You’ve heard it before: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. While washing your hands thoroughly several times a day helps decrease your likelihood of spreading a virus to your nose, mouth or other people by sending those germs down the drain before your body has to fight them off, this habit alone is not enough to help you stay well.

As we are getting close to entering the flu season, and although it never gets too cold in St. Petersburg or the Tampa Bay area, you can boost your immune system with simple and cost effective strategies the whole family can use and benefit from. Here are my top picks:

Stay Hydrated – even mild dehydration can inhibit the absorption of water soluble vitamin C, a key ingredient to build a strong immune system. I recommend to drink 1/2 your body in ounces of water per day, so if you weight 200 Lbs, aim to drink 100 oz/day.
Get Enough Rest – Just like it becomes harder for you to get your daily tasks done if you’re tired, if your body is overly fatigued it will be harder for it to fight off disease. Aim to get 7-8 hours sleep a night to give your body the chance to recharge and be strong.
Manage Your Stress – It has been estimated that up to 90 percent of illness and disease is stress-related. We all face some stress everyday, but if stress becomes overwhelming then your body will be less able to fight off illnesses. Exercising, reading a book, going for a stroll in the park or at the beach, watching a comedy, spending time with friends, getting a massage, doing yoga, etc… are all good ways to relax. Pick the activities you want, but make sure you do something to release stress daily.
Choose Your Foods Carefully – Avoiding processed foods, grains, and sugars will go a long way in strengthening your immune system. Apart from knowing what you should avoid, you should also be aware of certain foods that are loaded with nutrients that will support your immune system. Eating a nutritious diet is more effective than falling victim to vaccines, which expose you to health risks far worse than the flu. Foods that you can add to your diet include: Organic grass-fed milk and whey protein; fermented foods and/or a pro-biotic & digestive enzymes [I personally use Terrazyme & PB Assist+ from doTERRA daily]; raw, organic eggs from free-range chickens; grass-fed beef or organ meats; coconuts and coconut oil; organic vegetables and berries; teas, and herbs and spices.
Exercise – When you exercise you increase your circulation and your blood flow throughout your body. The components of your immune system are also better circulated, which means your immune system has a better chance of finding an illness before it has a chance to spread. In a sense, exercising helps your immune system to be more efficient in weeding out and acting upon viruses and diseases.
Get Chiropractic Care – Chiropractic adjustments help regulate the autonomic nervous system, which controls every function in your body, including your immune mechanisms. I personally get an adjustment once a month, whether I feel pain or not, in order to keep my body function optimally.

If you would like more information or are interested in scheduling a private wellness session, call 727-239-9943 or fill out the form below:

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