#health #immune #system
“To start off the New Year right in the chaos of the VirusCasedemics the focus for many of us is on strengthening our immune system”--Paul Ebeling
None of want to have our immune system compromised and functioning below expected capacity. Especially at this time of the yr when flu and other sickness is going around.
So, I am pleased to share some of the habits I use how to strengthen my immune system. Its Key to address a much often discussed phenomena in our body called inflammation. It is the heart of our immune systems’ ability to fight infections, take down cancer cells and heal damage to our cells.
Below are the areas I focus on and you should too on how to strengthen your immune system, as follows:
Food: Eat from the Rainbow
The American diet consists of: excess sugar, processed foods, fried foods and chemicals. These trigger inflammation. But, our immune system thrives on a steady stream of vitamins, minerals, fiber and healthy fats from real food.
Just by eating from the rainbow, including breakfast is a great 1st step to a healthy eating plan. The more colors of plant foods you eat the more antioxidants from polyphenols you will get. Antioxidants help prevent cell damage from free radicals that we are exposed to on a daily basis. Plus, add in fermented foods, as they contain good bacteria known to positively affect your immune system too.
Sleep: Get consistent good quality sleep nightly. Adults should aim for 7-8 hrs a night- children need more. Increased inflammation markers can be seen in bloodwork after just 1 night of sleep deprivation. Our immune system is working while we are asleep, so consistently poor sleep can also weaken our immune response and make us more at risk of infections.
Stress: Manage your body’s response to stress. We do not always have control over the stress levels in our lives but we can learn how to control our responses. Studies have shown that deep breathing, meditation, walks in nature and gratitude all lower our stress responses. This helps lower cortisol levels which over time can be detrimental to our immune strength and increase inflammation, illness and autoimmune diseases.
Eat healthy, Be healthy, Live lively
