Have you ever wondered if you could be doing more for your immune system? There are a lot of simple changes you can make in your daily life to keep your body strong and your immunity intact. Here are just a few ideas to get you started.
Slow yourself down.
This is sometimes easier said than done, but the less stress you have in your day to day life, the stronger your mental, physical, and emotional health will be. Being constantly on-the-go often feels normal in our society, but being intentional about taking time to relax and just be shouldn’t be at the bottom of your priority list. Learn to say “no” to people and commitments, and invest scheduled time in hobbies or activities you enjoy. Your immune system will thank you!
Have a good laugh.
Laughter really is good medicine. Laughing lowers cortisol in the body, improves circulation, and the positive burst of emotions you get from laughing encourages the body to produce neuropeptides, dopamine, and endorphins. The chemicals your body produces when you laugh or focus on positive things also act as a sort of natural painkiller.
Warm up your vocal cords.
Like laughing, singing releases “happy hormones” in the body, lowering heart rate and blood pressure. Research has also found that when you sing, your body releases chemicals like immunoglobulin A, an antibody responsible for warding off infections. Regular singing also increases your lung capacity and can improve symptoms of asthma and COPD. The psychological effects of singing are also worth noting: singing as part of a group releases oxytocin, helping you to experience a feeling of community and support.
Don’t skip your workout.
There’s nothing like exercise for keeping your body and immune system in good shape. Besides protecting you from all manner of chronic disease, exercise also boosts your white blood cell production and improves circulation. Regular exercise lowers inflammation in the body and helps you deal with physical and psychological stressors that would otherwise contribute to illness.
Focus on your zzz time.
Your body relies on your sleep cycle for the opportunity to rejuvenate and rebuild.
Scientists have found that the quality of your sleep correlates to how effectively your body’s T-cells are able to fight off viruses. How? Once T-cells have identified an infected cell, they release proteins called integrins, which help them to bond to, and eventually kill, the infected cell. This is important because integrins only function well when stress hormones are at their lowest, which just so happens to be while you’re asleep.
Take your vitamins.
Last, but certainly not least! Prevention is the best medicine. For an all-around immunity boost, we recommend the Metagenics Defense Pack, available on our website at https://www.eohinfo.com/store.
Stay well,
Dr. Jones
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