As temperatures drop and winter approaches it is a great time of year to start taking steps to keep your immunity strong💪. With cold & flu season upon us (and well, that other virus hanging around), taking actions to ensure that our immune system has all the support it needs to keep us healthy is a wise investment.

How can we help our immune system? The following are the easiest lifestyle practices you can shore up to keep not only your immune system running smoothly but all your body's systems running optimally:

Get plenty of sleep
Try to avoid or at least mitigate your daily stress (think meditation, yoga, etc.)
Stay well hydrated
Get some exercise (walking, biking, etc.) and get outdoors
Be sure to eat a healthy diet (more on that below)
Don’t smoke
Keep alcohol use to a minimum or don’t drink
Limit the amount of sugar you indulge in this season
And yes, Wash Your Hands! 🙂

Fresh Vegetables Feed Your Immune System

A word about what you eat. I know there are so many delicious and tempting things to eat during this season and I am definitely not advocating trying to avoid them all. I am recommending that you selectively indulge in your favorites but limit the quantity of how much you eat and the frequency. The rest of the time eat in the most supportive way for your body. The 80/20 rule applies here so eat for your health 80% of the time and allow yourself to enjoy the treats and indulgences only 20% of the time.

There are also foods that support your immune system so try to include these in your diet daily. They include:

🥕 Orange Produce and Leafy Greens - they contain Carotenoids (like beta-carotene) to improve Vitamin A: an immune system supporter

🍊Vitamin C: from fresh, raw fruits and vegetables (citrus, sweet potatoes, bell peppers)

🧄 Pungent Seasoning: garlic, onion, ginger, horseradish, and hot peppers help to boost circulation and support digestion

🍄 Mushrooms - shiitake, mistake, reishi, turkey tails and chaga help support and balance the body’s immune function.

🍜 Fermented Foods - yogurt, kefir, miso, sauerkraut, etc. which decrease inflammation and provide beneficial bacteria that make your body an unfriendly place to pathogens

💦 Fluids: keep yourself hydrated by drinking water and incorporating teas, soups and broths so that your immune system can better do its job

🌱 Herbs that may help the immune system include Echinacea, Elderberry, and Adaptogens such as codonopsis, ashwaganda, and holy basil. Herbs are best taken under the advice of an herbalist or holistic health practitioner.*

By taking care of our immune system, our immune system can then take care of us and keep us healthy! Hopefully you can incorporate many of these ideas into your lifestyle so your immune system has what it needs to stay in prime shape this season and beyond.

If you have questions or comments, feel free to email me at Lara@southernlotuswellbeing.com.

Wishing you all a Healthy & Happy Holiday Season!

Lara

Nothing included here is meant to diagnose or treat a medical condition. Information is for entertainment and educational purposes. Always discuss changes to your health regimen with a medical professional.

Keeping your Immune System Strong

Welcome!