Adding the five tips below to your daily routine will help boost your immune system and help you become a better version of yourself.
Protect your gut health
According to medical professionals, about 80 per cent of our protective immune tissue is in our guts, so ultimately our immunity depends on our gut health. Taking a probiotic daily and following a diet that is rich in unprocessed foods and antioxidants are recommended. Consider adding fibre rich vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains and healthy fats to your diet. Fermented foods such as kombucha, sauerkraut and yoghurt are also beneficial. Foods like apples, kale, broccoli, and cabbage will also assist your liver to detox the body naturally.
Exercise more
Physical activity is important for both physical and mental health. Staying active allows your body to flush out bacteria and stress hormones and decreases your chance of developing conditions like heart disease and a fatty liver.
Get more sleep
Giving your body time to rest and recover is vital. Lack of sleep is one of the main factors adding to high stress levels and a weak immune system because your body relies on the standard 8 hour rest period to replenish cells and proteins. If you struggle with catching your z’s, try downloading a sleep assist app or start activities like yoga and meditation.
Think Positive
Your mental state has a huge impact on your physical health. Negative emotions can weaken your immune system’s strength and response to infection, consider practising mindfulness and gratefulness more often. Positive thinkers are less likely to experience strokes or heart attacks. Also, simply smiling and laughing more can reduce stress and uplift your mood.
Up your vitamin and immune booster intake
Vitamin C contributes to immune defence by supporting cell function and protecting against free radicals and pollutants. The best way to get Vitamin C is through oranges, strawberries, spinach, kiwi and grapefruit. Vitamin D enhances your immune response and can protect you from respiratory conditions. You can take a vitamin D supplement or spend at least 10 minutes in the sun every day to help your body produce vitamin D naturally.
For your vitamin B6 intake, you can find it in chicken, tuna, chickpeas and green veggies. Vitamin E is found in nuts, seeds and spinach. Zinc helps protect our immune systems from colds and flu. Life Retreat produces an Immune Boosting oil that is formulated to boost your immune system and reduce inflammation. The oil’s ingredients include lemon verbena leaves, buchu leaves, ginger root, sutherlandia (cancer bush) leaves, turmeric root, MCT oil, extra virgin olive oil, CBD, and vitamin E.
