Immunity into 2022
- As we move into a 3rd year of dealing with COVID we need to be aware of how to strengthen and keep our immunity sustained
- Keeping your immune system strong should always be at the forefront of yourself care. It’s so important to think about their immunity taking a proactive approach
- To help you strengthen your own body’s natural defences and begin to build up some immunity armour, here is some of our top advice to help you to start the New Year as you mean to go on
Your Choices
- The choices we make each day have a far-reaching impact on our immune system’s resilience. Here are a few specific lifestyle choices to note if you’re aiming to keep your immunity strong
Get plenty of Good Sleep
- Sleep plays a vital role in so many of our body’s functions and immunity is no exception, getting sufficient deep and restorative sleep is vital
- Hormones are connected to immune function, such as melatonin are elevated when we sleep
- Sleep enhances the formation of memory antibodies to bacteria and viruses, to help build a stronger immune system for the future. Lack of sleep can negatively affect immune function
- A good article on sleep can be found – https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/sleep-and-immune-system
Moving your Body
- Exercise is also a vital tool for immune support. As well as countless other benefits heart health, mood support, and more
- Regular balanced exercise can help the immune response lowering illness risk, and reduce inflammation, getting your blood flowing, and helps your body metabolize all the important nutrients you consume for immune function
- Be aware chronic rigorous fitness and overtraining can be a detriment to the immune system. Aim for regular moderate intensity movement that leaves you feeling strong and energized, not absolutely wiped out
Manage your stress
- Chronic stress suppresses our immune response by releasing the hormone cortisol. Cortisol itself interferes with the ability of white blood that fight infection.
- Some simple lifestyle changes can help decrease stress and increase immune function
- Meditation can calm your system, also practices such as journaling, yoga, or gratitude practices may be helpful the important thing is to find what works best for you
Wash your hands
- We need to keep washing our hands now and always every day, year round
- The average person touches their face about 23 times an hour, which means there’s plenty of opportunity to spread a cold, flu virus, and much more
- If you think you should be washing your hands, you probably should.
Foods to support immune support
In addition to smart daily lifestyle habits, nutrition is essential for nurturing a strong immune system when it comes to bolstering immune defences.
- Zinc rich foods, beans, hemp seeds, yogurt, pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, whole grains
- Vitamin C rich foods guava, sweet peppers, kiwi, oranges, grapefruit
- Flavonoid rich foods – capers, red onions shallots, red apples, grapes, berries, cherries, scallions
- Vitamin-D-containing foods: shiitake and button mushrooms, mackerel, sockeye salmon, cod liver oil, sardines, eggs, fortified milk, and OJ
- Spices and herbs: turmeric, garlic, ginger
- Veggies: Brussels sprouts, broccoli, spinach, kale sweet potato
- Omega-3 foods (for EPA and DHA): Mackerel, salmon, cod liver oil, herring, sea bass, sardines, anchovies, trout or Algae
Drink
- Hydrate yourself, water keeps your mucus membranes lubricated and protected, so viruses, bacteria, and other potentially harmful pathogens can’t latch on to the tissue
Acupuncture
- Traditional Five Element Acupuncture helps your whole system as well as your immune system all year round
- Call Hannah for all round treatment :- https://www.southwellacupuncture.co.uk/contact/
