If you have been paying attention to the news, you know that the coronavirus has been in the headlines a lot lately. I’ve heard of people stockpiling food, cancel trips and events and avoiding public places. While I agree it’s smart to be diligent, I would also urge you to consider logical steps you can take to help protect yourself as best as possible. Whether its coronavirus, influenza A or the common cold, there are significant actions you can take to help create the strongest and most active immune system possible.
Let’s start with the basics:
- Good hygiene. Wash your hands regularly. Use soap and warm water. While hand sanitizers are nice, they have proven to be less effective than washing your hands.
- Get good, quality sleep. Nothing weakens your immune system like being sleep deprived. Focus on getting 7 or more solid hours of sleep.
- Stay hydrated. Dehydration has system effects on enzyme and antibody production. Your goal is half your body weight in ounces of water.
- Stay active. Physical activity boosts immune system activity. Keep those workouts regular.
- Avoid foods that cause inflammation that can compromise the activity of your immune system. Foods like deep fried food, highly processed food, high sugar content foods should be avoided, while more fruits and vegetables should be added.
Now, let’s talking about ramping things up to super charge your immune system. The following list of supplements will have a powerful impact on keeping you healthy.
- Vitamin C. The most well known and researched of all anti-oxidants. Keep the doses high and regular.
- Garlic. Several studies have highlighted the immune boosting benefits of supplementing with garlic.
- Vitamin B6. Studies have shown that this vitamin helps increase production and activity of T-Lymphocytes, T-helper cells and T-suppressor cells.
- L-Glutamine. This amino acid is found in protein rich foods and can be supplemented. It is the direct fuel source for white blood cells, our first line of immune defense. Muscular injuries, recent burns and recovering from surgery all decrease the body’s supply of this amino acid.
- Vit D3. This vitamin is essential to immune health. Studies have shown Vit D deficiency has a direct result of decreased immunity and increased risk for infection.
If you feel like doing more research, there are many more vitamins, herbs and tinctures that have been shown to have a positive effect on immunity. What I have given you is a good start to improving the function of your immune system.
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