If you are looking for ways on how to boost your immune system, you are on the right path. However, you are probably looking during this crazy virus, and while that is a wonderful thing to do, you should continue to do these things all throughout the year, so that when the next flu season hits, you will feel a bit more confident in your body’s ability to handle anything.
So, here are 10 things to do year-round to promote a healthy immune system, in no particular order:
Get Outside: Many people do the same thing everyday. Go to work, come home and hang out inside cooking dinner, tending to children, etc. Getting outdoors, especially during the daytime, provides the body with needed Vitamin D, but also breathing in the chemicals produced by the plants, can help increase our white blood cell levels. (I don’t mean the manmade chemical plants like in Houston lol)
Keep Up Your Microbiome: basically, make sure you are feeding the good bacteria in your body, and replenishing the good bacteria. This can be done by a plethora of fruits & vegetables, yogurts, kombucha, kimchi, etc. Gut health greatly affects immune health.
Nutrient-Dense Diet: Speaking of fruits & vegetables, you need to make sure your diet contains plenty of nutrient-dense foods and minimal to no processed foods. Fruits & vegetables have so many needed vitamins and minerals that help your body function properly.
Exercise Regularly: Working off the previous tip of eating healthy, you need to make sure you are moving your body DAILY. This doesn’t mean high-intensity exercising or lifting a bunch of weights. This could be as simple as a 20 minute walk. Keeping your body moving will allow your body to produce more of the cells that attack bacteria that are looking to cause infection. MOVE. YOUR. BODY. EVERY. DAY.
A Good Sleep Schedule: Why do you think when you are sick that all it is you want to do is sleep? This is the time when your body can restore itself and for the immune system to recharge. Getting 2-3 hours of sleep per night can be detrimental to your body.
De-Stress: Americans, especially, are always stressed out. Somehow we think constantly being busy is something good. NEWSFLASH: chronic stress is one of the most dangerous things to your body. It can create inflammation, attack the body and boom, you’re sick. Do something that relaxes you and do it more often than not.
Stay Hydrated: Humans are basically water and then a little bit of other things, so why do we deny drinking water? There are too many functions where water is necessary, but think about those needed vitamins that are water-soluble, they NEED water. So, make sure you are drinking no less than half your body weight in ounces. (120 pounds = 60 ounces of water)
Cut Down On Sugar: no, this does not mean go Keto, or cut out fruit. This means relax on the amount of sugar you intake. Sugar can weaken your white blood cells, and you need those, because they are the ones that fight off bacteria and viruses.
Herbs & Spices: kick up your cooking by adding lots of herbs & spices to your food. Things like turmeric, ginger. garlic, etc. provide anti-inflammatory properties to help your immune system out.
WASH YOUR DANG HANDS: this should be self-explanatory, but here we are. Wash them and do it often enough to protect yourself.
Do all or majority of these things year-round and you will find yourself in a good position when the next cold or flu comes around. Do these things now and you are only helping your body get ready to fight anything it comes in contact with!
Part 2 of this blog includes the foods you should be incorporating year-round. Read Foods to Boost Your Immune System here.
Until next time,
Keep it Fresh. Keep it Simple. Keep it Real.
Love, Aubrey