With COVID-19 still lingering, you may be thinking to yourself, how can i help my body fight off illness? Healthy immune systems live in healthy bodies. So what exactly does that mean? You have to look at the big picture. Having the motivation to make some lifestyle changes will be the key to your success.
Here are some useful ways of boosting your immune system and preventing illness:
- Make nutrition a priority.
Making nutrition a priority is something that you need to constantly pay attention to. You’re probably a lot like me. Stuck at home, bored and eating anything and everything in sight. Netflix binge watching and consuming all your favorite snacks? Anyone?
The key answer here is stop overstocking on high carb foods and eat more whole plant foods. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes are rich in nutrients and antioxidants that can prevail against harmful pathogens. Garlic also has many amazing health benefits. Making nutrition a priority and ensuring your family stays healthy means making sure everyone in the house eats healthy by having a balanced diet. Just remember, eat the rainbow!
- Stay Hydrated
Drinking lots of water will keep your body hydrated and will help drain any accumulation of bacteria or viruses in your mouth or throat. Dehydration causes headaches and can cause problems with your digestion and heart and kidney functions. Avoid drinking sugary drinks, yes pop I’m looking at you. Curbing your sugar intake not only will help decrease inflammation, but also aids in weight loss. Who doesn’t want to lose a few pounds, right? So drink half your body weight (in ounces) of water each day. So if you weigh 170 lbs., you should be drinking 85 ounces of water each day.
- Maintain a good hygiene
Washing your hands thoroughly and staying clean is a great way of ensuring better health. You are advised to wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap and water or use a 60% or more alcohol-based sanitizer. But staying clean does not mean just your hands. Staying clean also involves focusing on keeping your house clean and getting rid of clutter. Make sure you emphasize cleanliness to your kids and help them clean up. Need help getting rid of clutter and staying organized? Try some of these home organizers to help keep your home in order!
- Home workouts (outdoors when possible).
Exercising from home is also a great way to stay healthy. When your physical body is fit, the mind is also fit, and this plays a huge role in your ability to stay healthy. Just 30 minutes a day of moderate exercise will significantly improve your overall health. Exercise improves cardiovascular health, lowers blood pressure, helps control body weight, protects against a variety of diseases and increases your production of antibodies. Plus, who doesn’t want to have their body beach ready for summer? Remember to stay hydrated throughout your exercise routine! Tip: Get a fitness tracker to help keep you motivated! Not sure what fitness tracker to get? Learn more about how fitness trackers can help you!
- Get quality sleep
Amid the constant negative news around, people tend to stay awake, worrying or watching the development of the pandemic. Remember that sleep is essential to help the body restore and regenerate itself. Not getting enough sleep increases the production of stress hormones. The increased stress hormones not only give you stress, but also puts stress on your immune system.
- Natural supplements
Natural supplements have proved time and time again to be effective in boosting the immune system. Natural supplements like garlic, oregano, thyme and essential oils, such as eucalyptus and frankincense, have proven healing and immunity boosting properties. While essential oils like lavender and jasmine can improve your sleep and help to reduce anxiety and stress. Vitamins, such as Vitamin D, Vitamin C and Zinc are essential for immune cell development and function of the immune system.
- Keep track of your health
Another way to stay on top of your immunity is by tracking your vital health signs. Tracking simple things like body temperature, pulse, blood pressure and weight can help you stay on top of the situation and seek care on time instead of waiting until you have been affected by an infection. If you have a smartphone, there are so many apps out there that can help track your vitals.
There are many things you can do to stay healthy and boosting your immune system is the number one way to fight off sickness. If you have a healthy lifestyle, your body will be stronger and less susceptible to diseases.
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