While there is no foolproof defense to prevent this icky virus (I can’t even type the name of it anymore!), there are benefits to having a healthy immune system.
Here are some of our top tips for staying healthy and boosting your immune system while you’re stuck at home:
1. Maintain a healthy diet: Get used to eating a variety of fruits, veggies, and lean sources of protein. Make sure to include foods with the following nutrients that help support immune function: Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin E, and Vitamin D.
2. Sleep! 7-9 hours/night. Sleeping is crucial for your body’s ability to recover and defend itself.
3. EXERCISE! Don’t stop exercising. Not only will it keep you healthy by supporting infection-fighting cells, but it will boost your mood as well! If you’re working from home or staying out of the gym, there are plenty of ways to still get your sweat on — body weight movements like burpees, lunges, push-ups and more can give you a quick full-body workout with no equipment. As an added bonus, endorphins from exercise also reduce stress (which we all need right now!)
4. Wash your hands! Best practices include washing your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds and drying them thoroughly.
No form of supplement or habit can replace good hand-washing, and that includes heaps of hand sanitizer, which can be a good substitute if you’re in a pinch, but doesn’t work as well as good old fashioned soap scrubbing.
5. Trying to manage stress is one of the most important ways to stay healthy. Stress can also make a big difference for your immune system, particularly when there are alarming or uncertain events happening in the world around you.
Good strategies include taking breaks from social media and relying on trusted media sources for information, both of which can help you avoid panic and misinformation.
How you choose to relax will vary from person to person, whether that’s taking a walk outside, curling up with a favorite book, or taking time to meditate or practice yoga or another soothing habit each day.
Hope this helps! We will all get through this!
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