Boost Your Immune System
With the change of season come several elements that may affect your body if your immune system is not working properly.
Disorders in the immune system can result in dangerous health conditions like infections that can be easily prevented by following a handful of tips to boost it:
- Exercise. It is the simplest way to keep your body moving and it costs nothing. Exercise helps strengthen your immune system and prevents overweight, another important factor in the development of chronic disease.
- Lower your intake of sugar and fat. Consuming too much sugar or fat suppresses the cells that fight bacteria. Instead, it is recommended you eat foods with high nutrient content like vegetables, fruit and whole grains.
- Reduce your stress. Even though short-term stress may boost the immune system, constant stress has the opposite effect and exposes the body to cortisol and adrenaline, which suppress the immune system proper functioning.
- Be social. Wether you interact with a small or large group of people, being in contact with others will help make your immune system much stronger.
- Eat antioxidants. A diet rich in vitamins and antioxidants will help fight infection. To get enough of this in your diet expert recommend eating an abundance of brightly colored fruits and vegetables, like berries, citrus fruits, kiwi, apples, red grapes, onions, spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots.
- Adequate rest. Simply put, fatigue increases your susceptibility to illness. Most adults need from 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night.
- Practice relaxation techniques. Laughing and meditation are the easiest way to reduce stress levels. Who wants to be on edge all the time?
PDF Empower your life with a Walk
Walking is the simplest form of exercise, it is free and easy to incorporate into any lifestyle. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 30 minutes of moderate level physical activity five days a week to see results which range from improving strength and cardiovascular health to weight loss.
A recent study in England also proved that daily walks have the ability to improve one’s mood, as the exercise releases natural endorphins that can elevate the mood of depressed patients better than antidepressants.
What walking CAN do for you:
- Increase weight loss
- Lower blood pressure
- Improve balance
- Reduce stress.
What walking CANNOT do for you:
- Build muscle bulk
- Offer a controlled environment like a gym
- Provide a predictable calorie burn like on a treadmill machine.
Follow us next week for an installment on What type of walk is the right one for you.
Salt Therapy for a Healthy Body
Salt is essential for keeping the body running properly and for good health.
Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, prescribed saltwater inhalation therapy for bronchial and lung disorders.
The National Academy of Sciences recommends that Americans consume a minimum of 500 mg/day of sodium to maintain good health. Individual needs, however, vary enormously based a person’s genetic make-up and their lifestyle. Nowadays, more people are rediscovering and enjoying the benefits of salt therapy.
When shopping for culinary or bath salt, it is important to find the words “all natural” on the packaging and avoid highly refined salts, for they are bleached and chemically treated.
In its natural form Salt is an easily processed nutrient that influences the body in three distinct ways:
- Reduces stress. Unrefined salt is rich in calcium and magnesium, the latter being a key mineral to keep the body free of stress.
- Improves overall health. Salt helps carry nutrients into the cells and regulates several body functions, including bolstering the immune system and enabling healthy digestion. It also has a large variety of minerals needed for optimal health, many of which are missing from our daily diet.
- Assists in detoxifying the body. Salt baths with warm water help open the pores, allowing toxins to be released and permuting the body absorb minerals.
Most of our salt comes from foods, some from water. Doctors often recommend replacing water and salt lost in exercise and when working outside. And just like with everything in our life, balance is crucial for optimum results.
Drink Water, stay healthy in winter time
Most of us run a very hectic lifestyle and sometimes forget to balance our diet.
The one thing that should never be absent in your daily routine is water.
An average adult’s body contains the equivalent of 45 quarters of water, and through normal activities loses two to three quarters each day,
It is as easy to get dehydrated in winter as during summer time. You may not be sweating but water vapor is still being lost through your breath. The colder it gets outside, the harder is it for the body to maintain a 98.6 degree temperature. Producing that extra energy requires extra water. Drinking at least 70 ounces of water a day will help you stay warm.
Dehydration can cause exhaustion, muscle fatigue, cramps, loss of coordination and even a stroke. A dehydrated person is also more susceptible to winter colds and flu.
Remember not only to carry your gloves and hat to keep your outer body warm, but to also have some water handy to keep your organism running smoothly.
Share the benefits of cranberries this Holiday
This week most of us will breathe cranberries and turkey during the Thanksgiving celebrations, but did you know that cranberries, besides being a delicious side dish are also great source of Vitamin C, dietary fiber and the dietary mineral manganese?
Cranberries are a fruit and native plant of North America. Our Native Americans were the first to use them as food, and their health benefits have been greatly advertised.
Many believe that drinking a glass of fresh cranberry juice after an intense workout helps your body replenish vitamins, minerals and the fruit’s natural sugars will aide the muscles recover and contributes to the body overall growth.
Cranberries also have the ability to prevent peptic ulcer by inhibiting the adhesion of bacteria to certain areas of the stomach lining, Some laboratory researches have shown that consumption of cranberry juice may also be beneficial against bacterial infections in the urinary system.
So on this holiday times eat moderately and enjoy the benefits of one of America’s favorite foods.
