How to Keep Immunity Up in Summer

We’re all excited for the world to start opening up this spring and summer, but we still need to be conscious of the fact that the pandemic is ongoing. As we get back out there to gather with friends and families, it’s more important than ever to keep our immunity performing at balanced and optimum levels. Here are some tips on how to accomplish that. 

Eat the Rainbow

We’ve all heard the saying, “Pay the farmer now or pay the doctor later.” This is sound advice and valid. The easiest way to stay in peak health is through consuming healthy, whole foods. While not everyone may be ready or able to adopt a completely vegan diet, we all benefit from getting our needed vitamins and minerals from as many plant-based options as possible. So, eat the rainbow! This means more than just salad. You want to incorporate fruits and vegetables across the color spectrum, plus you get the added gift of a beautiful plate. There are plenty of books and websites that make eating this way more effortless than ever. 

Stay Active

With the weather warming up and everything in bloom, there’s no reason not to get out and take in the gorgeous scenery all around us. When your aim is staying strong and in top physical condition, though, you want to kick things up a notch a little higher than a walk. Consider starting a new fitness routine, whether that’s beginning yoga, light cardio workouts, or delving into weight training; all of these activities will tune your body and get it more used to doing what it’s supposed to do. If you’re a little lost on where to get started, there are so many valuable resources on YouTube or apps you can download to your phone to get you started on your fitness journey, if you can do all this outside, in the sunshine, even better! The much-needed boost of Vitamin D is critical, not to mention sunlight boosts your mood!

Keep Inflammation Low

We all know by now that inflammation in our bodies is seriously detrimental to our health. Not only does it lead to severe conditions like heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and stroke, but it also keeps our bodies from being able to react to common invaders like viruses appropriately. You want to keep inflammation as low as possible. Ways to achieve this are through a whole-food, plant-based diet, supplementing with organic turmeric or curcumin. Suppose you can get your body’s inflammation under control. In that case, all the other additions to your lifestyle to stay in your best shape will work much more efficiently, so absolutely prioritize this.

Catch Those Z’s

Sleep is the great rebuilder, and it’s so vital that we catch all the hours we can get every night. A lack of sleep can lead to your immune system becoming run down faster, which will make us more susceptible to falling ill. So make sure you’re winding down and preparing to get the best night’s sleep possible. Avoid television, computer, and cell phone use at least one to two hours before tucking in for the night. Also, as tempting as they may be, avoid napping. If you must nap during the day, you want to keep their times short – think fifteen to twenty minutes. 

Keep Stress Low

Boosting immunity through keeping stress is a given, and also, who doesn’t want less stress? Unfortunately, we can’t always control the pressure that enters our lives, but we can control how we react to it and what we do with it. Some of the easy ways to keep stress levels lower are things already mentioned, like trying yoga and getting more sleep. It would be best if you also watched your caffeine and stimulant intake. Other things to try are more involved, like guided meditation and breathwork.  You could also incorporate aromatherapy into your daily routine with calming scents like lavender and chamomile or a revitalizing one like eucalyptus. Even the simple act of getting a hug or physical touch from a loved one dramatically reduces our stress levels. Whichever route you choose doesn’t matter. It’s more about making the conscious choice to work on it. 

Suppose you implement these critical behaviors into your routine and continue all we’ve been doing this last year to keep our immune systems tip-top. In that case, you’ll be able to focus your energy this spring and summer on getting back out there to enjoy life and loved ones to the fullest.

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