10 Ways to Boost Immune Health

It can seem like the sky is falling. 

It isn't. 

I want to share with you all the ways you can help your body to become stronger and more resistant to illness.

Use this time to make your health a top priority in your life. There are many simple things you can add into your daily routine to make being a healthy the easiest option. 

With all the news and experts talking about COVID-19 it can seem like individuals are helpless. We're definitely not.

It's about knowing what to do and then doing it consistently.

All of us are powerful. Your body is very resilient. When you give your body great nutrition and detoxify your system regularly, optimal health is possible. 

Many of the practices I'm sharing I've done myself for many years. I've been doing Facebook Lives this week to share some of these tools in greater depth. You can follow my page Julie Brar Health Coach if you want to watch these videos.

1) Nutrition is where it all starts. Giving your body lots of vitamins, nutrients and phytonutrients is a way to help keep your Immune System in tip-top shape. Aim to get 9-12 servings of vegetables and fruits a day. Add superfoods to your nutrition protocol to help bring more nutrients into your body. Most of us are deficient in essential nutrients, unfortunately. Aim to make nutrient density one of your nutrition goals. 

2) Load up on vitamin C and B vitamins. This helps give your body extra defences when there are viruses floating around. B vitamins also help manage stress and anxiety in your body. Vitamin C gives your body extra support when battling foreign invaders. 

3) Prioritize getting 7-10 hours of sleep. When you're sleeping that's when your body is doing all of its hard work. It's rebuilding tissue and your brain is removing toxins from the day. Sleep also helps reduce stress and inflammation in your body.

4) Laughter is great preventative medicine. According to the Mayo Clinic, the long-term effect of laughter is that it helps strengthen your Immune System. Apparently positive thoughts can actually release neuropeptides that help fight stress and potentially more serious illnesses. Watch a comedy, call a friend and have a laugh, or watch some stand-up comedy on Netflix. Laughter really is medicine!

5) Meditate. Meditation has been shown in study after study to reduce stress and inflammation. Anytime you reduce stress in your body, you boost your Immune System. If you don't already have a meditation practice this is the perfect time to start and there are several guided mediations available on Youtube. 

6) Be grateful. Similar to meditation the practice of gratitude has been shown to elevate mood and reduce stress. It's a very simple practice. Grab a journal and every morning write down three things that you're grateful for. Do this for 30 days and watch how your life unfolds. 

7) Wash your hands frequently to avoid spreading germs. This is a very important practice, especially now. If you haven't gotten into the habit of washing your hands, this is the time to start.

8) Gut health is one of the keys to Immune System health. I wrote about it at length in last week's blog. Be sure to read that post if you haven't already. Since 65-70% of your immune system lives in your gut, making gut health a priority is hugely important to your overall health. 

9) Manage stress levels. This is important at a time when freaking out seems to be the norm. However stressing out won't help the situation. Use meditation, breathing techniques, great nutrition, movement and sleep to help lower your stress levels. You want your immune system to be at its BEST. 

10) Move your a$$! Movement is also a great way to help boost not only your immune system, but all the systems in your body. You don't have to run a marathon to move. Keep it simple. Go for a walk around the block, dance in your kitchen, do a yoga class... anything that speaks to you. Your body will thank you and you'll feel better for it!

Those are my top 10 tips. Do your best to add as many as you can into your routine. If you're looking for a way to kick start Spring be sure to sign up for my 7 day FREE Juice and Smoothie Challenge starting on March 21st. Sign up here here.

Top Image by Brooke Cagle/Unsplash