Considering the increase in recent illness in our communities, I thought a post on some natural ways to help boost the immune system was warranted. I am typing this with a cold my sweet children shared with me this week. 😉 We want to do everything we can to keep ourselves and our families healthy during “cold and flu season”. Before implementing some of these recommendations in our own family life, our illnesses were more frequent, lasted longer, and were more intense than they have been this illness season. A cold that used to last 7-9 days for us is now lasting more like 5-7 days and doesn’t seem to affect us as badly (WIN)!
So here we go…5 natural and effective ways to help boost immunity in your family.
1. Decrease inflammatory foods and drinks that love to feed on illness. This includes foods and drinks with processed sugars, dairy (mucus producer), and high carbohydrate foods. Eat plenty of fresh vegetables, fruits, lean meats, good fats and drink half your weight in ounces in water each day to help provide your body with adequate vitamins and minerals and hydration.
2. Introduce immune boosting supplements into your daily routine. A few of my favorite supplements we use in our household are:
· Intramax (Drucker Labs) Daily Liquid Multivitamin
· Homemade Elderberry Syrup – research has shown elderberry extract to be a safe and efficient treatment in preventing and reducing cold and flu symptoms due to its anthocyanidins, anti-inflammatory properties, and antioxidant properties. We typically purchase our syrup from a local business (Elderberry Syrup Omaha). NOTE: many syrups are made with honey which is NOT safe to give to babies under one year of age.
· Designs for Health Silvercillin Spray – anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.
· Designs for Health ImmunoBerry Liquid – contains a variety of herbs and mushrooms that research has shown to have antiviral and antibacterial properties and to stimulate immune system responses to activate a stronger defense against bacteria and viruses.
· Liquid Vitamin D3 Drops – Vitamin D supports the immune system cells in your body to protect you. During the winter months, most of us do not receive enough natural vitamin D. There are so many other benefits to increasing your vitamin D levels from bone health to heart health.
· Probiotics – choose a probiotic that is multi-strain with at least one billion cultures. These guys help to support the good bacteria in the gut which directly affects overall immune function.
· Vitamin C – from whole foods preferably; think red and orange pigmented fruits and vegetables like red peppers and oranges.
3. Exercise and get adequate sleep – exercise allows your immune system cells to circulate more rapidly, helping to detect illnesses sooner. Adequate sleep and rest is essential to allow your body to rest and regenerate for the next day.
4. Wash your hands (and your kiddos’ hands) frequently – especially after touching doors, shopping carts, keypads, etc. in public. Hand washing is incredibly important in reducing the transfer of illness.
5. Chiropractic Adjustments – your nervous system assists with how your immune system functions so receiving chiropractic care can potentially be a great tool to boost your immunity. If you are sick, there are techniques we do to help decrease symptoms from ear infections, sinus infections, and congestion.
Creating an overall healthy lifestyle will help to build a stronger immune system to help defend off the nasty viruses and bacteria going around. If you have any questions about any of the products listed above, email us at popplefamilychiropractic@gmail.com for more information.
(Disclaimer: As always, consult with your doctor prior to using any of these natural methods.)
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