A “happy immune system” begins with managing your stress levels. More often than not we wait until we get sick before we turn a focus to our immune system. Then we work overtime – popping Vitamin C, drinking turmeric and ginger shots, living on soups and smoothies – in an effort to return to optimum health. There are certain lifestyle changes we can make all year round to boost our immune system and minimise falling sick in the first place. And what you might not realise, is that it starts with your stress levels, and the lifestyle changes we make to manage this.
Immune-Boosting Nutrients
Nutrients such as vitamin C, zinc and vitamin A have powerful properties to support and protect your immune system. These nutrients are hidden within a range of colour, antioxidant-rich plants such as:
- Bone broth
- Manuka honey
- Turmeric
- Kimchi
- Sauerkraut
- Miso
- Sweet potato
- Citrus fruits
- Strawberries
- Spinach
- Carrots
- Kale and collard greens
Other foods and nutrients such as magnesium, complex carbohydrates, folate, omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins and antioxidants help to relieve stress, the foundation of supporting your immune system. You will find these nutrients in:
- Oats
- Asparagus
- Salmon
- Oysters
- Cacao powder
- Chamomile tea
Sleep Therapy
A healthy sleep routine of 7-8 hours a day is essential for managing cortisol production. Not enough sleep means our body produces more cortisol which increases stress on the body. We recommend “romanticising” your sleep routine to encourage the body to wind down and switch off before getting into bed.
- Finish the day with a hot shower or bath
- Gently rub lavender oil onto your temples or on your chest
- Allow 60 minutes between screen-time and bedtime
Movement is Medicine
Consistent exercise and physical activity has incredible benefits to your overall mood, stress management and hormones.
However, it’s a common misconception that you need to work harder when you’re stressed. In our busy lives we try to blow off steam and get that nervous energy out of our system, there is a mentality that we need to flog our bodies.
What you’re doing is creating more tension, stress, and continuing to build that feeling in your body, whereas what you should really be looking for is the opposite of how you’re feeling and what you’ve been doing.
Pilates is about taking that time to rebalance the body not only from a muscular point of view but from a mind point of view. You don’t need to continue to keep your cortisol levels raised, which high intensity workouts can do.
Pilates is a moving meditation that can help relieve stress, trauma and anxiety. In order to do that, however, it requires giving in to the process and opening up. It’s not uncommon for clients to experience an emotional release during Fluidform workouts.
