When we are relatively healthy with only the occasional sniffle or body ache the importance of actively maintaining our immune systems can easily be forgotten. Our good habits can wane and bad habits can slip in, like more sugary treats and less exercise. If you want great health, it is vital to learn how to build up your immune system.
To incorporate immune boosting habits into your life you don’t have to live a monk-like existence, surviving only on the roots of rare herbs and volcanic filtered water. Small tweaks to your existing lifestyle can have positive effects on your immune health & build up your immune system and to boost immunity.
Learn To Destress
Have you ever had a tight deadline for a college paper or woken up late on the day of an interview? We all have these temporary stresses in our lives, and that is OK.
A little bit of stress is good for us. It gives us a jolt of adrenaline that can help us perform better to get that paper completed on time and to ace that interview.
Unlike temporary and minor stresses, chronic stress is a problem. In our modern world, chronic stress comes from so many lifestyle and life stage factors.
We are on the go all the time, working long hours, commuting long distances, and on our smartphones 24 -7. On top of that, we are dealing with relationships, sick loved ones, landlords, children, and bills to pay.
We will all experience stress at different levels throughout our lives. How we deal with stress can be the difference between a healthy or a compromised immune system.
Long term stress can cause inflammation, affect cell function and prevent your body from being at its fighting best.
To manage your stress levels, schedule time in your daily planner to do something that de-stresses you. This could be massage, gentle exercise, meditation, art therapy, laughing yoga, or even sex (it is proven to help with stress).
Read more about mind relaxation techniques from our free Holistic Health Magazine library.
There are many ways to build up your immune system.
Eat More Of The Really Good Stuff
We learn from an early age that eating our greens is good for us.
Whilst that is, of course, true and we should pack in as many plant-based foods as possible, what we don’t learn until much later in life is that there are even more delicious foods and drinks that can help us build strong immune systems to help fight infection.
When it comes to boosting your immune system with food it is not completely necessary to makeover your entire diet. Adding in daily boosters can be a great support for your health and build up your immune system.
Think about adding a little ginger to your fruit tea or smoothies and cook with garlic and fresh herbs as much as possible. Herbs and spices might be small but they pack a handy punch of antioxidants and nutrients.
Fill up on good foods instead of snacking too. Natural yogurts with a little organic honey and some berries are a delicious snack that also promotes good gut health.
Drinks like turmeric shots and kombucha contain health supporting ingredients and taste delicious too.
Be sure to read the labels on any food and drinks that profess to be healthy to check for added sugar and chemicals.
Be Selfish About Sleep
Sleep is the elixir of good health. Without regular, quality, sleep our bodies go into a state of stress and start releasing cortisol, the stress hormone. Too much cortisol in our systems creates havoc.
It can cause weight gain, thinning skin, weakness, and our immune system takes a hit.
By getting a full seven hours of good sleep each night, you are allowing your body to hit the reset button. Whilst you sleep, your body is hard at work making minor repairs and helping you to relax so you can wake up feeling refreshed and recharged.
Sleep doesn’t come easy to everyone if you struggle then do not stress. Think of it as a self-care learning curve. Instead of worrying, ‘will this help me sleep tonight’, focus on treating yourself well.
Sleep will come. Give yourself time to unwind before getting into bed. Check out these sleep help tips on how to go to sleep.
Even two minutes of meditation makes a difference. Introduce new self-care habits to your routine as much as you need to. Sleep is a necessary part of healthy living. You are entitled to a good night’s sleep. It’s time to get selfish about that to protect your health.
What we haven’t touched on are the bad habits that impact our immune system. Why?
Because we all know what they are and that we should cut them out. The bad foods, the lack of exercise, smoking, too much partying.
We all know them and we all indulge in something that’s not good for us anyway. It is part of being human. To be a healthier human, we need to push past the temptation and do what we know is right.
You can find much more information on living a holistic lifestyle in these free magazines and on our YouTube channel.
Beatrix Potter writes about health and lifestyle for Assignment Help Service. Beatrix is passionate about good nutrition and plant-based diets and grows as much of her food as she can when she is not writing and editing.
