how bad it was, so I thought I would investigate and share.

So, about Man Flu

We have all heard of the notorious “Man Flu”. It can affect men from all walks of life and render them miserable for days. They claim that they are ‘dying’ and ‘it’s the worst flu ever’. Many women, myself included, tend to consider “Man Flu” an exaggeration of the common cold.

Are women just more resilient and able to cope with this common ailment or is there really such a thing as “Man Flu”?

What do the scientists say?

A research paper published in December 2017 explored whether men exaggerated the severity of symptoms or their immune system is actually inferior.

The researchers found that there is some evidence clearly supporting men suffering more symptoms and dying from viral respiratory illness than women. They found that men do have a less robust immune system.

Since flu symptoms are in large part due to the body’s immune reaction, a lessened immune response in women may translate to milder symptoms.

Other studies have found that an Influenza vaccination tends to cause more reactions and better antibody response in women. Testosterone may play a role, as men with the highest levels tended to have a lower antibody response. A better antibody response may lessen the severity of flu. Therefore it’s possible that vaccinated men get more severe symptoms than women because they don’t respond to vaccination as well.

Another possibility is that men actually experience respiratory viral illnesses differently than women. This is supported by scientific data for other conditions. Pain due to coronary artery disease (as with a heart attack or angina) is a good example. Men tend to have “classic” crushing chest pain, while women are more likely to have “atypical” symptoms such as nausea or shortness of breath.

 There’s more…

In several studies using mice, the adult male mice displayed more symptoms of sickness than females when they were exposed to bacteria that cause an illness with symptoms similar to the flu. The males also had more fluctuations in body temperature, fever and signs of inflammation, and took longer to recover.

A group of researchers from the University of Cambridge conducted a study in 2010. They put forward a theory that men have evolved to have weaker immune systems and lower immunity because of their tendency for risk-taking behaviours. Still other research suggests that because women more easily pass pathogens onto their children, they’ve built up more natural defences against them.

The scientific evidence for this is far from conclusive, but some research has shown that male and female immune cells do react differently to invading viruses.

 Whichever theory rings true for you, it seems that there is some scientific basis to “Man Flu” after all.

Will we ever hear the end of it now?!

Till the next post,

Live Clean n Prosper

Sources – Harvard Medical Publishing – BMJ Resource Centre 

Ginger for health

Todays post is about Ginger.

During the past month Scott has started growing ginger in our vegetable garden. So far it seems to be growing well. I’m looking forward to seeing what the flowers are like.

When we were holidaying in Fiji, the Ginger Lilly was a popular cultivated plant with beautiful, fragrant flowers. Hopefully the edible species has similar flowers.

It also has so many health benefits and can be used in many different ways.

So what Is Ginger?

It is also known as Zingiber officinale, is inaccurately referred to as “ginger root”, although the edible section sold in the markets and used in dishes is actually the stem or the rhizome. Ginger can be used fresh, dried, powdered, or as an oil or juice, and is sometimes added to processed foods and cosmetics.

It is loaded with nutrients and bioactive compounds that have powerful benefits for the body and brain.

Not only is ginger known as an essence and a spice, it is known to be one of the oldest remedies in herbal and aromatic traditional treatments, especially in China, India, and the Middle East. In China, it has been used for over 2,000 years for curing inflammation and diarrhea.

Gingerol is the main bioactive compound in ginger, responsible for much of its medicinal properties. It has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

Today, ginger is on the FDA’s list of generally safe foods and is often used to mask the taste of bitter medicines such as cough syrups.

Here are 6 health benefits of ginger that are supported by scientific research.
1. Improve Brain Function and Protect Against Alzheimer’s Disease

Oxidative stress and chronic inflammation can accelerate the aging process.

They are among the key drivers of Alzheimer’s disease and age-related cognitive decline. Some studies suggest that the antioxidants and bioactive compounds in ginger can inhibit inflammatory responses that occur in the brain.

There is also some evidence that ginger can directly enhance brain function

2. Highly effective against nausea.

Studies have concluded that 1 -1.5 grams of ginger can help prevent various types of nausea. This applies to relieving nausea and vomiting after surgery, motion and morning sickness.

Its quick absorption and rapid regulation of body functions cure nausea without the side effects of modern medications.

3. Help Fight Infections

Gingerol can help lower the risk of infections as it inhibits the growth of many different types of bacteria. Fresh ginger may also be effective against the RSV virus, a common cause of respiratory infections.

4. Treats Diarrhea

Ginger has been used since ancient times to cure diarrhea. This was recently proven by researchers that found it prevents stomach spasms and gases that contribute to and stimulate diarrhea.

5. May Reduce Muscle and joint pain.

Gingerol, is a powerful anti-inflammatory compound, which has been directly associated with improvements in knee inflammation and associated pain. Ginger does not have an immediate impact, but may be effective at reducing the day-to-day progression of muscle pain as both a preventative measure and a treatment.

6. Aids in Digestion

Ginger has been discovered to be a facilitator of the digestive process. It helps in regulating high sugar levels that may disrupt digestion and soothe the stomach. Along with that, it has a number of compounds that improve the absorption of nutrients and minerals from the food we eat. It is popular in Asian countries as an appetiser or raw menu item for precisely this reason.

There are so many more health benefits associated with Ginger. It is also quite versatile and easy to include it in our daily diet, whether it’s fresh, pickled, dried or ground.

With all of this in mind, I will definitely be trying to consume it every day.

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper.