Although everyone is talking about Covid-19, it is not the only illness that threatens us. Now that the temperature is getting cooler, common flus and colds are likely to become more frequent. All the precautions we take to protect ourselves from Covid-19 will help to protect us against many other respiratory diseases, but maintaining an optimal health is still our best protection.
Having a strong immune system will not only protect us from the various viruses and bacteria we are exposed to, but it will also help us to fight it better if we ever become infected; and a strong general health can help us to recover faster.
Here are a few simple things you can do to improve and maintain a strong immune system:
Cooking healthy meals
Good food is the key to health and a strong immune system. Taking time to cook healthy meals is not only a way to ensure you get good and nutritious food, it can be a relaxing moment or an occasion to bond with the rest of the family.
Exercising regularly
Exercise is one of the most important things you can do for your health. It does not necessarily involve going to a gym or purchasing equipment; take the time to do some stretching, yoga, Qi gong, or go for a brisk walk or jog. It doesn’t matter what activity you choose, as long as you get your body moving and blood flowing, and have fun in the process.
Being selective about the media and information you consume
Most of us are careful about the food we put in our body but less so about the information we feed to our mind. Negative, worrisome and stressful information is detrimental not only to our mood but to our body as well. Stress impacts our immune system negatively.
Stick to a routine
Having a routine is a good way to ensure that none of the healthy actions you take are forgotten or left aside. It can also be a good way to reduce your stress.
Adopt a meditation or mindfulness practice
A brain that is calm and happy will put out a very different set of chemical mediators (including inflammatory substances) than a brain that is stressed and depressed. Meditation does not have to involve long painful sitting sessions. Simply being fully aware of your environment and internal state is a form of meditation. If I ask you: “are you present right now?”, that moment you take to check in on yourself before replying is the state of meditation, brief as it may be. Prolong or repeat that state and you have mindfulness.