Boost Your Immune System!
When
a virus is present for all, why do some people tend
to come down with an illness? Why are certain people always
the first
person to catch a bug? After all is said and done, it is our
simple daily
lifestyle habits that can either build or damage our immune system.
While
scientists work to find effective treatments and
vaccines for COVID-19, the best defense (beyond social
distancing, hand
washing, not touching your face, etc.) is simply having a
healthy,
high-vitality body-mind. A strong immune system is
the product of a
healthy body-mind — which in turn is the product of daily healthy
practices and
perspectives. Science has shown that our immune systems respond
measurably to each meal we eat, each momentary stress we
encounter, each good
night's sleep we get or don't get.
Even
healthy people can get sick — but they tend to get less sick
and bounce back faster. So
what have you got to lose? Here
are some healthy lifestyle habits that can help boost our immune system
and
provide a better sense of well-being. They work for us. We hope that
you will
find benefit in them as well:
1.
Drink
plenty of water – aim for 2 liters per day. Herbal
tea is also a good
option.
2.
Concentrate
on eating lots of fresh seasonal nutrient-dense vegetables. Aim for
eating all
the colors of the rainbow! (Most of our immune system resides in the
digestive
system. This means that what we eat has a direct impact on how quickly
and
effectively our bodies are able to fight off an infection.)
3.
A
great deal of research has shown that certain foods boost
immunity
and fight
inflammation. Up your intake of these anti-inflammatory foods: garlic,
ginger,
hot peppers, cayenne, turmeric, cinnamon, black pepper, dark leafy
greens,
walnuts, and mushrooms.
4.
Stay
clear of sugars, processed and refined foods, junk foods, and
chemical-laden
soft drinks. Don’t even keep them in the house, that way when you are
hankering
for a snack, you reach for something healthy instead like nuts, seeds,
carrot
sticks, celery stalks, cucumber slices, homemade grain-free cookies or
crackers, or raw organic dark chocolate bars - at least 85% cacao.
5.
Stay
active. Move your body every day. There are lots of fun exercise apps
that are
offering free subscriptions in these challenging times that we can do
in the
comfort and privacy of our homes. Or just scrub, scrub, scrub your
house for
Passover! ?
6.
Get
8 to 9 hours sleep every night.
7.
Try
to get 20 minutes of sunlight every day. You don’t necessarily have to
leave
the house to do this. Find a sunny window in your home, get a chair and
a book,
and enjoy.
8.
Limit
your intake of the news. It’s good to know what’s going on once or
twice a day,
but more than that can drive you bonkers and raise your stress levels,
which is
detrimental to your immune system.
9.
Laugh! Laughing increases
oxygen levels in your body.
When you laugh, you take in vast amounts of oxygen in huge
gulps. And
higher oxygen levels aren’t the only benefit you’ll feel. Laughing
massages the
organs and improves digestion. Laughter moves lymph fluids
in your body by
the contractions of laughing, which boosts
your immune system
function and helps clear out old, waste products from your
cells.
10.
Listen
to music that makes you feel positive and
happy.
We
know how to help with that!
?