Your immune system is simple your guard and protector. It protects you from pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites that may attack your body and cause infections, inflammation, and disease. Strong immune health is key for overall health and well-being for you and the whole family.
If you want to protect yourself and your kids from illness and health issues, boosting your immune health is essential.
There are three main things that are essential and should be balanced to ensure strengthening of the immune system: Restorative sleep, Stress reduction and Nourishing diet.
SLEEP
You have to make sure that you have a good night, uninterrupted, RESTORATIVE sleep. Good night sleep does not include waking up in the middle of the night, or unable to fall asleep for hours once in bed, or waking up too early and worrying about things…
There is nothing more important to ensure you have a strong immune system than sleep. When you sleep, your body makes the important T-cells, the white blood cells that fight off infection and arrest viruses and other microbes before they can multiply. Also, during the sleep neurons in the brain and other cells in the body are repaired, body is detoxed and balanced…So, one night of non-quality sleep can make your immune system and your body go backwards.
STRESS
We know that short-term stress can be protective as it prepares us to deal with challenges while long-term stress is generally harmful.
Long-term stress dysregulates innate and adaptive immune responses causing low-grade chronic inflammation, and suppressing numbers, and function of immunoprotective cells. Chronic stress may also increase susceptibility to some types of chronic diseases by suppressing protective T cells (immune cells) and reducing immune function. There are many ways how we can go around reducing your stress, what all depends on your individual story…
If you need help with management of your stress you can start with my Self Care Guide.
NOURISHMENT
Feeding your family with nutrient-dense, immune-boosting foods is one of the best ways to support immune health. Main points to improve and maintain nourishing diet for the whole family:
Increase fruits and vegetables consumption, focusing on seasonal fresh produce and including variety of colors: leafy greens, broccoli, red, yellow, green peppers, courgettes, aubergine, berries, citrus, beetroot, apples, grapes.
Include probiotic and prebiotic foods to increase the diversity of your microbiome. chickpeas, lentils, beans which are also good sources of zinc and iron.
Include probiotic and prebiotic food to increase the diversity of your microbiome.
Add fresh herbs like oregano, parsley, thyme, sage and basil to each dish.
Don’t forget to include anti-inflammatory foods in your cooking, like turmeric, ginger, extra virgin olive oil, avocadoes.
Most importantly avoid sugary treats, soft drinks and processed foods
Hydrate regularly to help your body natural elimination of toxins and other microbes that may cause illness. Water, herbal teas, soups, bone broths are the best option for keeping your body hydrated.
If you need a help or support with any of above points just get in touch!