How to support your immune system against the Coronavirus!?
Experts have been sharing advice on how best to try and avoid the illness, with top tips including frequently washing your hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds and staying at least one metre from other people at all times.
Simple things you can be doing at home to help boost your immune system:
- Ensure you’re getting adequate sleep – This allows the body to rest and recover optimally, which allow for the proper functioning of the immune system. It is advisable to get at least seven to right hours of sleep a night. Turning off electrical products at least an hour before, perhaps reading a book, doing a meditation, considering something you are grateful for that happened today.
- Look after your Gut – 70 % of your immune system is in your gut! I would recommend increasing plant based foods, including lots of colourful fruits and vegetables, as these will help to feed the good bacteria in the gut. Incorporating prebiotic foods such as artichokes, green bananas, legumes, garlic, onions, leeks, asparagus are essential for feeding the good bacteria! I also like to incorporate kefir every morning! Fermented food also contains good bacteria, which helps to contribute to a strong immune system!
- Increasing antioxidants – It is especially important to ensure that antioxidant levels (e.g., vitamins C, E, and A) and micronutrients that are components of antioxidant enzymes (e.g. zinc, copper, iron, and selenium) are sufficient to combat the oxidative stress, which has a great impact on immune function. As stress can suppress the immune system!
- Practice mindfulness daily – Mindfulness can help to reduce stress levels, as increased stress levels can suppress the immune system.
- Ensuring adequate vitamin D levels – The new advice from the NHS for Vitamin D is that everyone should be taking 10mcg of vitamin D3 daily during autumn and winter!
Supplements advice: look at the delivery/form the nutrients com in ! For example: liposomal vitamin C, which is transported across the membranes of your gut, into the bloodstream and then into cells where this powerful antioxidant is needed!