Thursday, April 08, 2021

Top Tips for Boosting You and Your Family’s Immunity Levels

Having a balanced immune system is important at any time, but especially so when a global pandemic is causing millions of people to not only get sick but pass away or develop long-term health complications. 

Even with a vaccine in play now for the COVID-19 illness, there will always be other concerns to steer clear of. As such, here are some tips you and your family can follow to boost immunity now and in the future.

Eat Well

One of the simplest ways to increase immunity levels in your household is to eat well. Prepare healthy meals daily that ensure you consume a wide range of vitamins and minerals, and other nutrients. Your plate at each meal should include some protein, complex carbohydrates, good fats, and plenty of vegetables. Fruit is essential, too. 

Avoid skipping too many meals as it can put undue stress on your body, which may in turn negatively impact your immunity. Wash fresh produce carefully and blanch or otherwise cook greens such as spinach and kale. Taking these steps will help you get rid of any foodborne illnesses and chemicals often found on food items that can put your family more at risk of getting sick. 

Create a Restful Sleeping Environment

Another part of staying healthy is making sure you get enough rest. Try to achieve quality sleep nightly, at least seven to eight hours. Note, too, that children need more sleep than adults. Adequate rest assists the immune system in staying strong and operating as effectively as possible. 

To help yourself in the sleep department, create an environment conducive to deep rest. For example, use blinds or curtains to ensure your bedroom is dark enough and use open windows, heating and cooling systems, and the right choice of clothing and bed linen to achieve an optimal temperature when you sleep. Plus, avoid computer, smartphone, and television screens before bed, as the light can stop you from falling asleep. 

Keep Your Home Clean

Bugs abound in the home, so it’s also vital to keep your property as clean as possible. Germs live on surfaces for up to hours or even days at a time, after all. To give them the boot, be regular with your cleaning. In particular, pay attention to touchpoints such as light switches, doorknobs and handles, computer keyboards, phones, countertops, toilet buttons, and the like. 

Use quality cleaning products that you buy from the shops or make your own affordable and more natural solutions that are kinder to the planet. For example, you can create a cleaner with soapy water and your favorite potent essential oil, such as tea tree, eucalyptus, or lemon. Vinegar, baking soda, fresh lemon juice, and coarse salt are other helpful natural cleaning ingredients. 

Show Your Children Helpful Hygiene Habits

To obtain a healthy home environment and protect yourself and your family, teach your children helpful hygiene habits. Lead by example and explain to your kids how to keep germs away. For instance, as you are probably already doing, reiterate the importance of regular handwashing with soap and water for 20 seconds or more. Teach young ones to always wash their hands before touching their face or food, and to sneeze and cough into elbows rather than into the air around them, too. 

Stay Active

You’ve no doubt heard it before, but exercise has a wide range of benefits for our mind and body, one of which is helping to boost immunity. Regular movement in your daily routines can help you to keep colds, flu, and all sorts of other illnesses at bay. 

This doesn’t mean you have to do lots of hard-core strenuous activity all the time, though; gentle to moderate exercise, including walking and yoga, can help your circulation to work more effectively, your oxygen levels to rise, and your immune function to operate better as a result. 

It pays to incorporate more incidental exercise into your week to improve health, too. Examples include taking the stairs rather than a lift, carrying groceries, mowing the lawn, cleaning around the home, and using your car less so you walk further to get jobs done. 

These are some of the top ways to boost immunity in your family. You can also stay healthier by avoiding smoking, reducing stress, drinking alcohol only in moderation, getting enough vitamin D, especially in the winter, staying up to date on vaccines, and keeping hydrated. Every step adds up and makes a big overall difference. 

This is a guest blog entry.

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