You don’t have to let the cold and flu season have its way with you. Boost your immune system now.

This year’s cold and flu season will feel like one of the latest Batman or Spider-Man flicks: You won’t just be battling one villain; you’ll have to fight off several. Experts predict two flu epidemics: the regular seasonal flu and the possibly pandemic-causing swine flu (along with the usual plethora of rhinoviruses, of course). Colds and flu bugs spread from person to person, so unless you’re a cave-dwelling hermit, you’re at risk.

What to do? Boost your immune system now to dodge these viral bullets.

1. Get Shot
To keep performing at your best, you’ll need to roll up your sleeve. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the most powerful tool for preventing flu -- both seasonal and swine -- is the annual flu shot, available in October and November from doctors, public health departments and some pharmacies (Walgreens, for example). Flu shots rev up the immune system to prevent flu infection. This year you’ll need one shot to prevent seasonal flu and another to prevent swine flu. (The swine flu vaccine is currently in the final stages of testing.)

2. Become a Friend of Herbs
Another way to enhance immune function is to take immune-boosting herbs. A great deal of research shows that some herbs activate the immune system against colds, flu and other diseases. For example:

• Andrographis Chilean researchers gave either a medically inert placebo or Andrographis (1,200 mg per day) to 158 adults who felt colds coming on. After five days, “Andrographis had a high degree of effectiveness in reducing symptoms.” The herb cut the severity and duration of sore throat and nasal symptoms in half. A Swedish study compared Andrographis and a standard antiviral drug (amantadine, Symmetrel) for treatment of flu. The herb worked almost as well as the more costly drug. Andrographis is available at health food stores and supplement shops. Take 1,200 mg a day or follow package directions.
• Echinacea “Echinacea is my favorite immune booster,” says James Duke, Ph.D., retired director of medicinal herb research for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But Echinacea is controversial. Some studies show strong immunity rallying against colds. Others show no benefit. Swiss researchers analyzed what they called “the three best studies” and found that Echinacea cuts cold risk in half. It’s available at health food stores and supplement shops. Follow package directions.
• Ginseng Asians revere ginseng as an immune booster and total-body health promoter.

Canadian researchers gave 279 adults, ages 18 to 65, either a placebo or dose of ginseng (200 mg twice a day). Four months later, the ginseng group suffered fewer than half as many colds -- and the ones they did develop were brief and mild. Likewise, University of Connecticut researchers gave flu shots to 43 people over 65 years, plus a placebo or ginseng (200 mg twice a day). The ginseng group was 50 percent less likely to develop flu. Finally, at Eastern Virginia Medical School, researchers gave flu shots to 198 nursing home residents, plus either a placebo or ginseng (200 mg twice a day). After three months, the ginseng group was an astonishing 89 percent less likely to catch flu.

Ginseng is available at health food stores and supplement shops. Take 200 mg twice a day or follow package directions.

3, 4 and 5. Just Plain Live Healthy
And let’s not forget standard health advice, which keeps the immune system in top form:

• Get at least seven hours of sleep a night Sleep deprivation impairs immune function and increases risk of illness. Many men think they can get by on five or six hours of sleep a night -- then they wonder why they feel so run down and catch so many colds.
• Eat less junk food and more fruits and vegetables Most food-health studies focus not on colds and flu but on cancer and other serious diseases. In a classic study, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley analyzed 156 studies of diet and risk of every major cancer. Compared with people who ate the fewest fruits and vegetables, those who ate the most had just half the cancer risk. So really, if these crops have the power to push back cancer, it sure couldn’t hurt to up your intake of them during cold and flu season.
• Get regular exercise A great deal of research shows that moderate physical activity invigorates the immune system. Researchers at Appalachian State University in North Carolina assigned 50 non-exercisers to either continue life on the couch or take brisk walks (45 minutes a day). After 15 weeks, the exercisers reported only half as many days with cold symptoms. Exercise also revs up the immune system against cancer. Harvard researchers monitored the health of 47,000 men for five years. Compared with those who were inactive, the men who exercised two hours a week were 30 percent less likely to develop colon cancer. If they exercised four hours a week, their risk dropped 50 percent.

6. Picture Your Health
Finally, as you get your flu shots, take immune-boosting herbs, get more sleep, eat salads and exercise, visualize your immune system growing stronger and devouring cold and flu viruses. Visualization, also known as guided imagery or self-hypnosis, is a form a meditation, and many studies show that meditation boosts immune function. In a 2003 study, University of Wisconsin researchers gave flu shots to 41 young adults, 25 of whom had been taught visualization-based meditation. The visualization group showed a stronger immune response to the vaccine, meaning greater protection from flu.

Want to be fit enough to conquer Tibet’s highest mountains? Or maybe “just” pass a fireman’s fitness test? All you have to do is master this exercise regimen.

Rock climbing Mount McKinley. Tossing a 60-yard spiral. Qualifying for a fire department fitness test. Competing in your local 200-mile bicycle race. Athletic challenges both big and small.

Few of us do workouts that can adequately prepare us for, literally, anything. But what if you could prepare your body to complete all the challenges above by practicing just one routine? If such a workout is what you want, then Sean Burch and his regimens, which have helped men run marathons and climb Mount Everest for the first time, are the ticket. The author of Hyperfitness and a world-record-setting mountain climber, Burch has helped numerous clients achieve amazing athletic feats through his training system.

Warning: His workouts are tough -- really tough. But then, he says, people, including young guys, don’t exercise anywhere close to the level they’re capable of. “If you can do this workout, completely mapped out in the 14 exercises below, there’s nothing you can’t do in fitness,” he adds.

To illustrate the kind of shape his workouts put you in, Sean went on an expedition to a remote part of Tibet, where he hiked and rock climbed for 15 hours every day, 23 days straight. During that time, he ascended a mind-boggling 63 virgin peaks (as in, he was the first one ever to reach the top of those peaks), all between 16,000 and 19,000 feet.

“My drills are meant to change the way you perceive and enact fitness, and were created to get readers in the best conceivable shape in the shortest amount of time. People are still separating their strength and cardiovascular training. This is wrong! Readers must think of their mind/body training as one entity to maximize the total body experience.”

Adds Burch: “The following 14 drills I use to sharpen my body and mind for expeditions around the world.”

The idea is to improve with each session until you can do the exercises completely through as intended. For a 30-minute killer workout, complete these high-energy moves in the order shown without resting, and build up to three times for each session:  

1. Inverted-V Push-up
Start in modified push-up position, with your butt up in the air so your body forms an inverted V. Stay on your toes, legs straight, then bend elbows while lowering head and shoulders toward floor. Go down till forehead lightly touches floor, then push back up. (10 to 14 reps)

2. Squat Palms Touch to Spread-eagle Jump
Squat, touch your palms to the floor, then spring up and spread-eagle with legs and arms. (15 to 20 reps)

3. Scale the Whale
Place one hand on a towel on a hard, smooth surface -- like the basketball court floor -- and get into runner’s starting position, with one leg ahead of the other and knees bent. Sprint forward the length of whatever surface you’re using, with your hand remaining on the towel that slides ahead of you. Then, assume the starting position and sprint back. Switch hands after 45 seconds and continue for another 45 seconds. Essentially, this drill elongates the hardest part of the sprint: the explosive start. (one minute, 30 seconds)

4. Riverdance
While hopping from one foot to the other, alternately tap your fingers on the inside of your raised ankle. (When you hop on your right foot, you’ll tap your left ankle and vice versa.) Increase the height of each hop as you develop more leg strength, and aim to maintain balance while increasing speed. (five sets of six reps; one rep is four touches)

5. Pop-up to Side Jump
Kneeling with legs and hands on ground, pop your body up quickly, bringing feet underneath your hips and arms by sides. Next, jump side to side, aiming for height rather than lateral distance. Return to kneeling and repeat. One rep is one pop-up and one jump to each side. (12 to 16 reps)

6. The Hyper Bound
Squat, jump forward or in place, then bring knees and palms down to touch the floor. Repeat. (20 reps)

7. Mountain Climbers
Get into push-up position. Keep upper body fixed, then bring right knee under body to chest then straight again, left knee to chest then straight again, right foot out to 3 o’clock and back again, and left foot to 9 o’clock and back again. Do in staccato, bouncy rhythm. (20 reps)

8. Staggered Hand Push-ups
Place one hand in normal push-up position and the other about a foot lower than normal so it’s opposite the rib cage. Execute push-up. Do eight reps before switching hand position, then do eight more reps. Repeat series for two minutes.

9. Rollup, Tuck, Rear Jump
Lie supine with arms stretched overhead, legs bent and feet on the floor. Bring arms forward while you roll up your body one vertebra at a time and stand. Jump, bringing heels to glutes. Then roll back down and repeat, in a fluid fashion. (15 reps)

10. 3-point Push-up With Jump-feet Switch
Get into 3-point push-up position (with both hands and only one foot on ground, other foot remaining elevated) and jump and switch feet after each push-up. (11 reps)

11. Triangle T to Full J-jack
Start in push-up position with feet together. Thrust them under your chest, then back to push-up position, over to right side, back to push-up position, over to left side and back to push-up position. Then bring them under chest and spring up for a full jumping jack. (15 reps)

12. Frog Jump Variation No. 4
Frog jump forward, beginning with feet wide and palms on the floor between them. Jump forward while switching hand and foot positions so feet go together and hands move outside feet. (25 reps)

13. Tricep Push-up Clap to Pop-up Squat Jump
Kneel and place hands in diamond shape on ground, directly below sternum. Form a straight line from knees to shoulders to top of head, and drop body down until arms are bent at a 90-degree angle at the elbows, then push back up and clap as you balance on your knees. Next, pop your feet under your chest and squat jump upward. (12 to 15 reps)

14. Flashdance
High-step forward with feet barely touching ground, as if ground was scalding hot. Clap under front leg throughout exercise. (aim for 50 claps)

It's tough to bulk up. But even “hard gainers” can add muscle if they follow these crucial tips.

Some guys put on muscle just by Googling. A lot of men, though, aren’t so lucky. They're “hard gainers,” for whom nothing comes “in bulk.”

But even the skinniest guys can put on some halfway-respectable mass if they work it right. Hey, if you’ve seen Christian Bale’s skeletal stick figure in The Machinist, you’d never guess he could become the buffed Dark Knight. So, if you’d like to go from machinist to Batman, follow these quick, effective tips on how to put on the right kind of weight (muscle, not fat). True, you may not wind up as muscular as the Caped Crusader (genetics can be quite the super-villain), but surely you can look as good as Robin. Here’s how:

Leave the Bodybuilding Routines for the Bodybuilders
You’ve got the latest issue of Muscle Maniacs Magazine in your hand, and you’re tempted to try that chest workout Mr. Galaxy is using. Stop.

“Those magazines are based on steroid bodybuilders, and what works for somebody on steroids doesn’t work for somebody who wants to be natural,” says Fit Chicago owner Clint Phillips, a certified personal trainer. “Many hard gainers think more is better and end up doing an insane amount of sets and reps. They’ll often be in the gym for two or three hours.”

Instead, Phillips recommends spending only 45 minutes to an hour with the weights and no more than two to three weight workouts a week.

To Get Bigger, Go Basic
Get rid of the so-called “shaping exercises” done with little dumbbells -- such as shoulder raises, chest flyes and concentration curls -- as these target only part of a muscle group. Instead, stick with barbell-type moves and heavier weights, and aim for compound movements that involve at least two or more muscle groups, such as the chest, shoulders and triceps for the bench press.

Why? Your muscles respond most to lifting heavier loads, and the impact on the muscles can be considerably magnified by moves that involve more muscle groups. This will enable you to lift even heavier weights and build more muscle thanks to those bigger loads.

“Choose the more difficult movements,” advises certified personal trainer Mike Boyle, who owns Mike Boyle's Strength & Conditioning in Winchester, Mass. Go for the bigger exercises like squats, presses, deadlifts, chin-ups and straight bar curls.

Challenge Yourself
To maximize your gains, choose challenging moves and go hard during every set. “Intensity is much more important to muscle growth than quantity. I would much prefer to see two very intense sets to failure [until you can’t lift anymore] with heavy weights and with forced reps [four to eight] than four to five sets of 12 to 15 reps at moderate intensity,” explains Phillips. For example, if you get to 10 reps with a lot of muscle straining, then you're going too light. Pound up!

 

Boyle agrees, saying he sees too many guys take the easy route in the weight room. “Many would rather do tricep press-downs than dips, or leg presses than squats … but they’re just cheating themselves of better muscle gains,” he explains.

Choose “Muscle Cardio”
The last thing you need -- after putting your muscles on the get-bigger track -- is going through a long cardio session, which will only whittle down those gains. Inevitably, your body will extract the energy it needs for long cardio from your muscle tissues, no matter how fueled up you are before.

Instead, further enhance the muscle-building process by adding some “muscle cardio” or “explosive cardio” -- short bursts of power followed by longer bouts of rest -- two to three times a week. Do eight rounds of 10 to 20 seconds of high-intensity cardio, such as wind sprints or cycle sprints, followed by 20 to 40 seconds rest.

Master Before-and-after Eating
There’s no shortcut to the muscled-up “after” picture of a stick-figure “before” you. Frankly, a lot of it has to do with what you routinely eat -- including different kinds of carbohydrates and proteins -- before and after workouts, and before and after sleep.

After you wake up, you want to get your muscles back into the anabolic (muscle building) state and out of the catabolic (muscle breakdown) state they fall into by morning time. Susan Kleiner, Ph.D., a registered dietitian and author of Power Eating, recommends eating protein for breakfast to avoid that latter state -- and that’s why eggs are a good start to the day. If you prefer to sip rather than chew early in the day, go with a whey protein shake -- which your muscles rapidly absorb -- with fruit.

Overall, she says that each day hard gainers must consume at least 0.73 grams of protein per pound of body weight and 2.73 or more grams of carbohydrates. In other words, if you're 180 pounds -- and don’t worry, you’ll get there -- that means 131.4 grams of protein and 491.4 grams of carbohydrates per day. If you have five meals per day, that translates to 26.3 grams of protein (equivalent to about four eggs) and 98.3 grams of carbohydrates (about five pancakes) per meal. A four-ounce chicken sandwich with a side of brown rice and vegetables would be a perfectly balanced meal.

Two to three hours before the workout, down a carbohydrate-protein mixture, such as a mixed-nutrient sports bar or a PB&J. Kleiner says it will provide immediate energy and decrease the negative effects of exercise, such as damage to muscle tissue and muscle soreness.

After your workout, don’t waste any time. “Within 15 to 30 minutes after setting down that last weight, take in some carbohydrates to refill your glycogen stores, build new proteins and refuel for tomorrow’s training session,” urges Kleiner.

Lastly, before bed, switch out the fast-digesting whey protein for slow-digesting, time-release proteins like casein protein powder and dairy food. Says Kleiner, this will help keep your body in muscle-building state during the dark night.

 

Or is that, “dark knight?”

If your stove’s a stranger to you, fear not -- you can make quick and healthy meals -- such as salsa-smothered turkey meatloaf -- with that old counter standby: the microwave.

Sure, you know that your microwave oven is good for nuking popcorn and Hot Pockets. But home-style meatloaf? Yep, that magic box in your kitchen is a lot more versatile than you think. In fact, microwaving preserves more flavor and nutrients than other cooking methods, says Barbara Kafka, one of America’s leading authorities on food and cooking, and the author of Microwave Gourmet Healthstyle Cookbook. It turns out that your microwave may just be one of your best tools for healthy cooking … that is, if you can master the machine. Here’s what you need to know to do so:

How it heats your food First of all, “nuking” has nothing to do with how a microwave works. The oven actually heats with electromagnetic energy more akin to radio waves than X-rays. Microwaves jiggle all the molecules in the food, causing friction, which results in heat. So really, the food is steaming itself from within. This moist cooking heat means you can prepare foods without adding lots of unhealthy fats, but it also means your food won’t get browned and crispy -- so if you want a great steak or a burger, go with a grill or broiler.

What the microwave is good at The microwave is best at zapping water, fat and sugar molecules, which are primarily what comprise most proteins and vegetables. This explains why it is “brilliant” at cooking fish, poultry, vegetables and most carbs like rice and pasta, says Kafka. Also important: Microwaves only penetrate about an inch and a half into foods, so they’ll cook from the outside in. Thus, Kafka says, the ideal “nuke” foods are uniform in thickness and shape, like cubed chunks of chicken breast, pork, beef or fish.

How powerful your oven is There are plenty of great microwave recipes out there -- but unless you know how much muscle your oven has, the given cooking times will be worthless. This is because all microwaves are not created equal. Most microwaves range from 750 to 1,100 watts (find out your wattage by looking on the back or inside the door of the oven), and most good recipes give a range of cooking times, so the more powerful your oven is, the shorter the zapping time. Still, there’s no harm in checking your food often (opening the door won’t affect cooking times). Cook a juicy piece of chicken too long, and you’ll get a hockey puck.

Incidentally, for meats and poultry it’s important to make sure they’re cooked to a safe temperature. Insert an instant-read thermometer (available at any supermarket) into the center of each piece: Beef, pork and lamb should be at last 160 F while poultry should reach at least 165 F.

Where to put the food Before delving into nuke cuisine, make sure you have a variety of microwave-safe dishes (no metal -- it makes microwaves bounce all over, potentially causing a nasty fire). Once you’re armed and ready, take special care in placing your food on the dish, since how you arrange foods inside the microwave is key. Food will cook from the outer edge of the dish to the center, so always have the thicker end of, say, a chicken breast or fish fillet, pointing outwards, and space foods evenly apart. If your microwave doesn’t have a spinning carousel (for even cooking), buy one where microwave ovens are sold -- otherwise, you’ll need to rotate your food every couple of minutes.

How to Make Salsa-smothered Turkey Meatloaf
One thing your microwave is not equipped to do is spit out a homemade turkey meatloaf. That’s where we (and you) come in. The great thing about this recipe is that you only need a few ingredients, since the salsa alone adds so many flavors.

And by the way, cooking up a tasty meal is a surefire way to get in good with the folks or impress a date.

Start to finish: 25 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:
1 large egg
3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/4 pounds 93 percent lean ground turkey
1 1/2 cups mild or medium chunky tomato salsa (divided)
3/4 cup bread crumbs
2 teaspoons vegetable or olive oil

Directions:
1. Spray a 9-inch microwave-safe pie dish with cooking spray or lightly coat it with oil.

2. In a mixing bowl, beat egg, garlic salt and pepper with a fork.

3. Add ground turkey, 1 cup of salsa and bread crumbs. Mix together thoroughly.

4. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and form a flat, round loaf about 1 1/2 inches thick.

5. In a small bowl, stir together oil and the remaining 1/2 cup of salsa.

6. Cover the meatloaf loosely with wax paper, and microwave on high for 15 to 20 minutes, rotating the dish a quarter turn every 5 minutes, until the meatloaf is no longer pink in the center and an instant-read thermometer registers 160 F in the middle of the loaf (to make sure the meat is fully cooked and safe to eat).

7. Spread the remaining salsa on top of the meatloaf and let it sit for 5 minutes before slicing.

8. Serve this spicy dish with a green salad and a few warm flour tortillas.

Think it’s wimpy to slather on sunscreen, wear hats and avoid the brightest outdoor rays? Then you better be man enough to stare down melanoma, the most common form of cancer for young adults.

Why should you worry about skin cancer? You’re young and fit. Skin cancer -- that’s something that happens to geezers and grandmas, right?

Maybe that explains why so many people your age ignore the risks. Even big-time athletes, who have access to the best medical advice and the most to lose by not taking care of their bodies, rarely take precautions. According to a 2006 study of male and female NCAA athletes, only 8 percent used sunscreen.

Even docs know how young men feel about it. “They don’t heed the warnings,” says Dr. Jeffrey Dover, an associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale University. “You feel infallible at that point in your life,” agrees dermatologist Dr. Kenneth Bielinski, a spokesman for the American Academy of Dermatology. “You tend to throw caution to the wind.”

But the wind’s not the problem, here. It’s the sun. And here’s why you should care: Skin cancer is caused by the cumulative effects of sun exposure. When do you think you get most of that exposure? When you’re 40 and spending five days a week in an office? No, siree. It’s when you’re working and playing and hanging out at the beach, by the lake, in the park.

In other words, you could be frying up a nice case of skin cancer for yourself right now. Oh, and it doesn’t always wait until you’re way into “man-o-pause” to strike, either. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, melanoma -- the deadliest form of skin cancer -- is now the most common form of cancer for young adults 25 to 29 years old and the second most common form of cancer for adolescents and young adults 15 to 29 years old.

You want to look like the young stud you are for the girls on the beach -- and prevent the big C? “In a nutshell, sunscreen and protection are the keys to staying young-looking and avoiding skin cancer,” says Dr. Dover.

Here’s what the good doctors and the American Academy of Dermatology recommend:

Wear a Hat
Your noggin is one of the most susceptible places for skin cancer, especially if you shave your head, or have a buzz cut or thinning hair. Typically, says Dr. Bielinski, “the recommendation is to wear a loose, floppy hat. That may come across as potentially dorky, but if you just put on your typical baseball cap, you’ll get some benefit, and that’s better than none.” And, he adds, nobody has to know why you’re wearing it -- it could be because you really are a Yankees fan.

Wear Sunscreen
Yes, you should seriously lather up. And we’re not talking about single-digit protection. Use water-resistant sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 that provides protection from both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB). Reapply every two hours, even on cloudy days, and after swimming or sweating.

Stay out of the Strongest Sun
Go to the beach at night: It’s more romantic, no one can see what you’re doing and you’re avoiding maximum exposure when the sun’s rays are strongest (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.).

Eat a Balanced Diet
Our bodies produce the essential vitamin D when we’re exposed to sunlight. A safer way to get vitamin D is through a balanced diet that includes milk (fortified with vitamin D) and vitamin supplements.

Avoid Tanning Beds
Ultraviolet light from the sun and tanning beds can cause skin cancer and wrinkling. If you want to look like you’ve been in the sun, consider using a sunless self-tanning product.

Suit up
Buy cool clothes with SPF built in: Dr. Brian Adams of the University of Cincinnati cites new performance wear with built-in SPF as one of the more notable developments in skin protection in the last couple of years. “You can wear beach shirts, shorts and outdoor gear with a neck collar that are not hot and keep you protected,” he says. A garment made of fabric with an SPF of 50 blocks 98 percent of UV radiation, according to Coolibar, the Minneapolis-based manufacturer of sun-protective clothing. Other sun-smart outdoor clothes include those by Solartex, UV Skinz and Solumbra.

Remember: If you think you look good with a deep tan, think about how disfiguring a scar from melanoma removal can be (and sometimes, that’s the best-case scenario).