Achieve health and vitality with these five wholesome ways you can boost your immune system using all-natural methods recommended by holistic wellness professionals. And when you’re ready to embrace holistic health as a lifestyle, visit us at Garrow Wellness Center to learn how.
Receive Messages To Assist With Detoxification
Our lymphatic system is made up of tissues and organs that remove toxins from the body. Mainly, the lymphatic system is responsible for transporting lymph, a fluid made up of white blood cells that fight off infections. Lymph fluid passes through our vessels and lymph nodes, which filter lymph, essentially cleaning it so our body can process and get rid of the toxins it contains.
Massages specially designed to promote lymphatic drainage can help your lymph system along with its filtration process to more efficiently detoxify your body.
Normally, your body movement is what drives your lymphatic system. A massage provides a secondary mechanism to get it moving. Individuals with healthy lymphatic systems tend to enjoy better health and immune systems.
Eat A Diet Of Whole Foods
When we say “diet,” we mean you should craft your lifestyle around it, not adopt it temporarily in an effort to become more healthy, only to abandon it a few months later when you’ve seen the results you were wanting.
So-called convenience foods are only convenient because they’re made to be easy to grab and go. But they’re not doing our bodies any favors. Fast foods are high in sodium, saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol, which are the heavy-hitters that cause us to suffer from high blood pressure, heart disease, and unwanted weight gain. Fast food production is also terrible for the environment. Consider all the packaging, VOCs emitted during food prep, transportation via notoriously fuel-inefficient semi-trucks, and the high percentage of waste involved in every step of the process.
Instead, make your own convenience foods by pre-cutting fruit and veggies, buying bulk nuts from the grocery store, or crafting from scratch your own wholesome granola bites. You can “pre-package” these snacks with reusable or recyclable wraps and bags. Voila! Now your grab-and-go snacks can be healthy.
Eliminating processed foods and foods that are unreasonably high in sugar, and restricting red meat intake are good for your body and for the environment. You’ll be cutting down your own carbon footprint while giving your immune system a boost by fueling your body with what’s really good for you.
Get Regular Exercise
Prolonged, intense exercise can actually suppress your immune system, but moderate, healthy exercise will boost it. Regular exercise can also reduce inflammation in your body and keep your cells healthy.
For moderate exercise compatible with any fitness level, we highly recommend practicing yoga. Take group yoga classes near you to learn the poses, form, and flows, then practice at home between classes to strengthen your body and even your mental health! The peacefulness of yoga and the concentration on muscle groups and breathing can relieve stress and symptoms of anxiety. Even older adults with limited mobility can enjoy yoga with modifications, such as poses using a chair and slower transitions between poses.
If yoga isn’t for you, find an exercise activity that is! Choosing a form of exercise that you actually enjoy doing will encourage you to get moving far more than one that you dread. Try less mainstream forms of exercise, like using a virtual reality headset to put yourself in new locales for more interesting workout sessions.
Get Plenty Of Sleep Every Night
Sleep is responsible for restoring your body and gives your cells, tissues, and organs time to heal and get ready for another day. It makes perfect sense, then, that getting adequate sleep can boost your immune system naturally. In fact, plenty of studies have shown that poor quality sleep makes you more likely to come down with contagious illnesses.
For example, a clinical trial of 164 healthy adults followed them as they tracked their sleep. Adults who slept fewer than six hours every night were found to be more likely to catch a cold than those who slept more than six hours each night.
To improve your sleep, set up a sleep schedule and stick to it. Practice good sleep hygiene, and avoid cell phone use at least an hour before bedtime.