Healthy habits and self care has always been important, but as our nation and the rest of the world is grappling with the spread of Covid19 everyone is longing for a solution, a cure, a vaccine. Many companies are working towards that, but we need to focus on what we can do to protect ourselves and our families in the mean time.
The first line of defense is having a strong immune system. Covid19 is very infectious; so one of the first things that I did when I learned that was to head straight to the natural food store. I loaded up on vitamins and supplements to boost my immune system, and I also got some organic and raw produce. I know that some health food stores can have pricey products, but I found a lot of affordable options and I just bought smaller quantities of the more expensive items that I wanted.
Here are some natural ways to boost your immune system:
1.) Sleep well (Sleep atleast 6 to 8 hours a day. Getting good rest can improve how your body fights illnesses.)
2.) Eat well (Make sure that you’re getting your fruits, vegetables and whole grains.)
3.) Exercise (30 minutes of physical activity a day is a great start. Ex: Walking, Running, bicycling , hiking etc. The whole point is to maintain a healthy weight.)
4.) Avoid smoking (I understand that smoking is addictive but it does weaken your immune system which makes it harder for it to fight off infections and disease.)
5.) Avoid drinking too much alcohol For example: Drinking 8 or more drinks in a week for women and 15 or more in a week for men. Drinking in moderation is not harmful to your cells and won’t break down your immune system.
Foods that boost your immune system
Broccoli
Citrus Fruits (Grapefruits, Lemons, Limes, Tangerines, Oranges)
Red Bell Peppers
Garlic
Ginger
Spinach
Turmeric
Almonds
Papaya
Green tea
Kiwi
Eat a lot of Green leafy vegetables raw is fine or add to a smoothie or salad! there are so many options.
Vitamins
Vitamin D (Helps your white blood cells, lowers your risk of getting respiratory infections.
Vitamin C (Replenishes cells and enhances their ability to fight off infections)
Zinc (Strengthens your immune system by helping fight off bacteria and viruses)
Elderberry extract is good too because it is antibacterial and antiviral. I recommend elderberry tea because its tasty and soothing.
And last but not least just practice the healthy hygiene habits that we’ve been taught all of our lives:
Shower daily
Practice good hand hygeine (wash your hands every 30 to 20 minutes if possible)
Cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough. (Do it into a tissue if available, and if not then do it into your sleeve)
Sanitize surfaces in your workspace, at home, countertops,light switches, door knobs etc.
Sanitize and disinfect often!
It will take a while to recover from this Pandemic, but lets do everything that we can to protect ourselves and give ourselves a fighting chance against it.