In wake of COVID-19, a strong immune system is on our wish list. Now more than ever, there are so many ads for products telling us that they are the magic cure to boost our immune system. Hmm... can one thing really build a strong immune system and give it the boost it needs to go from scrawny to brawny? Does it really work like Popeye after he eats his spinach? There is much to be said about eating spinach but we'll get to that later.

First, the boring part, don't snooze. Our Immune System is a network of cells that defend our body against foreign invaders such as bacteria, viruses, chemicals, and anything else our body classifies as toxic, we have this same power in our outer world too.  When we have chronic stress, are sleep deprived, dehydrated and eat lots of processed foods & sweets, we are sending out signals for help to our immune system. It's like our body is constantly crying wolf and our immune system goes to fight off self induced inflammation that is consistently being produced in response to these stressors. With this being said, it's not uncommon for a threat that needs all the troops to enter our body and we don't have enough available troops to defend ourselves from the bacteria or virus and we get sick. Of course, our immune system is much more complicated than this paragraph can begin to explain, consider this as a snapshot.  

Now on to the fun part. Break out your party hats because it will be an internal party when the bad guys get evicted from your body. When we give the body the right environment it will thrive and function at a peak level. Here are my top 6 ways to build a strong immune system. 

1. Hydration - Water is nature's nectar. When our body is hydrated, it flushes toxins and other harmful bacteria out of the body naturally. Start drinking half of your bodyweight in ounces water daily. However, the more fruits and vegetables you eat, the less water you need to drink because you are eating your water in the fresh foods you're ingesting. Which brings us to...
2. Eat the Rainbow - Eating a diet full of fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and protein, supplies our cells with the vitamins, minerals , antioxidants and other essential nutrients it needs to thrive. There really is power in eating your spinach and blueberries, and ginger, and Brazil nuts, and red bell pepper and TH!S Green, and you get the picture. Superfoods = Superbod 
3. Exercise - You don't have to pound it out at the gym to reap the benefits of exercise to build your immune system, as a matter of fact it does the opposite. Hard hitting, lengthy workouts put stress on the body and weaken the immune system temporarily. However, moderate exercise not only helps your body release toxins by increasing your circulatory system, but also release endorphins, which reduces stress, all of which helps build a stronger immune system. Yoga anyone?
4. Sleep - Yes it is needed. There are a number of studies that show sleep being associated with better immune responses to disease, viruses and other invaders in the body. If you have adequate sleep you are more likely not to  get sick after being exposed to a virus. At the same time, if you do get sick and have adequate sleep you are more likely to recover faster than a sleep deprived counterpart, so get your ZZZs.
5. Consistently manage your stress. Stress plays a major role in a weakened immune system. Life happens and we cannot control these outside forces, but we can control how we react to these stressors. Find Health!e outlets to cope with stress. See our blog post 10 Ways to Stop Being Stressed Over COVID-19. 
6. Remember how our immune system defends you internally? Well, you've got to defend yourself externally. This means kicking your toxic habits. Any type of self depricating behavior and thoughts of unworthiness will drag you and your immune system down a dark hole. The placebo effect is indeed real. If you think poorly of yourself with actions to follow, your health will go downhill fast. Conversely, if you are loving yourself, your actions will follow and your health will dramatically improve. Why not believe and commit to seeing best in yourself. Commit to thinking and doing things in alignment a high vibrational frequency and watch your body take a new form from the inside out. 

It may feel daunting to put these tips into action. We've created a made for you plan in our Total Body Reset. It isn't just another detox diet. It is actually a plan that guides you step by step to reset and align your mind, body and spirit. The Total Body Reset comes with nutrition, activity and mindset plans that give you tools to strengthen your immune system, release body fat, gain more energy, release cravings and so much more.

Click here  to get started with your Total Body Reset today!