By: Rudy A. Ciccotti Staff
Looking for ways to strengthen your immune system? Here are our top three tips:
Exercising regularly improves your memory, blood pressure, respiratory system, insulin sensitivity and nutrient uptake. Plus, exercise improves your metabolic rate, strength and coordination, and bone density to optimize health and function. Aim to be active for at least 30 minutes a day to experience all these benefits.
What can you do right now? Go for a walk or run outside (keep social distancing in mind). Go up and down stairs in your home or at a park. Complete body weight exercises such as, pushups, squats, lunges, planks, wall triceps pushups, or calf raises off a step. Set up an obstacle course in your home for you and your family to have fun.
When stress is high, the body produces more cortisol and adrenaline (stress hormones to help you ‘take action’). Increased cortisol and adrenaline can contribute to muscle loss, body fat gain and an increase in blood sugar. Your body can also experience reduced immunity, slower metabolism, a disruption in sex hormone production, and loss of sleep.
What can you do right now? Set effective daily goals. Start each day with one action, track your progress, and spend time virtually with a coach or mentor. Go for a walk outside, practice yoga, enjoy nature, breathe deeply, snuggle a pet, laugh hard, play your favorite music and dance, or meditate quietly in deep appreciation.
Poor quality sleep (especially less than 7 hours each night) is associated with a foggy brain and an increase in systemic inflammation. Systemic inflammation increases your vulnerability to viruses, bacteria, risk of heart disease and a depressed mood. In addition, lack of sleep is linked to excess body fat because it disrupts appetite regulation.
What can you do right now? Set a schedule for your sleep. Get moving right away without hitting snooze when you wake, find the sun (or a light therapy box). Avoid caffeine after 2:00pm, limit fluids an hour before bed, clear your mind (de-stress). Turn off electronics 30 min before bed, set your room at a cool temperature, and make the room as dark as possible.
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References Andrews, R. (2019, July 16). All About Dehydration. Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-dehydration
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