Boost Your Immune System!

Having a healthy immune system is essential to support our general health. Our immune system is literally the guardian of our boundaries, making sure that we take in what is nourishing and that we leave out or remove what is not good for us.

Even at the end of a pandemic when we might be tired of wearing masks and washing our hands, it’s still super important to strengthen our immune system. We’re not powerless when exposed to new and old viruses, and we can always make some positive changes to promote good health in the short-term and in the long-term.

Disclaimer: I’m not a medical doctor, just a biochemist turned neuroscientist, then turned a few other things : ), so please consult your healthcare provider before making diet changes and/or starting new supplements.

And with that said, here are a few ideas based on what has helped me over the years:

1. REST: Increase sleep hours and decrease work hours.

2. RELAX DEEPLY: Use soothing techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, mindful movement (yoga, Qigong or Taichi) to bring back your nervous system to neutral as often as possible throughout the day. For this purpose, it’s more effective to do multiple short sessions throughout the day than a single long one once in a while.

3. VEGGIES: Increase your consumption of vegetables, especially dark leafy greens. Eat them daily as salads and/or soups.

4. HEALTHY OILS: Increase your consumption of healthy oils (polyunsaturated) and decrease unhealthy fats (saturated). Eat more walnuts, pumpkin seeds, flax oil, fatty fish like salmon and sardines.

5. SUPPLEMENTS: Our food is seriously depleted, even when organically produced. Consider taking extra Vitamin C, Vitamin Bs, Vitamin D, Magnesium, Zinc, and Omega 3s. Discuss appropriate doses with your holistic health practitioner, so that you don’t take what you don’t need.

6. LESS SUGAR: Reduce added sugar. Hard, I know : )

7. LESS OR NO ALCOHOL: If you drink alcohol, reduce your intake as much as possible and consider quitting. Switch to herbal tea (hot or cold), flavored sparkling water, water infused with sliced fruit, etc.

Start with one new habit, take your time getting used to it, and go from there. There is no rush – each new habit can have positive benefits to your health, both physical and mental.

There truly is plenty to do to support a healthy immune system, not just during pandemics but throughout our whole lifetime. A stronger immune system reduces the risk of various illnesses, from simple colds all the way to cancers. The ideas proposed above also support our other systems, as well as our mental and emotional well-being.

Take good care of yourself!