With cold and flu season upon us, you've probably begun your furious attempts to avoid both illnesses: Washing your hands 8,000 times a day. Popping Cold-Eeze like they're candy. Grabbing door handles with tissues—not, god forbid, a bare hand. And, listen, do what works for you, but know this: Somewhere out in the world—Los Angeles, to be exact—a 94-year-old doctor just revealed the secret to not getting sick might be easier than you think.
Dr. Murray Grossan (who still works as an ear, nose, and throat doctor—even as a nonagenarian) shared with Prevention that he eats yogurt every single day. That's it. That's what a man who's gone through many, many years of school—plus decades of work telling people how to be healthy and get healthier—says might be the key to his avoiding the common cold and flu. Steve Bowers, DO, interviewed Dr. Grossman for his new book (with the editors of Prevention) Secrets of the World's Healthiest People. It should be noted that Dr. Grossan also says that since he's been around sick people for his entire career, he's probably built up a better immunity to colds and flus.
It's simple, but, as Dr. Bowers explains to Prevention, there's live bacteria in some yogurts that interacts with the microbes in our intestines. So while Dr. Grossan believes it's helped him prevent the flu and cold, Dr. Bowers says it can also fight bad bacteria like E.coli and salmonella. They key is picking a yogurt that says it has live and active cultures (typically, these are only found in the refrigerated section).
Dr. Bowers also suggests that you should pad your diet with other fermented foods: sauerkraut, kefir, probiotics. And if those aren't piquing your interest, read the words of some other wise 100-something-year-olds on what they eat to prolong their lives.
