6 Holistic Practices to Help You Stay Well
During the pandemic, many people are taking extra care to stay well with measures such as wearing masks in public, maintaining physical distance, and washing their hands frequently. This is also a time when we should be thinking about ways to bolster our immune system to help us fight off not only COVID-19 but also all kinds of illness.
Your immune system protects your body from harmful substances, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and toxins. It is made up of different organs, cells, and proteins that work together.
Without an immune system, you’d likely be sick all the time — if you lived very long!
The immune system consists of two parts: the innate immune system you are born with, and the adaptive immune system the body develops as it is exposed to microbes over time. These two systems are closely related and work together when a germ or other outside substance triggers an immune response.
Your immune system doesn’t protect you perfectly 100% of the time. Most people gets sick once in a while, even if it is just a common cold or stomach bug. But when you think of all the bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens you’re exposed to every day, it’s evident your immune system is working hard 24/7.
Knowing this, it makes sense to look for ways to help our immune system function better.
If you want your immune system to be in top form, consider some of the holistic health practices that can help boost your body’s immune response.
Here are some things you can do that may help you strengthen your immune system:
1) Eat Healthy — Include plenty of fruits and vegetables. The antioxidants they contain can help combat free radicals (chemical byproducts that may damage your DNA and suppress your immune system); they also contain omega-3 fatty acids that may increase your body’s ability to produce immune-regulating compounds. And don’t forget to drink lots of water. Water helps your cells eliminate waste and work more efficiently.
2) Be Active — Regular, moderate exercise has been shown to mobilize the cells of your immune system and even protect it from the effects of getting older.
3) Reduce Stress — Reducing prolonged stress may be very important to keeping your immune system up. Use relaxation techniques, meditation, and energy healing tools like The Emotion Code™ and The Body Code™ to reduce your stress levels.
4) Get Plenty of Sleep — Getting eight hours of sleep each night can help regulate your immune function. One study of over 22,000 people found those who slept less than six hours per night or had sleep disorders were more likely to get colds and other respiratory illnesses.
5) Herbs & Supplements — Many believe that herbs such as echinacea, elderberry, and andrographis may help reduce the severity and duration of illnesses like flu or the common cold. Garlic is known to possess properties that fight viruses and bacteria. Ginger is considered a natural anti-inflammatory. Read about these herbs, and if you think they’re for you, try taking them at the first sign of symptoms.
6) Release Emotional Baggage — Our assertion is that past emotional events often leave us with “trapped emotions,” which are literally leftover emotional energy. Research is beginning to show that this kind of emotional baggage may lead to physical, mental, and emotional symptoms, and can interfere with the normal function of your immune system. A simple method of energy healing like The Emotion Code is designed to help you to find and release your baggage quickly and easily.
Holistic health looks at your body as a complex system with physical, emotional, and spiritual components. This mirrors how your immune system works — like a huge orchestra where every instrument needs to perform well in order for the whole to function at its best. Boosting your immune system from a whole-body, holistic point of view might be the best way to enable your body to fight off illness and maintain optimal health.
