Kick Start Your Immune System
It’s a busy time of year—fourth quarter’s full steam ahead, with the holiday season for a caboose. Getting sick is the absolute last thing anyone needs right now.
Fortunately, there are a few preventative measures you can take to build up your immune system:
- It always starts with a balanced diet. While sugar has been shown to stifle and deplete the immune system, a healthy diet will energize and reinvigorate your body’s defenses.
- Manage your stress to minimize it. Organize your to-do lists with clear priorities and take a moment to relax every time you cross something off. Designate a time every day, as little as five minutes, to turn off your computer and phone and just relax.
- Don’t underestimate the power of antioxidants. Get your vitamin E—try these spinach and potato dumplings instead of plain spaghetti. These stuffed roasted red peppers will help you get your vitamin C fix, while you can get your beta carotene dose from these recipes.
- Research appears to show a correlation between a lack of sleep and increased levels of stress hormones. While it may be hard to find more time for sleep, you can work on improving your sleep. Stick to a sleep schedule and don’t go to bed hungry or stuffed your discomfort could keep you up. A bedtime ritual will also let your body know it’s time to wind down.
- Laughing actually curbs stress hormones and boosts while blood cells that fight infection. Choose a comedy for family movie night, or make a point of hanging out with pals who make you laugh.
Taking time to strengthen your immune system now will have a huge payoff later.
