With all the hysteria going on in the world, I want to add a little bit of calmness to your day.
2020 added a lot of confusion into the health and wellness industry with the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. For some, the overwhelm and stress was crippling. And that stress may have exacerbated the situation. My effort is not to add to any confusion but help you navigate through any stressful situation to find health.
Back in 2011, I was in New Jersey and got a violent stomach bug. Fortunately, the bug only lasted a day. Unfortunately, my friend got the same illness around the same time; her bug lingered for almost an entire week.
What was the key to my quick recovery? It was and is my intentional effort to make sure I have a good and strong immune system.
And I want to help you do the same! When you purposely boost your immune system and steward your health, you can maintain your health all year long. And you won’t have to worry about things like COVID-19 (or anything else like colds, the flu, viruses, and things like that) coming around because your immune system is going to take care of those things for you.
COVID-19 is not the first serious illness that we’ve seen. And it surely won’t be the last! So my goal today is to help you see the light at the end of the tunnel – and that starts with your immune system.
How To Reduce Your Stress to Strengthen Your Immune System
Are you ready to stop worrying about things like COVID coming around into our environment? It’s time to step up and start taking care of your body. Here’s how to reduce your stress to strengthen your immune system.
Include Whole Foods Into Diet
Health starts with what you put in your body. And that starts in the kitchen! Health starts with a good diet.
I spent many years, pounding down the sugar to feed my sweet tooth. All of those processed foods were destroying my immune system.
Maybe you’re in the same situation I was in? Many of my clients wake up every single day saying these things:
- “I can’t give up my cereal for breakfast.”
- “There’s no way I can give up my favorite foods.”
The problem is that we’re so used to these convenience (and processes) foods. And while you don’t have to cut out everything, you do need to include more whole foods into your diet. In fact, whole foods should make up the bulk of your diet. You need the nutrients to build your immune system.
Take Supplements That Support Immunity
I also support my immune system by taking supplement vitamins and minerals every day.
Biotics Research highlights that “During times of stress, your body is doing its best to maintain homeostasis or balance. It is trying to work efficiently, while attempting to reduce the effects of stress. This means it uses greater quantities of specific nutrients to stay in balance.”
So why take supplements? Our foods are void of a lot of nutrients we need to be healthy. There are several types of supplements I use for myself or recommend for my clients to use.
Multivitamin
Although I don’t take a multivitamin regularly, I do like having an all-in-one, everything-you-need pill. Metagenics makes PhytoMulti® , a multivitamin that has phytonutrients that support your overall wellness.
Just remember that when it comes to supplementation, you can’t out supplement a bad diet. So you’ll still want to include good, nutritious foods in your diet!
Rather watch an 11 minute video with the same information….
Medical Foods
I also recommend medical foods to support weak areas in your body. These supplements offer whole food nutrition to support specific processes in the body to prevent illness or heal disease. While I won’t go into a whole lot of detail in this blog, medical foods really help boost your immune system. You will want to work with a practitioner in the functional medicine field to determine the one’s right for you.
Herbs and Botanicals
Supplementing with herbs and botanicals (or adaptogenic herbs) counteract the impact of stress on our bodies. So while we are constantly bombarded with stress, this may be a good solution for you.
Ganoderma
One adaptogen I use and recommend is Ganoderma. It’s also called Reishi Mushroom. My favorite company produces the highest quality Gandoderma in the form of coffee and teas – making it really easy for you to consume it daily.
Use Essential Oils
I love to use essential oils to intentionally strengthen the immune system. There are many different types of essential oils you can use for all different purposes – add to your shampoo, facial cleanser, cleaning products, etc. These oils are filled with anti-microbial properties and help boost your immune system instead of tearing it down.
If you’re using regular countertop cleaners and cleaning detergents, you lower your immune system every time you’re spraying those chemicals. If you clean your home with essential oils and natural cleaners, you can actually boost your immune system. Plus, you get that beautiful smell and clean environment all at the same time!
Get Outside in Nature
I highly recommend boosting your immune system all year round by getting outside in nature. Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve really been focused on getting out in nature to get sunlight on my skin. It’s amazing the healing properties that nature has. Walking in the forest actually boosts your immune system for up to 30 days.
If you can’t go out on long nature walks or have a park nearby, all you have to do is to walk around your backyard. Try walking barefoot in the grass. Not only does that connect you with the earth, but it introduces you to ions that help you get rid of some toxins.
Another benefit of getting outside is the fact that you are moving your body. Exercise boosts your immune system as well.
Practice Your Breathing
This is one you may not think about or take seriously, but practicing focused breathing can really strengthen your immune system. This can take place before or during calming practices like yoga, prayer, meditation, or a variety of other things. When I first start working with a new client, one of the first things we do is practice simple breathwork. There are multiple techniques that actually calm the nervous system down.
Try to introduce slow or rhythmic breathing into your daily schedule or in moments of stress.
When we’re in stressful situations, we begin to breathe fast and into our chests. But when we breathe into our bellies, there’s a physiological response that calms our nervous system, lowers our stress levels, and boosts our immune system. So when you’re in those heightened moments, breathe in deep, hold it, and release it while pulling your belly button into your spine. You’ll feel the shift within a few minutes.
Work On Your Mindset
Last but definitely not least is to work on your mindset. It’s not all rainbows and unicorns all the time. So we have a decision to make. We either focus on our fear, or we focus on keeping a positive attitude. For me, I stick with the latter.
This season of quarantine and uncertainty is just that… A season. It will not last. There will be plenty of seasons like that. So make the best of it with the right mindset!
Prepare & Strengthen Your Body’s Immune System
At the end of the day, we can continue to live in fear or we can go out there and conquer the day. We do not have to let sickness rule our lives. How? By building and strengthening our immune system every single day.
If you have any further questions or want a customized action plan, reach out to me for a free discovery call. Here to help!
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