Now is a great time to refresh some simple ways to build up your immune system before you catch that seasonal cold or flu. Being proactive is our best policy for optimal health. Because our immune system is a system, not a single entity, it is essential for the immune system with its intricacies and interconnectedness to function effectively. Being set up well for working together requires balance and harmony. There are many ways to support your immune system daily, not just when you become ill, and we will discuss my top five in this article.
We can be sure what goes into our body is helping nourish us and not causing inflammation, illness, and even disease. Focusing on reducing inflammation, working at getting our adrenal glands going properly, and also paying close attention to our colon health is crucial to optimal health. Proper elimination and detoxing regularly are other keys to keeping the immune system functioning well. Taking supplements to support your immune system and aid in balancing hormones is a great bonus and, in many cases, a necessity to the immune system.
STEP ONE:
Paying attention to your diet will help keep away if not reduce inflammation. A nutrient-rich, whole-food, anti-inflammatory diet will give you the best advantage to keeping your immune system strong. Ever heard the saying "you are what you eat"? It is true, garbage in garbage out, but you can reverse that for optimal health by striving for quality in quality out. Avoid toxins in food as much as possible by choosing clean, organic, whole foods. When you avoid processed foods, your body will recognize what it is digesting and can absorb what it needs resulting in a much healthier you. Reading the labels is very important, and if you can not pronounce an ingredient, you should definitely not be consuming it. The fewer the items in the ingredient list, the better; between 5 and 7 is optimal.
STEP TWO:
Making sure your colon is healthy through healthy daily elimination, and regular detox will keep elimination pathways free and clear. Eating fiber-rich foods, regular exercise, watching your weight, drinking plenty of water, and not holding your BM are keys to colon health. Taking a probiotic daily is also very helpful for colon health by providing good bacteria. A few great foods to help keep your colon in tip-top shape include lemons, ginger, garlic, avocado, fermented foods, flax seeds, apple juice, raw vegetable juice, and aloe vera.
STEP THREE:
Next on our list is making sure you are getting quality sleep and reducing stress. Stress drains your ability to stay strong. If you have big or little stressors daily, your system is constantly pushed to overcome that stress. One way to destress is by giving yourself time for "self-care." This means different things for different people, but essentially it's doing things that "refill your tank." Maybe read a good book, get a massage, or take a walk. Even singing and prayer can be a way to lift your spirits.
STEP FOUR:
Another important way to build your immune system while also gaining your energy back is with the help of getting your adrenal glands going. To "get the adrenal glands going" means helping them recover from stress, our stress. It is easier said than done but, lowering stress to the best of your ability is a great way to aid in adrenal gland recovery. The key to keeping your body ready to respond to and recover from stress is optimizing the health of your adrenal glands. The adrenal glands are located near your kidneys, and their job is to make the main hormones that control our response to stress: cortisol, norepinephrine, and epinephrine (adrenaline). The adrenal glands are also crucial to supporting a strong immune system.
Cortisol is central to just about every health problem we face, which makes sense when we remember that stress is the primary condition of life, and cortisol is the stress hormone. It helps reduce inflammation, control blood sugar levels, assist memory retention, and regulate metabolism. Cortisol also affects the balance of water and salt in your body and helps to keep your blood pressure under control. Symptoms of overworked adrenal glands include everything from fatigue and low energy to insomnia, dizziness, blood sugar irregularities, muscle weakness, frequent infections, and mood changes.
Cortisol is the most crucial hormone for helping your body deal with stress. Almost all the cells in your body have cortisol receptors, so it affects much of how the body functions.
STEP FIVE:
Last but not least, number five, balancing your hormones and enhancing your neurotransmitter function with supplements and exercise. Exercise can increase neurotransmitters that are depleted. Stress inhibits feel-good hormones and releases free radicals throughout the bloodstream that linger long after the stressor is removed. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers in the body. The brain needs neurotransmitters to regulate many necessary functions, including everything from breathing, heart rate, sleep cycles, mood, concentration, appetite, muscle movement to sleep cycles.
Adaptogens like Super Earth Energy will help the neurotransmitters work at their best. Super Earth Energy helps tired adrenal glands recover and your energy levels to normalize. Also, Balance is a helpful supplement with many beneficial ingredients that can optimize your entire hormonal system. Catuaba is a key ingredient in Balance which helps to keep your hormones stable. Catuaba promotes a normal stress response and is particularly helpful for women who suffer from PMS. Keeping your vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, amino acids, electrolytes, and hormones in continuous balance is important to your good health and warding off potential illnesses. These three supplements work conjointly to give you the best benefits overall and keep your overall immune system strong.
Although it can be challenging to do all the things on an ongoing basis, try and do the best you can and before you know it, it will become a habit. Your health depends on it.
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