‘Tis the season
for warm cozy blankets, fires in the fireplace, and, yes, an increase in immune activity – or what people often experience as more sickness and colds.
Here are 8 ways to boost your immune system by doing things that support your body’s ability to fight the bugs and stay healthy!
Get the right amount of sleep! This is when your body heals and restores. It’s also when your immune system is the most active! Your immune system takes a hit when you cut back on quality and quantity of sleep.
Cut back on sugar – I know, I know, hard time of year to do that. However, bacteria and viruses feed on sugar! So if you don’t give them what they need, they die – muahahaha.
Add foods that support your immune system like fermented foods, pro & pre biotics, and a rainbow of vegetables.
Move – whether that’s walking, working in the garden, working out at the gym, or just taking the dog for a walk – get moving. (it’s good for your stress level too!!)
Take mini time-outs. Increased stress has a direct negative impact on our immune system. When our stress goes up, the ability for our immune system to function well goes down. Taking mini time-outs help to lessen the stress so our immune system can do more quality work.
Stay hydrated. When it’s not as hot outside, we tend to cut back on our water intake. However, you need just as much during the winter so you can flush out the bad critters that don’t belong in your system.
Cut back on vices. We all know the stuff that we do that’s not great for us. And for each of us, that vice is likely different. When you indulge in that vice, your body has to spend energy to recover from the damage done. When your body is focused on damage control, it has a hard time also investing energy into supporting your immune system.
Get adjusted. One of the most powerful outcomes of regular chiropractic adjustments is a stronger immune system. If you’re not already getting adjusted and want to, let’s chat. If you haven’t been adjusted in a while, maybe this is the one thing you add in this season to help support your immune system.
And remember, you don’t have to wait until you start to feel crummy to do any of these things! If you start incorporating even one of these now, your body will be stronger throughout the season.
Be kind to yourself and your body. You deserve it.
With Love and Inspiration,
Dr. Michelle
PS. If you’re looking for more ideas: Boost Your Immune System from Oura Ring, and Immune Boosting Tips from my blog.