Have you been feeling groggy? Waking up with a sore throat, stuffy nose, and feeling extremely tired? Do you need a boost of energy and a recharge on your immune system?
The immune system in the body is one of complexity and importance. Its job is to defend the body against disease and infection and it is able to respond immediately and attack foreign disease or infection cells preventing further growth. However, when your
immune system is not strong and is unable to respond to foreign cells, the chances of getting sick and disease ridden increases. This is where feeding your immune system with what it needs to stay strong comes into play. Some of us are naturally blessed with strong immune systems, but if you are not one of the lucky ones follow the top FIVE ways to maintain a healthy immune system listed below:
1. proper nutrition- sounds easy enough but the consumption of processed and non-nutritious foods counteract the immune systems needed for fresh vegetables, fruits and such.
2. getting rest!- most of us sleep less than 6 hours a night- if your body doesn’t have sufficient amount of time to recharge it will become weak and you will feel weak. more sleep= more energy= stronger immune system functioning= less sickness. I know when I don’t get enough sleep, I get a cold almost instantly.
3. maintaining an active lifestyle: though you may feel tired after a long, hard workout, the positive affects that it has on your body are immense.not only does exercise keep your heart healthy, but it also keeps all other systems energized and working to the healthiest capacity.
4. plenty of sun: without a decent dose of Vitamin D, your immune defenses and the killer cells of the immune system will not be able to react to and fight off serious infections in the body.
5. reduce stress: almost impossible to imagine for some, but possible to do once you attempt to get a handle on it- once you have control over your stress, the immune system becomes free to do its job rather than get sidetracked at battling your stress…stress= weakened immune system= sickness/ dis-ease.
To elaborate on number one above (proper nutrition) I put together a list of five herbs and spices that I recommend for boosting the immune system: ginseng, echinacea, garlic, ginger and turmeric. Each has a way of minimizing infection cells and aiding the immune system in fighting off all foreign disturbances in the body. When we take time to concentrate on eating right and fixing our unhealthy habits, we heal ourselves from the inside out, especially when we provide our bodies with the right foods.
Ginseng: this herb’s main active component, ginsenosides, have been proven to have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties
Echinacea: very popularly related to boosting the immune system function- has been found to prevent and treat upper respiratory tract infections as well as the common cold
Garlic: a spice that is commonly used in cooking, but is proven to have cardiovascular, anti-microbial, antineoplastic (anti-tumor forming) properties
Ginger: a powerful herb that reduces inflammation, cardiovascular conditions, blood clots and cholesterol
Turmeric: this spice is notable for antioxidant properties and is very antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and stomach soothing benefits- it protects the liver from effects of alcohol and toxins and helps in digestive problems
These are only but a few examples of things to incorporate in our daily diet to help invigorate and strengthen our immune system. Ways you can incorporate these foods into your diet would be through making fruit and vegetables juices and adding in a clove of garlic or a piece of ginger and a sprinkle of turmeric, simply by cooking with them or taking them in supplement form (please consult a medical doctor before doing so). Continue to do research on this topic and if something is unclear, feel free to ask me. It is crucial that we keep our systems strong and powerful to battle the various diseases and germs that are running rampant in our surrounding environments. Cheers to your health!