It is that time of year again - post holidays, post travel, and back to school and work. This always leads to sickness in our home. In this blog, we discuss 7 steps to naturally boost your immune system so when you do come in contact with those pesky bugs, you have a better chance of a minor sickness or avoiding it all together. But before we jump into the 7 steps, the first thing we can all do a better job with is to practice good hygiene.
It never hurts to take a moment and reassess your personal hygiene habits. How often do you touch your face, how often do you wash your hands, do you wash them for 20 seconds or do you just get your hands wet? Do you ever clean your phone? And this is just naming a few!
We have very limited control of how germs are spread, and it is foolish to think we can totally stop the spread of germs. But we do have control over protecting ourselves and the ones around us by being mindful of our personal hygiene and practicing healthy habits to boost our immune system.
7 steps to Naturally Boost Your Immune System
1. Exercise Regularly
- Moderately intense exercise is shown to help boost your immune system - so move your body! Your workout doesn't need to be anything fancy or expensive. Get creative about how you exercise - you can go for a run, have a dance party, do an at home workout using bodyweight exercises only, and any other way to get your body moving and your heart rate up. It can even be as simply as a brisk walk!
- This also means that you shouldn't over do it. Like most things in life, moderation is key. Overtraining has been shown to lower your immune system.
2. Get 8 Hours of Sleep
- Sleep is when your body does it's recovery. Take this time to focus on having a good routine (for you or your family) to get the sleep that you need! Men need roughly 7 to 8 hours of sleep, women need 8 to 10 hours, and children can need up to 10 to 12 hours. Listen to your body. Are you tired all day? Are you tired and groggy when you wake up? These are signs you are behind on your sleep and need to really focus on getting a full night's rest.
- Want to learn more? Check out our blog The Importance of Sleep on Your Health to dive into this further.
3. Stay Hydrated
- Staying hydrated helps keep your body functioning at its best, and this includes your immune system.
- Make a goal to drink a certain number of ounces of water a day and keep refilling your glass or water bottle.
- Drinking endless glasses of water not your thing? Check out our Rejuvenating Aminos. They are loaded with electrolytes, low calorie, natural, and taste amazing! We have been keeping two pitchers - one with Aminos and one with water - on the counter for everyone in the family to come up and fill their own cups throughout the day. If what you want your kids to drink/eat is out in front of them, they usually gravitate towards it!
4. Reduce Your Stress
- This is easier said than done. But stress does a number of really bad things on your body - especially, chronic stress - like lowering your immune system.
- Everyone can find their own ways to relieve their stress (whether it is working out, taking a bath, getting a massage), but if you need some guidance check out our blog Feeling Stressed? You're Not Alone.
5. Limit Your Sugar & Processed Carbs
- Sugar and processed carbs are inflammatory to your body. And the immune system has to prioritize dealing with inflammation before it fights off infection.
- Normally this may not be an issue, but in times of increased exposure to sickness it may help to limit your sugar and processed carbs. This may be what you are craving right now, especially in times of stress, but try eating a piece of fruit or a couple dark chocolate chips to see if that satisfies your craving for something sweet.
6. Limit Dairy Products
- Just like sugar and processed carbs, dairy products can be inflammatory for some people. Try limiting dairy based foods and drinks when you are trying to boost your immune system.
7. Supplement with Immune Boosting Vitamins & Minerals
- Vitamins and minerals are key to your immune system functioning at its best. They impact how your body functions, and when you are depleted things start to function at less than 100%.
- Not what you need to take or do you typically grab a cheap mutli-vitamin off the store shelf? The list below shows key vitamins and mineral that help your immune system function at peak level. And sorry to be the one to tell you, but the cheap multi-vitamin from the store is worthless. Chances are your body can't digest it or the quality of the ingredients is so low that your body can't absorb them. Our recommendation is to get a simple blood test to show you what you are deficient in and your health care professional can provide guidelines for your dietary needs.
- Vitamin D3 (plus Vitamin K1 for absorption)
- Magnesium
- Zinc
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
Bonus Step: Use a superfood greens product.
Does your daily life make it tough to follow these 7 steps to boost your immune system? Or are you looking for a way to level up your immune boosting game even further?
Propello Life's CogniGreens has changed the game on superfood greens powders. Gone are the days of basic formula's that do very little and taste even worse. Propello Life's CogniGreens is the best tasting superfood greens powder (check out our reviews by clicking the image below). It is backed by 3 scientifically proven ingredients that improve your immune system, lower stress, and improve mental clarity and function. Grab your CogniGreens now!
Live For It.
Duke
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