It isn’t news that it’s important for your health to make sure your immune system is strong and happy, but are we all contributing to our bodies in the most effective way? Here is where we will share how to make sure that your immune system is staying healthy and operating correctly.
To paint a picture, I am going to start with a metaphor:
Imagine you are planning a long drive. There are certain things you are obviously going to want to so before you get going on the journey. You’re going to want to check that the tyres are at the right pressure, that your battery is in good health, you have enough windscreen washer for the whole trip, the oil is at the right levels, you have enough fuel to get started. You get the picture. Before you start the journey, you are going to get that the car is running optimally. This won’t eliminate the chance of breakdown, but it makes it much less likely.
You want to do the same thing with your body. Obviously, the journey your body will be taking is much longer, hopefully decades to come, but the principles are the same.
So, let’s look at what the body needs.
Breathing
Our body needs air. That’s obvious. But are you breathing the best quality air? This isn’t something you can always control, especially with pollution on the rise but it is important for our bodies to make sure that you are breathing fresh, clean quality air on a regular basis. Also, you want to make sure you are breathing correctly. Let us explain. There are varying types of breaking; stress breathing and relax response being two of them. It is important that a few times a day you take the time to practice some deep breathing exercises that can let your body know you are in a safe environment. This helps in relaxing your body and mind.
Water
Between 55% and 60% of our bodies are water, so when you are running low on water or feeling dehydrated you are literally missed a huge part of you. It is so important to stay hydrated every day.
Let’s be clear. When we talk about staying hydrated, we don’t mean coffee, or milk, or coke or juice. While those things may be largely made up of water or have a large water component, most of them are set up to burn through water much too quickly. Thus, they do not count as hydration.
So, water in its simplest form is what you are looking for, whatever you have access to. It is one of the best gifts you can give your body and therefore, your immune system.
Sleep
We know how much easier said than done it can be to ‘get a good night’s sleep’. It isn’t always as simple as that, but during times when you can, sleep will be your best friend. If you have ever found yourself lacking sleep, you’ll understand the term ‘jelly head’. It is when your brain can no longer function properly due to lack of sleep. You can’t remember things; you forget where you leave things, you can’t find anything – it is simply like your brain has been switched off when it hasn’t had enough sleep. The brain is the most important organ in your body, so if there is no energy going to your brain, how is your immune system to regulate energy?
Sleep is so important, so we thought we’d share some small tips that might help you get a good sleep:
- Keep your room a little colder than usual
- Turn of electrical devices 2 hours before bed, and if possible, keep them out of the
room entirely.
- Don’t eat 3 hours before bedtime
- Clear your mind, and practice your deep breathing before sleeping
Sunlight
Now, understandably this one is a little out of our control but what is important to remember is that if it is light outside, that is sunlight even if it doesn’t look that way! It doesn’t have to be direct sunlight on your skin, the sunlight you get through clouds works as well. Always remember to practice sun safety for your skin when exposing yourself to long periods of sunlight, whether that be direct sun or sun through clouds.
The reason sunlight is so important is the vitamin D you get from it, it is hugely important for your immune system and a variety of body functions, so if you find you aren’t getting enough exposure from the sun, you could look at topping this up with vitamin D supplements. These can usually be readily available at any pharmacy.
Food
Food is important, but not urgent. It isn’t like water. You can go months without food, which isn’t something we are advocating, it is just the truth. When looked after your body won’t start going awry until 3 weeks of no food.
But food is important, and for a healthy, working immune system it is unbelievable important. We need minerals and vitamin in our diet to stay healthy; 16 certain minerals and 13 vitamins to be exact. We also need healthy fats and amino acids, and food is the best place we can get these additions.
If you are running low on certain proteins and nutrients your body won’t be able to run optimally and ultimately your immune system will suffer.
WILDFIT
The WildFit program looks at ensuring you fuel your body with all the right nutrients and does this in an easy-to-follow diet plan covering each week along with a coach so you can ask questions and feel supported as you take on a new look at food and diet.
The general diet looks largely as eating a variety of seasonally available fruits and vegetables, meat, fish and eggs, and then maybe some seeds and nuts from time to time. It doesn’t over complicate things, it follows the ancestral diet that matches our ancestral history.
Starting a new diet can be daunting, but with WildFit you are linked with a coach for the entire 90 days so you can ask questions, get advice, and confidently attack your new diet with all the guidance necessary. As a treat from us, you can sign up to a 14-day FREE burst and find out if the WildFit program is for you. It is a great way to get started on a fresh outlook on your health.
So, with the long journey of life ahead of you it is so important to make sure you are checking the entirety of your body to ensure you are ready and prepared to take on the stresses and joys that you are undoubtably going to embark on!