Going Outside After the COVID 19 Lock Up

START PREPARING NOW & STRENGTHEN YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM TO FACE THE WORLD

A quick read checklist of simple natural techniques to fight off the Corona Virus & getting sick by Optimizing your Immune System.

Your Immune System: A collection of billions of cells traveling on the superhighway through your bloodstream. The most important part of the immune system is the ability to seek, identify, and destroy any invaders that get inside your body. These invaders come in all shapes and forms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and cancerous cells. Now as we see with COVID19 there is always something new mutating our way and we need to be ready.

PREPARE NOW TO FACE THE WORLD AND BE SET FREE.

 “Chocolate is a Drug” Limit your Sugar Content

Stop with the processed sweets and using artificial and refined sugars. If you have a sweet tooth, try natural sweets like yogurt, fresh fruits, and quality honey.  Chocolate is a Drug and I am a recovering Chocolate Drug attic. Believe me.

Eating or drinking too much sugar curbs immune system cells that attack bacteria. This last for 3-4 hours after stuffing down a couple of sweet snacks or sugary drinks. Fruit Juice with heavy sugar also has its downside.  Sugar surrounds your healthy cells and blocks them from playing a beneficial role.

Get a Regular Good Night Sleep

Do not eat too late, drink drunk yourself to sleep, and scanning your smartphone trying to get to sleep.  Shut it all Down.

While sleeping your immune system releases proteins called cytokines which promote good sleep. Certain types of cytokines must increase when fighting infections, inflammation, and stress. Lack of sleep decreases the production of these protective cytokines.  In the end, infection-fighting antibodies and cells are minimized when you do not get enough sleep.

Read a book if you need help sleeping. Try natural solutions that help you sleep, chamomile tea, CBD Hemp Oil, heavy workout. Naps work but during the influenza season, get seven to eight hours of sleep a night.

Do your Exercise DAILY & Get Some Sunshine?

Do any type of exercise that gets your heartbeat moving, lungs pumping, that causes you to sweat. Then do that daily and push stronger every day without over going too far.

Getting physical flushes bacteria out of the lungs, airways, bloodstream, and out of the body. This helps in reducing your chance of getting a cold, flu, and illnesses.

Exercise causes a change in antibodies and white blood cells (Immune Cells) which help fight disease

Sunshine is a Vitamin. “Sunshine Vitamin D” Natural in your body is made from cholesterol in your skin when exposed to the sun. Getting sunlight is vitally important for optimizing vitamin D levels to strengthen your immune system.

“Wholesome Food is Medicine”

We all have heard about the risk of fast food. High in saturated fat, sodium, refined sugar, and low in nutritional value and the impact on compromising your immune system are huge. Processed foods most the time are high in saturated fats, salt, and refined sugar, all of which negatively impact our guts healthy and cause inflammation in the body.

Cook with raw foods vegetables, legumes, grains, seeds, nuts, fresh fish, good meat, and natural ingredients. Do not be lazy and opt for frozen pop in microwave minute meals which ingredients you cannot comprehend.

Stick with “Real Nutrient Foods” that have wholesome ingredients that are not heavily-processed a list of science fiction named ingredients and preservatives.

Fresh Herbs & Spice It Up

One of the most powerful defenses from the invaders could be hiding in your spice rack and not in a pill.  Herbs and spices have been used for medicinal properties dating back 1000’s of years. According to the World Health Organization, around 80% of the world’s population uses herbal medicines for primary health care, particularly across Europe and South Asia.

Many herbs and spices have shown boost the immune system and protect against colds, flues, viruses, and infections.

Fresh herbs and spices are normally more potent but dry can also deliver vital elements your body needs. Turmeric, Ginger, Garlic, Cayenne Pepper, Cinnamon, Honey, Holy Basil, Fenugreek, Elderberry, Licorice Root, Curcumin, Echinacea, Acai berry, Schisandra Berries, Goji

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Truth about Fats

“Good” Unsaturated Fats — Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats —keep your body healthy and therefore your immune system. Foods made with vegetable oils (such as olive, canola, sunflower, soy, and corn), nuts, seeds, and fish are all beneficial

“Bad” Fats — Trans Fatty Acids — weaken the immune system an increased disease risk, even when eaten in small quantities. They exist in processed and lots of fast foods made from partially hydrogenated oil.

“Saturated Fats” negatively affect your health. Foods with a large amount of saturated fat include red meat, butter, cheese, and ice cream.

Moderate and cut back on foods like red meat and butter, replace them with fish “Salmon”, beans, nuts, edible seeds, and healthy oils. Food made with hemp oil, Canola oil, Extra-virgin olive oil, Avocado oil, Safflower oil, Peanut oil, Sesame oil is going to support good health, therefore, boosting your immune system

 “Good Bacteria vs Bad Bacteria” Your Gut and the Immune System

Not all bacteria are the bad guys. In fact, our bodies are home to an estimated 100 trillion “good” bacteria, essential to our survival.

Fermented foods are rich in beneficial bacteria good for your digestive tract. “Probiotics”. Yogurt, Fresh vegetables, Pickles, Kefir Milk, Hawaiian Spirulina, Quality Japanese Miso, Natto, and Tofu.

Our bodies are a mini-ecosystem, and food and drink that disturb our bacteria can alter our health. A flourishing network of good gut bacteria can help your immune cells differentiate between normal, healthy cells and harmful invader organisms.

Drink Water Not Beer or Hard Shots

Have you heard, “Drinking Straight Whisky Kills Germs”, “Beer washes out the Germs and flushes the system”, Really? I did a self-random test and I do not think so.

Water helps to carry oxygen to your body cells, which helps your body system function and removes toxins from the body. Drinking lots of water helps prevent toxins from building up in the body negatively impacting your immune system.

Stay Hydrated While tea and juice are also hydrating, it is best to limit your intake of fruit juice and sweetened tea because of their high sugar content. No soda does not help.

Stress Out? Relax

Above we went over how important the GI tract is and eating well. Stress has a negative effect on your digestive system. Stress increases the workload on the circulatory system from increased heart rate and raising blood pressure. All affecting your overall health and minimizing your immune system.

The state of mind affects one’s state of health.  Many believe “Mind over matter”.  Your brain will find direction, environment, and will choose to heal over disease. How we react to stress will influence our immune system.

Pray, Meditate, Exercise, Read, Hobbies, Simple acts of Kindness, & set aside time to separate yourself from your stressful life.