15 Jun Supercharge Your Immune System
It’s that time of year! I feel as though everyone I know has been fighting off a virus recently (myself included). As one of my friends put it: “it’s germageddon out there”!
Ensuring that our bodies receive the vitamins and minerals they need can help to naturally strengthen our immune systems, so that we don’t pick up every virus or bacterial infection that we come into contact with.
Last winter I shared a list of some immune boosting foods with you, and I thought it might be good to share it again as a refresher:
Top 10 Immune Boosting Foods:
- Citrus
- Carrot
- Turmeric
- Papaya
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Pineapple
- Protein
- Wheatgrass
- Berries
You can find out why these foods are so beneficial here, and there is a recipe for immune-boosting chicken soup here.
Other immune-boosting tips:
Stay hydrated– this seems obvious but it really does make a difference. Drinking at least 2 litres of water (herbal tea counts too) each day will help your body to feel fantastic and do its job properly.
Keep moving– exercise has been shown to increase production of immune cells, while increasing the rate that these cells can circulate around the body and aid detoxification. If you are feeling unwell it is important to rest, but even a gentle walk is better than nothing otherwise.
Sleep– another obvious one! Our bodies do their best healing and detoxifying while we sleep.
Natural supplements such as vitamin C, echinacea, olive leaf and zinc can help prevent illnesses from taking hold, as well as reducing their severity and duration. Consulting with a naturopath, or speaking to a naturopath that is staffed in health food store is the best way to find out more about this.
When in doubt, eat greens! Green leafy vegetables are the best sources of so many vitamins and minerals. When my Myotherapy classmates and I were studying nutrition, there was a running joke that if you don’t know the answer to an exam question, just write green leafy vegetables!
Have a Lymphatic Drainage Massage. We offer this relaxing, immune-boosting, detoxifying massage here at Unwind. Feel free to contact us if you have more questions. It is not a good idea to have this massage if you are coming down with something, but it is excellent in prevention and aiding recovery from illness (once you have passed the worst stage).
Until next time, stay well!
Clare
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