8 Tips to Support Your Immunity
Now more than ever it is important to look after your immunity so you can stay strong and healthy during these times. There are many ways to boost your immune system,
here are my top 8 tips.
1. Look after your gut. 70% of the immune system is housed in our gut. Replenishing the gut with good bacteria is essential for boosting the immune system. The gut can be compromised due to antibiotics, stress and poor diet. Look at getting in two servings of fermented foods (kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, organic yogurt) per day or look at supplementing with a good quality probiotic. Checkout my Instagram video here for more gut health tips!
2. Eat more garlic and onions. Garlic is an excellent anti-microbial to include in your diet to help boost immunity. The active ingredient allicin helps to fight bacteria. Try having it raw in salad dressings to get the full benefits.
3. Supplement with vitamin D. During the cooler months, vitamin D can be harder to attain. A vitamin D deficiency can lead to fatigue, increase your chance of infection and has been linked to autoimmune diseases. Include foods such as eggs, fatty fish and fortified foods such as organic dairy products and dairy free alternatives. You can also look at adding in a supplement if you think you might be low.
4. Sweeten up with raw unpasteurized honey. Honey is another amazing food full of antioxidants, enzymes, vitamins and minerals to help your body fight illness. Try it in a hot tea with a little bit of lemon. Make sure you get it raw and unpasteurized to keep all the nutrients intact.
5. Include turmeric and ginger into your diet. Turmeric is an amazing spice that has so many great benefits. Curcumin (the active ingredient in turmeric) helps to reduce inflammation in the body and aid in digestion. It is anti-microbial and anti-fungal, helping to get rid of the bad guys. When consuming turmeric, make sure to have it with black pepper and a bit of healthy fat like coconut oil to reap the full benefits. Try my immune boosting tea below!
6. Stress less. Probably one of the most important components of looking after your immune health. This can be a tricky one and hard to avoid especially during these challenging times. I encourage you to take a few moments to yourself each day. Maybe that mean getting outside for a walk in nature, maybe it's an online yoga class or a meditation.
7. Make sure you are getting enough sleep. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. Turn off your phone at least an hour before going to bed. Better yet, delete your social media apps so you aren't tempted!
8. Move your body. Exercise helps boost the lymphatic system which is responsible for balancing body fluids and defending the body against bacteria. Try to commit to 30 minutes of movement each day. It can be as simple as a walk or you can try my 30 minute beginners yoga video here for some slow movement to wind down your day. Try not to overdue it with high intensity workouts.
I hope everyone stays healthy and safe during these uncertain times. Please know that I am here for you.
Immune Boosting Turmeric Tea
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups hot water
Juice of half a lemon
1 tbsp raw honey or maple syrup
1 tsp grated ginger (or 1/4 tsp powdered ginger)
1/2 tsp ground turmeric powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
crack of black pepper
Method:
Combine all of the ingredients together in a large mug. Stir and enjoy! I love having this soothing tea after dinner to aid with digestion.
Enjoy!
Ready to ditch the diets and finally find balance with food and your body? Check out my 90 day one on one coaching program, The Balanced Body Method. Click here for full details and to book a discovery call.