Nobody enjoys getting sick, whether it’s a seasonal cold or something more serious. That’s why it’s important to focus on creating a strong immune system and ensuring that your health is protected all year round.
If you find that you’ve been getting sick frequently or seem more susceptible to illnesses than your family and friends, it might be time to give your immune system some special attention. Here are five simple tips for boosting your immune system.
Add More Fruit and Vegetables to Your Diet to improve your Immune System
All too often, people make the mistake of focusing on what they have to remove from their lifestyle. Instead, focus on adding to your diet; the nutrients you add will naturally replace some of the less healthy food you consume.
For a strong immune system, add more fruits and vegetables to your current diet. A diverse diet of raw, minimally processed food introduces a wide variety of vitamins and nutrients that keep your immune system strong. If the idea of eating pounds of vegetables seems insurmountable, get creative in your approach. You can invest in a high-powered blender or you can find great omega juicers at Happy Body Formula.
Focus on Gut Health
Scientists are just starting to understand the role gut health plays in overall immunity. What they do know is that the better one’s gut health, the better their immune system. Reintroduce healthy bacteria into your diet by eating probiotic-rich food, like Greek yogurt. Increase your fiber intake by adding beans and lentils to your plate.
Another way to improve gut health is to avoid inflammatory foods and eat more omega-3 rich meats. Swap out fattier meats for lean proteins, such as chicken and fish, and avoid heavily processed sweets and treats.
Exercise in Moderation
While most health-related advice tells you to exercise more, it’s important for your immune system that you don’t overdo it. If you’re addicted to the runners high or feel the need to do two-a-day workouts, it might be time to scale back.
Listen to your body. Does it need time to rest and regenerate? If you’ve been working out a lot and feel worn down, take an active rest day and do something easy and light instead of your usual routine. If you haven’t been exercising regularly, try to scale up your workouts. Add exercise in five to ten minute time blocks each day until you reach at least thirty minutes of activity daily.
Get More Sleep
Nothing puts you at risk for the illness like sleep deprivation. Not only does sleep deprivation impact your immune system, but it also damages your ability to regulate hormones and alters your metabolism and motivation.
Start tracking your sleep cycles using an app or a wearable device. Create an environment that promotes good sleep: no light, noise cancellation, comfortable temperature, etc. Cut back on screen time before bed and start going to bed earlier, leaving your alarm across the room so you can’t hit that snooze button in the morning.
Explore More
Get outside your environment and explore a bit more, controlling your exposure to different atmospheres and microbes. It’s no surprise that people who work from home or retire tend to get sicker easier than they did when they were in an office setting. Controlled exposure to the environment helps build immunity over time.
Striving toward improving your immunity means that you’ll be happier and healthier for longer. By following these easy steps you can boost your immune system with minimal effort.
Love Lilla xx