Top 5 tips to strengthen your immune system in a pandemic
It's January 2022 and we're still in a global pandemic. While things have somewhat gone back to 'normal', the COVID-19 virus is still creeping around and mutating into new variants. Pandemic or not, we should always keep our health a priority, and a sure way to stay healthy is to ensure we have a strong immune system!
We’ve all heard that prevention is better than cure and that is very true. We've been told to wash our hands and sanitise, to wear a mask and to social distance, and we're all doing that, right? But there is much more to immunity than staying away from others and keeping your hands clean.
Let's take a look at the 5 best ways to ensure a healthy immune system, to help protect you from infection and illnesses of all kinds!
1. Eat immune-boosting food
Social distancing, hand washing and other precautions can be taken in order to avoid the spread of COVID-19, but did you know that food and nutrition plays a major role in reducing infection? Foods rich in vitamins and minerals are highly encouraged during this time, as well as plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. Now is also a great time to start stocking up on superfoods!
The term 'superfoods' is used to describe nutrient-dense foods that are exceptionally high in vitamins and minerals and provide health benefits, while reducing the risk of disease. Adding superfoods to your diet helps to re-mineralise the body, minimizing the desire for snacking on sugar rich foods, helping the body get back on track with a healthy lifestyle. You can add them to breakfasts, smoothies or even use a superfood shake as a meal replacement to stay full for longer, aid with weight loss and add extra energy to your day!
READ: Top trending superfoods >
2. Make simple lifestyle changes
When people think of lifestyle changes, they tend to think of major adjustments. Did you know that it is more effective (and easier to stick to) if you make a few small changes? They definitely add up! Keep yourself and your family healthy by implementing simple healthy lifestyle changes such as the ones below:
- Stop or reduce smoking (click here to find out how to successfully quit smoking)
- Stop or reduce alcohol intake
- Exercise regularly (create home workout routines for the whole family)
- Eat a healthy and balanced diet (click here to view our organic, plant-based health foods)
- Make sure you get enough sleep at night (click here if you have trouble sleeping)
- Try avoid or manage your stress (click here if you struggle with anxiety or depression)
- Spend time outdoors as much as possible - the fresh air and sunshine do wonders for your physical health and mental health
3. Natural immune boosters
Herbal remedies can play a part in strengthening the immune system and Feelgood Health has two of the best! KiddieBoost for children and Immunity Plus for teens and adults contain especially selected herbs to boost the immune system and can also be used as a natural antibiotic/antiviral alternative.
Browse our range of natural immune-boosters, antivirals and antibiotics >
Herbal teas are also a great way to keep your immune system strong. Try sipping on a cup of delicious Yogi Organic Immune Support Tea which contains echinacea, elderberry, basil, ginger, cinnamon and cardamom. This is a soothing, warming and comforting tea to support the immune system.
For an extra healthy immune system, ensure you are getting enough Vitamins A and C to help prevent and fight off nasty infections! Solgar Ester-C is a longer-lasting, high quality form of buffered Vitamin C that’s non-acidic, so it’s gentler on sensitive stomachs. Ester-C is also easily absorbed by the system and can stay in the body for up to 24 hours for maximum absorption.
Experts differ on how much daily Vitamin C we should be taking, but many recommend an extra dose at the start of a cold or flu, along with a dose of zinc (see Solgar Chelated Zinc)! This combination can stop viral infections in their tracks!
4. Get enough sunshine
Sunlight has been proven to support the immune system by increasing white blood cells which play a major role in the body's defence against infection. Exposure to sunlight is also linked to improvements in bone health, cholesterol levels, nervous system health, sleep and cardiovascular health!
Even if it is not a particularly sunny day, the sun's rays do penetrate through clouds, so get outside as much as you can even if you can't see sunshine. Gardening, raking up leaves, taking the dog for a walk or going for a jog are all wonderful excuses to spend some time outdoors!
If you're not getting enough sun, it's important to take a good quality Vitamin D supplement such as Solgar Vitamin D3 Capsules.
5. Sleep
Lack of sleep can lead to a weakened immune system, depression, decreased job/school performance, hypertension, heart issues, obesity, decreased quality of life, and many other health issues! The right amount of sleep is just as important as getting enough nutrients and sunshine. Read more about the importance of sleep and sleeping patterns here.
Serenite Plus is a combination herbal/homeopathic formula especially formulated to treat the symptoms of insomnia, especially sleep onset insomnia (difficulty falling asleep) and occasional insomnia (i.e. difficulty falling asleep not more than two or three times a week).
Browse our range of natural and effective solutions to sleep and sleep-related problems >
If you have any health-related questions, please contact us or leave a comment below for FREE advice. We always love hearing from you!
Leave a comment