If you’re feeling stressed and anxious because of national and global issues, that’s valid. The fear about COVID and how to safely manage your job, school for your children, and your relationships are causing a vast amount of stress and anxiety across the board. Chronic stress and worry can tax your immune system.
To date, nothing has proven to be bullet-proof against COVID-19, but you’re not helpless against protecting your mind and body from the fear it’s causing you. By taking a holistic approach to health and well-being, you can fight back against the forces that are wearing your body down.
Stress and Anxiety Kick Your Immune System into Action
When your body starts to break down, your immune system kicks into gear to restore your body to good health and vitality. How well your body responds depends on its ability to identify an invasion and the capacity it has to ward off things that compromise your immunity.
Fighting Back: 7 Steps to Boost Your Immune System
Think of immune health as a head-to-toe holistic health and well-being makeover. The following 7 steps will give you some quick things you can do starting today to boost your immune system.
- Eat well and drink water. Eating a well-balanced, nutrient-dense diet that’s high in fruits and vegetables is a good start to keep your immune system in good working order. Rinse your produce well and cook your meats thoroughly. Drink 6-8 glasses of water daily for good hydration.
- Get the proper vitamins. Sugar and grains use the same receptors as vitamin C. Excess sugar deprives you of vitamin C. Bask in the sun for just 15 minutes daily to boost vitamin D. Get vitamins, selenium, zinc, and probiotics with a daily multivitamin.
- Pay attention to your sleep. Sleep gives your body time for rest and repair. Try to get 7-8 hours of sleep every night, but also pay attention to the quality of your sleep.
- Practice good hygiene. COVID has reminded us that we need to take hygiene seriously. If you practice regular handwashing for 20 seconds, there’s no need for antibacterial soap. Look for other ways to keep your environment germ-free.
- It’s something you know you should be doing, but are you following through? Exercising will help you lose weight, reduce stress, and improve your immune function.
- Manage stress. It’s easier said than done. The reality is that when you’re under constant stress, it compromises your immune system. Make an effort to take steps to reduce your stress.
- Chiropractic care-When your spine is misaligned, it blocks your nerve energy and limits your immune response. Nerve dysfunction puts additional stress on your body, weakening your immunity even more. Proper spinal alignment restores balance and function to your nerves and spinal cord which pulls all your body’s systems together in an efficient, coordinated way.
Remember, your chiropractor can give you a checkup from the feet up and give you lots of tips to keep your stress and anxiety at bay during these unprecedented, unusual times.
About the author:
Dr Chris Gubbels is a Fort Collins Chiropractor, with advanced certification in Chiropractic BioPhysics, located at Square ONE Advanced Spine Correction. Dr. Gubbels specializes in non-surgical spine correction and rehabilitation with a specialization in spine deformities and scoliosis bracing. He is an active member of SOSORT and is Colorado’s leading Scolibrace provider. Through their trained providers, Scolibrace makes custom scoliosis and kyphosis braces for infants, adolescents and adults. To learn more about non-surgical treatment options visit www.squareonehealth.com.
