Stay Prepared. Stay Safe. Immune Health.
4 Things You Can Do to Keep Your Immune System Strong!
We are living through a period that will go down in history as the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. Pretty crazy to think about how much this virus has taken control of our lives. People are losing their jobs, their ways of life, their toilet paper… but most importantly, their health.
Out of all of the craziness, it is important to focus on what you can control. If you focus too long on the uncontrollables, anxiety will increase and it will consume you. Find power in what you can control. One thing you can’t control is Karen buying all the toilet paper at the supermarket. The #1 thing you can control is your health.
Here are the top 4 things that you can do to take control of your health and to stay prepared and stay safe.
These are tied together because exercise is an amazing way to destress. Data suggests that stress tears down your immune system. When we are under stress, our adrenal glands put out a hormone called cortisol and cortisol suppresses your immune system. This makes it harder for your body to put out antibodies and attack any invading bacteria or viruses.
Take some deep breaths. Do some yoga. Go for a jog. Walk the stairs. Stay Active.
Great Health 101. SLEEP! Studies show that you need to be getting your 7-8 hours of sleep every single night. Your body goes through a lot every single day. You work, you train, you break down your body. Give your body the recovery it needs.
QUICK TIP! One thing that helps, is set an alarm for the time when you should start heading to bed to make sure you get the sleep that you need. This will force you to start getting into your nightly routine. ZzZzZzzzz
HYDRATE LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT. Okay, not too crazy, but Dr. Michael Klapper suggests you should be drinking at least 5-6 16oz glasses of water a day. This will keep your immune system functioning at a high level.
Last but most certainly not least… Now is the time to fix up your diet and focus on giving your body what it needs. Studies have shown sugary junk actually lowers your immune system, so put away the vegan cookies and pick up the mushrooms. Dr. Michael Klepper suggests to include more mushrooms in your diet to strengthen your immune system. Funny thing is...There is no shortage of fruits and vegetables, no shortage of nuts and seeds. No shortage of mushrooms. You should have an easy time shopping. Take advantage of the plant based diet and the powers it can have on your immune system.
Last but most certainly not least… you want to make sure you are getting all of your vitamins and nutrients. You should be able to get a majority from your diet, but you can get the essentials by taking the Essential. It provides your daily needs of Vitamin D3, Vitamin B12 and Omega-3s (DHA/EPA). 100% Plant based.
Please check out this episode of Switch 4 Good Podcast with Olympian Dotsie Bausch and health coach Alexandra Paul where they discuss the coronavirus more in depth and how the plant-based diet is the answer.
Episode: Beat Coronavirus with Dr. Michael Klaper
McLeod, S. A. (2010). Stress, illness and the immune system. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/stress-immune.html