Wanting to help.
I am not an ER doctor. I am not a seamstress. I am not a restaurant owner serving takeout. But I want to help and I am sure many of you are having similar thoughts during this health crisis. I do, however, know about nutrition to keep your body healthy!
The journey to a healthy body is just that, a journey. It isn’t something that you one day wake up and say, “I’m all better!” It is something that you have to constantly work towards and be mindful of. My mantra has always been, “everything happens for a reason”. Just yesterday, I became overcome with emotion thinking about how grateful I am to have gone through my own health journey so I can help my family stay healthy during this time and I can also now share my knowledge with others. This is a time when a strong, healthy body is critical to fighting this virus.
During this time of uncertainty, the one thing you do have is control over is your body. You can decide what type of food you are eating, the quality of sleep you are getting and how much you are exercising. Now more than ever you need to be kind to your body. The front page of my website says it all, “The health of the body begins in the gut” as well as “let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food.”
Your gut is the cornerstone of your immune system in which 70-80% of your immune system actually resides in your gut! So if your gut is not functioning properly, then your immune system isn’t either. Processed foods, artificial sugars, greasy fast food wreak havoc on your gut. Stress of all kinds, including chemical, emotional and psychological types, plays a large role in immune dysfunction. Toxicity disorients immune function. A disoriented immune system will not be able to effectively clear an infection, like Covid-19. Our body has never seen this virus before so we don’t have the antibodies to fight it off right now. Some of us will get it and never have any symptoms. Some of us will get it and have a little cold. Some of us will get it and become very sick.
It’s never too late to strengthen your immune system. A little goes a long way and here are some suggestions. Fresh, in season fruits and veggies if possible, but frozen is also just as good. Make yourself a healthy, smoothie, my favorite is a Chocolate Banana smoothie with Spinach (fiber), Cacao Powder (great antioxidant and plant superfood), Golden Flax Seeds (fiber, antioxidants, and Omega-3’s) Almond Butter (omega-3 fatty acid and protein), Almond Milk (omega-3 fatty acid). I will post the recipe. Organic roasted veggies with olive oil or ghee are easy to digest and are perfect if you are feeling bloated and gassy. Try to choose organic proteins like chicken, fish, grass fed beef with no antibiotics. REAL FOOD! Where I live it has been hard to find my usual go to products but as long as my family is having a healthy meal, that is all that matters. I have enjoyed being able to cook more and having the whole family sit down for dinner at the same time! While we all have a little more time on our hands, take advantage of the opportunity to experiment with new recipes. Pull out those old cookbooks, scour Pinterest or the Food Network.
Another important aspect to a healthy body is sleep! Along with taking your Vitamin C daily, Don’t forget to take a nightly dose of Vitamin S—Sleep! Adequate sleep has been shown to improve the production of immune cells or T-cells. Having less than 7 hours of sleep a night on a regular basis puts stress on your body and when your body is stressed, your immune system suffers.
Lastly, don’t forget to exercise. This one tends to be the hardest for me. I make LOTS of excuses but then as soon as I am done with my work out I feel great! You Tube has some great yoga videos, my favorite is “Yoga With Adrienne”. I also go for walks, we live at the top of a large hill and the climb back up is a great thigh and leg workout! Anything to get your body moving is a boost for the immune system and our mental well being, which we all need right now. You can do this!
I hope everyone stays healthy and safe during this time. The more you keep your body healthy and practice social distancing, the sooner you can go back to enjoying your favorite things!
P.S.-drink lots of water!