WE GET IT…LIFE HAPPENS AND OUR IMMUNE SYSTEMS TAKE A KNOCK FROM TIME TO TIME. WHETHER IT BE A SUDDEN CHANGE IN WEATHER, NOT ENOUGH SLEEP, POOR NUTRITION OR BEING EXPOSED TO A BUG FROM YOUR COLLEAGUE OR GYM BUDDY, SOMETIMES THE GERMS SLIP PAST OUR IMMUNE DEFENCE AND GET US DOWN!
Our bodies are incredible systems with complex ways of protecting themselves from injection or sickness, but they need a little help from us to keep things operating at full tilt. We thought we’d share our top 5 favourite natural ways to boost your immune system for optimal health all year long.
Vitamin D
Get some sunshine in your life! Vitamin D is often referred to as the sunshine vitamin, due to the fact that your body absorbs sunlight and converts it into vitamin D. Every cell in your body requires vitamin D. According to researchers, it can modulate the innate and adaptive immune responses, meaning it helps it perform at its best! How to safely get your fix? It is recommended to get 10 minutes on bare skin first thing in the morning. Avoid long exposure and direct exposure during the hottest parts of the day. Bonus: Vitamin D is known to give your serotonin levels a little boost too, so get ready for good vibes only.
Super Greens
Get yo’ greens in! We’re told to eat as much fresh fruit and green veg as possible, but for some of us it’s not always easily achieved and sometimes we need a little extra boost. That’s where Super Greens is a game-changer. Simply mix this potent blend of organic barley grass, spirulina and kale powder with some water or coconut water for your daily greens dose. It is super charged with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, and works to alkalise and detoxify the body. Bonus is that is tastes great, so it’s a fail-safe way to increase your hydration too! Simply add to a big bottle of water and sip throughout the day to help support your lymphatic system and remove harmful pathogens and waste build up from the body, for a tip top immune system.
Hit the sheets
And no…we don’t mean adult cuddle time, although that has been proven to boost immunity too, we mean getting enough sleep. Sleep is essential for our bodies to rest and recover. Getting enough hours of sleep allows our body to slip into a state of recovery, to repair various elements of our body including our muscles, hormones and immune system. It is in this state of rest that our bodies produce and release cytokines, which according to the National Sleep Foundation, is a type of protein that targets infection and inflammation. In short, more sleep means lowered inflammation and higher immunity, so don’t underestimate the power of getting those Zs in. Try these tips if you’re struggling to clock enough hours: Set a bedtime and stick to it, eat dinner earlier, avoid caffeine late at night or try yoga or deep belly breathing before bed.
Exercise
We’re not saying you need to smash out a HIIT class each day (in fact going too hard can suppress your immune system), but researchers have found that regular moderate exercise may lead to a higher number of white blood cells, the body’s little soldiers that fight infections. According to Associate Professor Stephen Turner from the Department of Microbiology & Immunology at the University of Melbourne, those who are fit and exercise frequently are much less likely to develop a cold, and when they do, it is much less severe. Take your morning exercise outdoors to get that vitamin D hit while working out! It’s a win win.
Let us know your top tips to stay boosted all year long!