Supporting Your Immune System

“Are you kidding me? I’m sick again?!” It seems like the busier we get, the more often we end up catching the crud going around. From traveling to school, co-workers, and family gatherings, there are lots of opportunities to share what seems like an endless season of sickness.

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Things like getting enough sleep, not smoking, or drinking too much, are pretty obvious. So what else can you do to boost your immune system, keep your body healthy, and avoid getting the crap aunt Pam seemed to be sharing Tuesday at family dinner? Check out these simple and highly effective ways of staying, or getting back on the healthy train, and go into the holidays with an extra layer of protection.

Eat your veggies. I probably shouldn’t have started with this bombshell because I know that despite your best intentions, it’s easy to cling to high sugar, high carb options, especially this time of year. BUT leafy greens, colorful fruits, and fibrous veggies can offer a great source of vitamins vital to supporting your immune system. If you are like many of us, and regardless of our best intentions, veggies don’t make the pile on our plate, I highly consider adding in a greens powder. This will help you get the vitamins your body needs, so you don’t have to feel guilty if you aren’t getting enough through your food. Whether you put it into a shake, drink it as a shot, or mix it into your routine another way, Green Infusion is a great go-to.

Take care of your gut health. Yeah, yeah, you hear a lot about gut health, but unless you are having unpleasant ‘symptoms,’ you probably don’t see the need to worry too much about what your gut is doing. But, here’s the thing, the bacteria in your gut balance our immune system. If that bacteria gets shifted with too much or too little of specific bacteria, it can cause an increased immune response. This inflammation can wreak havoc on the ability to stay healthy. One easy way of taking care of your microbiome is to take a daily balanced probiotic like Complete Probiotic. You can also add some specific foods to help balance you out. Try yogurt, kombucha, kimchi, and fibrous foods. You can also aim to get more prebiotic-rich foods like asparagus, bananas, garlic, onion. Avoiding unnecessary antibiotic use is also highly beneficial.

Exercise the right way. Getting at least 30 minutes of movement in a day can help build your immune system up, as well as reduce stress hormones that can increase the likelihood of getting sick. Instead of focusing on taxing sessions in the gym, go for light to moderate movement and training. A daily 20-30 minute walk, especially outdoors, accompanied by some bodyweight movements, can help get your immune system back in line and working for you not against you.

Keep your stress in check. Yes, I know this is not the easiest thing to do, but keeping a positive outlook, managing stress (try exercise for this), and not overloading ourselves too much can really benefit us. There have been many studies that have correlated a positive stress LESS mindest and health. Work to slow things down, say yes to only the things that are a priority, and remember to take “you time” to destress. If this is a hard area for you to manage, or if you are in a grueling season of life, try At Ease - I’ll leave the explanation to that in how well it works to calm your emotions and level you (and me) out.

It comes without saying that if you find yourself in a classroom surrounded by kids, picking up groceries at the store, or in a busy airport traveling, you’re subject to a lot of different germs. Add in as many of the stress-reducing, veggie eating habits you can. Every bit of effort here will help you go to battle with cold season. You can also give yourself an extra boost and stash some packets of Hydrate & Recover into your purse or bag. You can do aunt Pam a favor too and throw a couple of packets her way next time you see her.

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