8 STEPS TO MAKE SURE YOU & YOUR FAMILY DON’T DIE FROM THE CORONAVIRUS!
In the hopes of helping people with something they are currently concerned about, I started reading about ways to fight off horrible viruses, ways to survive an attack of foreign infections, and general ways to increase your immune system.
Guess what!?! This list will also work for things like fat loss or depression!
Yep, one list could fix so many of your health concerns!
Here’s a handy list of 8 things that may just give you the immunity/life boost that you and your family are looking for, and they are exactly the things you need to meet many of your other personal health goals:
1. GET THAT SLEEP
Lack of sleep will weaken your immune systems! Make sure to get the rest your body needs to prevent this from happening.
If adult humans are getting less than 7 hours of sleep 7 days a week, then they are sleep deprived. This is not good for your health! Your children should get anywhere from 8-17 hours per night depending on their age. PRIORITIZE THIS!
2. EAT RIGHT
Want to optimize your body? You need to supply it with real food! Studies show that people who eat lots of fruits and veggies get sick less. Imagine that…eat better, get healthier. It is also suggested to eat a balanced diet containing foods that are high in antioxidants. Our food choices are the nutrients we give our bodies!
3. GO <INSERT YOUR FAVORITE WAY TO MOVE HERE>!
Whether it’s walking, yoga, dancing, weight-lifting, or bicycling, getting moderate exercise may help your body by increasing white blood cell activity — part of your immune system!
Be careful not to overdo it though; if you participate in very long, intense workouts, you may actually decrease immunity. 30 minutes daily should do it!
4. SUPPLEMENT YOUR DIET
It’s not always easy to get the necessary nutrients. This does not mean you should not attempt to get your nutrients from food. Life is busy, and I realize it’s a challenge to prepare good-for-you food all the time. This is where supplements can be helpful. Supplements are meant to do just that: supplement your diet.
Here are 3 of my favorites that will contribute positively to all the things on this list…
Magnesium - The fourth most abundant mineral in the human body. It plays several important roles in the health of your body and brain. However, you may not be getting enough of it, even if you eat a healthy diet.
Trainer Tip: taking magnesium before bed has been shown to positively affect sleep
Vitamin D - affects bone health, insulin control, possible cancer prevention, lower blood pressure, cardiovascular health, & mood. Daily supplementation is recommended.
Trainer Tip: take it in the morning, as Vitamin D has been shown to negatively affect deep sleep
Vitamin B - In addition to their role in metabolism and in maintaining healthy skin and hair, B vitamins have been linked to a lower incidence of stroke, a condition in which a blood clot blocks blood flow to the brain or when a blood vessel bursts in the brain.
Trainer Tip: Take your B Vitamins when you need to improve your energy level and mood
5. REDUCE STRESS (OR MANAGE IT BETTER!)
Chronic stress can cause problems for our immune systems. Too much stress hormone can lead to increased inflammation, and stress lowers the body’s amount of lymphocytes (white blood cells) that help us fight infection.
While we will never be able to completely get rid of stress, there are ways that we can help our bodies manage it to further support our immune systems! A few stress management suggestions are meditation, cold showers, saunas, picking up heavy things, and spending time with people you like.
6. GET CONNECTED
...to other people! Studies show that those who feel connected to others have better immunity than those who feel lonely.
The interesting thing about this is that you can tailor it to you: it doesn’t matter if you’re close to a lot of people or just a few, the connection seems to be what matters!
Trainer tip: check out this video for more information on the importance of connections
7. HAVE A GOOD ATTITUDE
Do you worry about things that may or may not ever happen? Are you always dreading something? Do you have a habit of expecting the worst? According to one study, law students’ immune systems followed their outlook. When they were worried about school, their immune system followed suit and slowed down; when their outlook on school was good, their immune systems were better!
We may not be able to control our surroundings all the time, but maybe we do have a say in controlling our immune system by staying positive.
“Attitude is everything ”
8. HAVE A GOOD LAUGH
This is probably my favorite on the list! Laughing not only lowers levels of stress hormones in your body, but it also increases feel-good hormones such as endorphins. What’s even better is that those stress hormone levels lessen even when you’re just anticipating something funny!
Overall health and immunity are closely connected. Eat right, get that sleep, stay educated on boosting immunity and don’t forget to laugh!
There are many great ways that have been shown to help us boost our body’s immunity. And the great part about these immune-boosting tips is that they’re either fun things to do anyway or they’re beneficial in other ways as well.
Let me know when I can assist you along your journey…
