Prepare your body, mind, and spirit to stay well during seasonal changes!

s the weather cools down this fall, we’re reminded to prepare for the coming of winter and its festivities. For most, this entails stocking up on winter gear to stay warm and making plans for the holidays. However, let’s not forget to help our bodies to adapt to the seasonal changes that most likely will affect us one way or another. It’s easy to get busy with the demands of daily life, forgetting to check in with ourselves. Furthermore, most never give their immune systems any thought until they begin to feeling ill. A healthy immune system is critical to our survival and resilience to illness, and requires daily maintenance for proper functioning. The best approach to wellness is preventative care—this entails being proactive about your health—not waiting until you feel sick to do something about it. So if you’re one of those who always puts yourself last to take care of others—consider this: if you become ill, you can’t possibly
be of service to anyone else…Think about it, you’ve got to take care of you.

Practical Methods to Strengthen your Immune System Daily

A balanced, nutrient rich diet, and plenty of rest is the best way to keep your immune system in shape. According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), a balanced diet consists of whole grains, healthy proteins (lean meats, legumes), dairy, fruits, vegetables, and essential fats (seeds, nuts, and fish). Including all of those groups in daily meals is fairly simple, so visit MyPlate for more information. Cold weather has the tendency to enhance body aches, especially in the case of arthritis.  Many body aches are a result of inflammation, which can be counteracted by consuming anti-inflammatory foods, such as: dark, leafy greens, red cabbage, watermelon, red bell peppers, eggplant, ginger, and garlic to name a few. Consuming anti-inflammatory foods on a regular basis provides essential nutrients while boosting your body’s ability to fight off infection, and acting to prevent chronic disease. Lastly, understand that you need the nutrients (vitamins and minerals) provided by a balanced whole foods diet in order for your enzymes to function correctly. You can’t just eat anything and expect your daily multivitamin to take care of the rest—it doesn’t work like that.

It’s no secret that physical activity is a great way to keep your immune system in shape, so get moving however you can! Any type of exercise will do as long as you’re comfortable with it—jogging, walking, biking, dancing, swimming, yoga, outdoor sports, etc. Exercise strengthens the cardiovascular system, bringing more oxygen into the blood to be carried throughout the body, and gets the lymphatic system circulating. Lymph is the watery substance that bathes your cells, removes toxins from the bloodstream, and is the major component of your immune system (Ellis). Here’s the catch, lymph has no pump (like the heart) to keep the fluid circulating, so it actually depends entirely on your mechanical movement. For a quick and easy lymphatic cleanse, click here to learn about shaking, which originates from the art of Qigong!  Shaking is highly effective, gentle on the body, and fantastic for those with a busy work schedule. It can be done in as little as 30 seconds, or longer if you prefer.  Of course, I totally recommend taking a bathroom break for this one to prevent your co-workers’ concerns that you’ve gone mad at your desk. Or at home, put on some of your favorite music and dance like no one’s watching—it’ll cleanse your body of toxins, oxygenate the blood, and release endorphins (“feel-good” hormones), while reducing your stress levels. What this all amounts to is a healthier immune system that is prepared for cold & flu season, and a happier you.

We are not just bodies, so we can’t forget to evaluate our mental, spiritual, and emotional state—our overall health is directly connected. Deep breathing, meditation, guided imagery, and visualization can reduce stress by bringing the body into a more suggestible state. The Fall and Winter seasons also carry memories, and we can become quite emotional. It's important to understand that too much stress can actually suppress your immune system, resulting in you being much more susceptible to illness. Employing these methods can help to restore wellness by enabling you to relax, while empowering you to confront difficult issues, and reduce stress.

So now you have a few practical guidelines to follow that will promote wellness, and prepare you to confront cold & flu season confidently. Stay tuned for an upcoming look at some powerful herbs that promote a healthy immune system, and information on how they can help you to navigate this cold & flu season!

-RainFaerie

Resources:

Bates, Robert. "Fun With Qigong #1: Shaking the Body." Fun With Qigong. Electronic Blog. 15 Oct 2011 http://www.funwithqigong.com/five-flows-qigong-set/five-flows-qigong-set-overview/first-flow-exercises/exercise-1-shaking-the-body/

“Common Cold.” Natural Standard Research Collaboration. Natural Standard Inc.(2011). Electronic. 14 Oct 2011 http://naturalstandard.com/databases/conditions/all/condition-commoncold.asp

Ellis, Sandy. “Structure and Function of the Lymphatic system: An Overview” British journal of Community Nursing. 4 (2006): S4-S7. Print.

USDA. USDA’s MyPlate. USDA, 4 June 2011. Electronic. 15 Oct 2011 http://www.choosemyplate.gov/foodgroups/index.html