Children across the country are back in school this week. And all of us will be spending more time indoors as the weather turns cooler. That means a whole lot of new germs are going to be trying to hitch a ride back to your home.
So now’s the time to work on supercharging the whole family’s immune systems to keep you all healthy all season long.
5 life hacks to help you outsmart those ugly bugs
Don’t just sit around and wait to get sick. Try one of these five surprisingly simple immune boosters instead…
1. Sleep:
Sleep deprivation isn’t just something they dreamed up for the movies. Many of us shortchange ourselves when it comes to sleep, burning the candle at both ends. If you’re not getting enough rest, you’re throwing off your immune system. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep every night in order to supercharge your immune system.
2. Get moving:
The American Heart Association recommends 30 minutes of movement a day, 5 days a week to keep your heart healthy. Turns out, that’s the right amount to supercharge your immune system, too!
Exercise keeps your lungs clear and in tip-top shape, so you’re less likely to get sick in the first place. But exercise also puts the pep back into your white blood cells making them move faster to attack the bugs that do manage to make it through your defenses.
3. Head outside:
Vitamin D is one of the fastest, most efficient ways to supercharge the immune system, so get outside while the weather’s still nice. Fifteen to twenty soaking up the sun should be enough. Just make sure you don’t burn. The sun’s rays can be powerful year-round.
4. Learn to relax:
It’s simple – stress hormones such as cortisol take their toll on your immune system. The more pressure you are under the more stress hormones your body pumps out.
So nip it in the bud. Take a deep breath, have a hot bath or make a cup of chamomile tea. Whatever helps you relax will help boost your immunities.
5. Laugh more:
Speaking of stress hormones, laughter helps reduce them too. So hang out more with friends who make you happy (strong friendships help keep you healthy, too!), watch a movie that makes you laugh or find other reasons to crack a smile. Apparently laughter really is the best medicine.
Arm your immune system naturally with these 5 foods!
Create a rock-solid barrier against invading bugs this season with immune building nutrients. Eat more of these five immune-system-building foods to arm your body against colds and the flu…
1. Chicken soup:
It turns out grandma was right all along. If you’ve ever been under the weather but felt better after eating some chicken soup, it wasn’t your imagination! Chicken contains vitamin B-6, which supercharges your immune system to fight off bugs BEFORE you get sick or help kick them to the curb when you’re already under the weather.
2. Bell peppers:
It’s not a myth that vitamin C will supercharge your immune system. It’s believed that this vital vitamin works its magic by boosting the white blood cells you need to fight infections. Bell peppers are brimming with vitamin C. Not a pepper fan? Citrus fruits are available year-round, so go stock up on oranges, grapefruits, and lemons.
3. Green tea:
You many never have heard L-theanine before but the amino acid is one of the things that makes green tea so healthy. In fact, between the L-theanine and the antioxidants packed into green tea it’s hard to find a healthier way to shore up your immune system. It’s nearly impossible to drink too much green tea, but aim for 5 cups a day for best results.
4. Yogurt
Your gut health is linked directly to your overall health. In other words, if you take care of your gut it will take care of you. And few things make your gut happier than a healthy dose of good gut bugs. So eat plenty of organic yogurt with live active cultures to keep your gut happy, and supercharge your immune system. Looking for other probiotic foods to try? Click here.
5. Steak:
Your body needs zinc to make white blood cells. Even being a little low on this important mineral can lead to big problems. The good news is you can find zinc in a delicious, organic, grass-fed steak! If you’re not eating beef, though, it’s also in oysters, milk and chickpeas.
These ten immune boosters can help you supercharge your immune system and stay healthy all season long, no matter what comes through your door.
Healthier Talk
We believe that everyone has good ideas about how best to care for our loved ones and ourselves. Many of our contributors are doctors that have spent their life’s work invested in the health and well being of the human body and mind. Some have spent their lives tirelessly researching health and the human body, developing new vitamins and products dedicated to making people healthier.
Others are ordinary people that have natural family cures passed down from generations, or discovered an inexpensive home remedy out of necessity or even by accident.
So Healthier Talk not only offers professional advice and solutions, but also provides much sought after natural family cures and at-home remedies, right at your fingertips!
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