BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM AND PREPARE FOR THE COLD

As the weather grows cold, you might find yourself catching a cold yourself. Maybe you had no problem fighting off those bacteria and viruses during summer, but in the meantime your immune system betrayed you, and now you just can’t seem to not be sick.

We’ve all been there, it can be a struggle to build up your immune system, so here are a few tips on how to make it easier for you.

Exercise regularly.

Maintaining a regular exercising schedule, will not just prove good for your health and body, but it’s also great for your immune system! The way your immune system responds to exercise is by producing more blood cells that attack bacterial invaders. With making your exercise a routine and doing it regularly, you will ensure long lasting results. Not to mention being physically active will flush bacteria out of the lungs and airway which would help clear out any cold that might be brewing. Use your Leaf to track your daily activity, and make sure you are being active enough.

Good hygiene – wash your hands thoroughly.

This is something we all heard from a young age – wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Making sure you are clean and free from all the bacteria will naturally lessen your chances of catching any illness. You’ve probably notice that once one person around you gets sick, suddenly everyone is down with the same health issues. It’s easy to spread a disease, so make sure you wash up regularly and keep a clean and fresh living environment.

Food that boost your immune system.

First and foremost, it’s all about nutrition! Your body draws valuable nutrients from food and drinks that help boost and improve your immune system. Maybe you didn’t go out of your way to include these in your menu, but there’s no time like now! Prepare for those winter days by finding some creative ways to incorporate the following items in your daily diet : Broccoli, Spinach, Ginger, Garlic, Yogurt, Green tea, Papaya, Sunflower seeds.

If the problem you run into is simply lack of time to get creative, you can always consult Airi – the best mind and body coach a woman can have. We’re sure she has a few fitting recipes in her cookbook.

Don’t let your stress consume you.

Stress will damage your immune system by raising your blood pressure, as well as damage your cardiovascular health all together. Being exposed to daily stress repeatedly will cause a dysregulation in your immune system and might increase the likelihood of you catching an illness even in people who are overall healthy. When you feel a wave of stress or anxiety coming over you take a break. Just relax for a little bit. Do a meditation from your Leaf app – or if you don’t like to do guided meditations, try one of our non-guided and relax with ambient sounds. Maybe meditation isn’t your favorite way to de-stress, so try doing a sport. Running or martial arts are an excellent way to get rid of extra stress. Give it a try, it might just work for you!

Getting enough sleep.

Most of us have a continuous struggle between going out into the world and bonding with your bed. Usually it ends with us leaving the bed, often without having had enough sleep. Repeatedly getting less sleep than your body needs, will damage your immune system and make you more likely to get sick. Use your Leaf silent Alarms to remind yourself to go to sleep earlier. It might not be something you can do every day, but try to get enough sleep at least 4 out of the 7 days of the week.

Don’t isolate yourself.

Sometimes it might feel like loneliness is an illness all for itself. But did you know that being lonely might actually affect your immune system? Being isolated might actually affect the production of antiviral proteins and reduce the body’s ability to fight infections. So while we know that as the cold weather approaches, cuddling with your blanket seems like the best company, try to include your loved ones in your life as much as you can. Don’t hesitate to invite them, after all, it’s good for your health! Who needs a better excuse?

We hope these tips might help you boost your immune system the natural way. Be careful if you opt to take supplements in the form of pills and vitamins – always do your research!