7 Simple Strategies to naturally boost your Immune System

With the cooler temperatures approaching and a general focus on health and wellness, I thought I’d share 7 simple strategies to naturally boost your immune system.  Implementing these steps into your daily routine will keep you healthier both mentally and physically and will put you in a better position to fight off the cold and flu, as well as help in the fight of COVID-19.

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The key is balancing all aspects of your lifestyle and focusing on the below 3 pillars of wellness:

1) Reduce Stress:

Mental health plays such a large part in our overall health and wellness, yet this is the pillar that is most often ignored. Having a clear mind, or at least having the coping mechanisms necessary to handle periods of stress and uncertainty, play such a huge role in our overall well-being. Below are some strategies to include in your day to day to help naturally boost your immune system:

Incorporate Meditation and Mindfulness into your daily routine

• • There are so many free apps you can download and youtube videos of guided meditations and relaxation music that you can watch. My go-to app is ‘Insight Timer’ and it has a ton of free resources and guided meditations of varying lengths
  • I like to start my day by reminding myself of what I am grateful for – ‘practicing gratitude’ and thinking of my best qualities – ‘self-love.’ This has truly been a gamechanger as it has really lifted my mood and has brought more positivity into my life. It’s contagious – the more positive we are, the more positive those around us will be
  • I end each day either by listening to a guided meditation from the ‘Insight Timer’ app or falling asleep to some of the relaxation music available on the app. My favourite music compilations are “Deep Sleep” by Chris Collins and “Active Qi Flow with OM Mantra & Drums” by Kenneth Soares

Focus on positive thoughts

• • With all the things going on in our lives and in society at large, it’s so easy to focus on the negative and complain about the things that aren’t going well in our lives.  It really can take over – that feeling of dread or self-doubt which can be all encompassing. Understanding that what is happening now is happening in this moment, and will not last a lifetime will put some of the feelings into context. There are of course events that are ever lasting, such as the death of a loved one, but the feelings in the present moment will get easier as time goes on. Getting through the present with a focus on positivity means focusing on the hope that the future will bring. Focusing on hope can ease our minds and allow the light and positivity back into our lives

Take time to focus on yourself and appreciate your good qualities

• • • We need to find some time during our day for ‘me time.’ Some days there will be less time for this and other days there will be more.  Even if we feel there is no time left in the day for this, it’s important to schedule this in daily – even if it’s for a few minutes. It can be anything that makes you happy and that takes your mind off of everything.  Anything from reading a few pages of a book you enjoy to watching a comedy. For me, it’s enjoying a cup of tea in peace and reflecting on my accomplishments of the day. It doesn’t need to be lavish
    • Appreciate yourself. Think about the things that you accomplished during the day and take a moment to thank yourself for the things that you are proud of. It can be as simple as completing a household task or going to the grocery store – appreciate it

Use a weighted blanket

• • • • Weighted blankets are known to reduce anxiety, help us to feel calmer and improve sleep. They have also shown to help improve many conditions such as anxiety and ADHD. I use my weighted blanket and it helps me get into a deeper sleep. It is useable in any temperature, I was surprised that I could use it in the hot summer months – it regulated my body temperature. 
        • I would highly recommend the weighted blanket I purchased on eBay, you can click on the link below, to take a look: https://ebay.us/fZKFzD

2) Diet:

Eat a balanced diet and drink plenty of water

• • • It goes without saying that you should eat a healthy balanced diet, to naturally boost your immune system, and incorporate all the food groups into your diet – but that is easier said than done. If this is something you find challenging, start small. Each day, incorporate an extra serving of fruits or vegetables, another glass of water, or focus on a food group a week, at a time. Eventually, you will get there
    • Every time I visit my doctor for anything, he always asks me, ‘how much water have you been drinking a day?’ Drinking lots of water is always his mantra, and when I started drinking water throughout the day, I really did notice a different in how I felt. I noticed other perks such as better skin
      • Drink a glass of water (I like warm water with lemon) upon rising
      • Drink water throughout the day, as often as you can. Keep track of how much you are drinking because sometimes you think you are having alot, but in reality you are not
      • If you are at work, bring in a water bottle and fill it up throughout the day. Walking to and from the water cooler also gives you a chance to stretch your legs!
      • I end each day with a large glass of water and I leave a full glass by my bed to sip on during the night if I wake up

Don’t restrict yourself

• • • • Personally, I don’t like ‘cheat days’ because they usually end up becoming a day of devouring everything you can get your hands on and not exercising for that day. Instead, allow yourself a treat on a daily basis. Don’t go all out, but a small treat or two each day won’t break the bank. Unless you have a strict weight loss goal in mind, having a treat daily is okay, as long as you are keeping active and working out for most of the days in the week. If one day is heavier on the calories, I’ll incorporate a heavier workout that day. If I can’t because I’m out late, I’ll make it up the next day

Two drinks you can try that really help with naturally boosting your immune system are below:

• Ginger tea – boil approx. 1-2 inches of ginger and a cinnamon stick in water for a few minutes. Serve with honey and lemon to your taste
• Citrus & Ginger Immune Booster Shot – Click here for the recipe

3) Exercise:

Be consistent

• • Working out on a consistent basis (4-5 times a week) with daily movement (walking, yoga or stretching) will do wonders to your mood and energy levels, help stave off illness and naturally boost your immune system
    • Choose a workout schedule and plan that suits your lifestyle and choose something fun so you are more likely to stick with it. Add variety to your workouts and workout different body groups on different days (rotational) Please review my blog post here for detailed tips on how to lose weight and keep it off!

By incorporating these strategies into your lifestyle by starting slowly, and focusing on a section at a time, you will notice an improvement to your mood and overall health in no time.

What are your immune boosting recommendations? What do you think about the content in this article? Let me know in the comments below!