When we get sick, so much is on hold. Our health matters to the entire family! I want to share with you FOUR important strategies to keep your immune system strong.
1. 🥦Nutrition. This is the hardest and most important one!! Make mindful decisions to decrease sugar and carbohydrates and increase vegetables & protein. Basically, vegetables strengthen the immune system. They contain the nutrients our body needs to fight viruses. Sugar weakens the immune system. Sugar restricts white blood cells from absorbing bacteria and viruses from the body and flushing them out.
🥦Secondly, protein builds and repairs cells. Proteins give your body amino acids — the building blocks that help your body’s cells do all of their everyday activities. Proteins help your body build new cells, repair old cells, create hormones and enzymes, and keep your immune system healthy. Most of us generally do not get enough protein (this is also one of the top four deficiencies that lead to low energy). Getting lean, healthy protein is key.
🥦Water & the immune system: Water helps to carry oxygen to your body cells, which results in properly functioning systems. It also works in removing toxins from the body, so drinking more of it could help prevent toxins from building up and having a negative impact on your immune system
🥦Remember that the health of your gut matters — 70-90% of your immune system is your gut! (Plus 40% of brain receptors are in your gut and 70% of serotonin is made in the gut). Keep your gut healthy with your nutrition and Optiflora Probitoics.
🥦It absolutely takes effort to choose a nutritious diet, but we can help and support you with great recipes and accountability groups. As we get into the season of holiday treat especially, a plan is KEY. A plan ensures you have the framework to make the best nutrition choices when food is in front of you. Let us know if you need help creating a plan, starting new habits or getting some great recipe ideas.
2. 😴Sleep & Stress: Stress levels directly affect our immunity. When we’re stressed, the immune system’s ability to fight off antigens is reduced. That is why we are more susceptible to infections. The stress hormone corticosteroid can suppress the effectiveness of the immune system. So, take necessary steps to decrease stress (we have a webinar on this next week with a therapist). And take other precautions for immunity during high-stress seasons. We use Stress Relief Complex as well as increase our immune supplements during high-stress seasons (our favorite Nutriferon, is below).
😴Sleep plays a key role in our immune system.During sleep, your immune system releases proteins called cytokines, some of which help promote sleep. Certain cytokines need to increase when you have an infection or inflammation, or when you’re under stress. … The optimal amount of sleep for most adults is seven to eight hours of good sleep each night. Without sufficient sleep, your body makes fewer cytokines, a type of protein that targets infection and inflammation, effectively creating an immune response. Cytokines are both produced and released during sleep, causing a double whammy if you skimp on shut-eye. Chronic sleep loss even makes the flu vaccine less effective by reducing your body’s ability to respond. The top deficiencies that lead to lack of sleep are calcium and magnesium (you can supplement here) but also consider Dream Serene or Recover PM. (The above mentioned Stress Relief Complex can be a great option for before bed as well!)
😴These two are HUGE contributors to our holiday sicknesses– then add the sugar!!
3. 👍🏼 Habits: Thankfully, the last few years have increased better habits among everyone! We used to teach about washing hands– now we ALL know! We are all more conscious of germs. Here are some important other tips to remember:
👍🏼Wash water bottles, PHONES, sheets and your steering wheel. (Basic G & Germ Off Wipes are incredible virus and bacteria fighters).
👍🏼Switch to non-toxic cleaning products — a simple change can greatly improve your immunity and the immunity of your whole family by removing the toxics that cause inflammation, lung abrasion and weaken the immune system (saves money too).
👍🏼Exercise is important! Because exercise increases blood and lymph flow as your muscles contract, it also increases the circulation of immune cells, making them roam the body at a higher rate and at higher number. Specifically, exercise helps to recruit highly specialized immune cells—such as natural killer cells and T cells—find pathogens (like viruses) and wipe them out. Do you need help creating a plan to get moving? Do you need great resources to help you get in movement at home and with your kids?? We can help!
4. 🌱 Supplement: Despite even the best efforts to eat organic and all natural, our food supply does not contain the vitamins and minerals it once did. Even organic produce is grown for yield and not for nutritional value This means the choice is ours whether to supplement in an educated way that eliminates deficiencies and allows our bodies to function the way they are designed.
🌱These are just some BASIC starters, but based on unique needs and environments there is more you can add to address specific issues. Talk to your Shaklee advocate to determine a more customized and cost effective plan for you. If you’re wondering why we choose Shaklee, ASK US! We are passionate about the Shaklee Difference!
Start with the basics:
🌱Multi Vitamin: Start with a high-quality, bioavailable multivitamins AND multimineral. Minerals are crucial to build help and absorb nutrients.
🌱Vitamin C is not stored in the body and is a powerful antioxidant that helps support the immune system and protect against free radicals. Ours is also Sustained Release so you absorb it through the day. (Also available in chewable)
🌱Vitamin D – Sufficient levels of Vitamin D reduce your risk of infectious disease by strengthening your innate immune system. Vitamin D turns on key peptides in your immune system that trigger a strong anti-microbial response, allowing you to quickly and effectively fight off invaders before they can develop into a full-blown infection.
🌱Probiotics: As we said above 70-90% of your immune system is in your gut. Build health there and see so many side benefits of gut health!
🌱Nutriferon: This is a MUST HAVE for our family to increase our immune response and keep us healthy. It promotes healthy immune function using an exclusive, patented interferon-boosting formula developed by Dr. Yasuhiko Kojima, the renowned immunologist who discovered interferon.*† Interferon stimulates immune cells and is vital to healthy immune function.
🌱Triple Defense Boost: This new innovation has been in research and development for 7 years and is ready to help you build a strong immune system (not recommended for pregnant and under 12). Packed with vitamins C and D, zinc, plant-based adaptogens, elderberry, and more. Supports, boosts, and defends your immune system, with ingredients shown to boost Natural Killer cell activity by 3x and critical immune cells by 5.8x. Enjoy hot or cold.
🥦😴👍🏼🌱
There IS so much more we could say (I know, even after this long post), but we are here with ANYTHING you need so you feel EMPOWERED to be healthier this season!