In the fast-paced world we live in, maintaining optimal health and immunity is more crucial than ever. While there is no magic pill for a bulletproof immune system, adopting a holistic approach to self-care can significantly boost your body's defenses. In this blog post, we'll explore various facets of holistic self-care to help you fortify your immunity and thrive in every aspect of your life.
Eat well to ensure optimum nutrition: A diet rich in organic fruits and vegetables is high in antioxidants and nutrients that the immune system needs for its activity. Healthy fats like omega-3s (nettle seeds, flax seeds, dark green leafy veggies) and monounsaturated fats such as those found in extra virgin olive oil are needed to repair tissues and create healthy immune cells. A good supply of protein is also needed. Fresh fermented products like kefir (and sauerkraut and yogurt) keep the gut healthy by promoting its colonies of beneficial bacteria, which support immune function.
Sleep more and learn to rest: Lack of sleep negatively affects immune function by slowing production of disease-fighting white blood cells and impairing the activity of natural killer cells and macrophages. During deep, restful sleep, the body releases powerful immune-enhancing compounds, including interferon. Make every effort to get enough sleep—aim for eight hours a night.
Let go of negative thoughts and feelings: Write your feelings down. Allow yourself to go through the motions because suppressing them will depress your immunity. Cry if you need to; laughing is the only way to boost your immunity and relieve stress —a good cry does it too. Crying is also handy, bearing in mind the fact that we are aiming to cut out sugar, since many of us use sugar as a way to distract ourselves (and others) from feelings.
Cultivate kindness: Kindness and caring for others significantly boosts the immunoglobulin antibodies in the nose. The human attribute of kindness and caring for others not only helps the ones we are caring for but is supportive of our own immune system as well. How neat nature is! We can practice feeling true compassion for the suffering of others and allow ourselves to be moved.
Consider supplementing with Vitamins A, C, and E, echinacea, elderberry, or probiotics and minerals such as zinc and magnesium. Perfect natural sources include berries and dark green leafy vegetables for the vitamins, plus some pumpkin seeds to pump up the minerals.
Clear your home of old energy. One method is smudging with sage or other herbs, the burning of dried herbs allowing the smoke to purify the space.
Choose your company with care—people who relentlessly criticize or bring you down may adversely affect your immune function
Avoid things that reduce or harm immune function: stress, eating sugar, smoking, drinking alcohol, overwork, burning the candle at both ends, excessive exercise, suppressing emotions, and various toxins. Stress stimulates the secretion of adrenal hormones, which suppresses immune activity including the thymus gland and white blood cells.
Referenced from Deeply Holistic