Yes, it’s flu season and unfortunately, it’s started off with a bang. There are other viruses and colds out there that can also be caught. My granddaughter and nephew were both diagnosed with the flu over Thanksgiving. That means many of us were exposed as well. So what can you do to make your chances less that you will succumb to the flu or a cold or virus? The answer lies in keeping your immune system strong.
Your immune system is something that needs to be kept in shape on a daily basis. The following are important if you want to keep illnesses at bay:
- Hydration – It’s no secret that every cell in your body must have enough water to work properly and that includes your immune system. Your body weight in pounds divided by 2 is how much you will need in fluid ounces daily. Doctors are starting to sound like a broken record, “Drink more water.” But do we listen? Americans on average are dehydrated. So here’s my recommendation, “Drink adequate water, but if exposed to the flu, pay special attention to hydration, and if you feel symptoms, increase hydration.
- Sleep -There’s nothing that restores the body more than deep sleep. We need 8 to 9 hours per night. This is when your body heals and repairs itself and thereby builds your immune system. When someone around you lets you know you’ve been exposed, make sleep a priority. Don’t let anything stand between your body’s best defense against disease. And if you are consistent with your sleep on a daily basis, then you are less likely to catch bugs when they come around.
- Exercise – Keeping your body moving during the day enables all of your body systems and your immune system to function at high capacity. Your lymphatic system moves the trash out of your body, so it’s best to keep moving. This system only works when you move. If you come down with the flu, sleep and hydration will be your main helps until the fever is gone and your strength returns enough for you to exercise.
- Diet – A healthy, whole foods, diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and healthy fats and lean protein will also help to build your immune system and keep it strong. Your diet must be balanced and the more plant-based, the better. For example, lemons, limes and blueberries help to build your white blood cells. As a former cancer patient, I eat a cup of blueberries and a whole lemon fresh squeezed daily just for this reason.
Hydration, sleep, exercise, and diet all work together to keep your immune system strong and working as God intended. If you keep these daily habits, you’ll be less likely to catch what comes around. You’ll also be less likely to get cancer.
Dr. David Jockers has a great post on this. I just couldn’t resist sharing his well-researched wisdom with you. Here are his eight foods that strengthen the immune system.
Eight Foods that Strengthen Immunity
What works for you? What tips can you share?
Here’s to making it through the winter without getting the flu!
For Your Health,
Ginny
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