Living through the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us more about disease than we ever could have expected.
The importance of wearing masks, thoroughly washing hands, and self-isolating when feeling ill have all taken on a new significance for keeping the world healthy.
In addition to these important measures, there are other ways of protecting yourself in everyday life against disease and aiding your immune system during cold and flu season.
The Immune System
Our immune system includes cells in our bodies that attack intruding foreign cells. It also includes the mucus that traps pathogens, our skin that blocks them, stomach acid that dissolves them, and many other defense mechanisms.
Our bodies have coordinated ecosystems that help protect us from disease—and during this particular winter season, we could all use an extra immunity boost.
Vitamins from Food
One of the primary ways to improve your immune system is by eating foods that give your body the nutrients and vitamins it needs most.
Foods with Vitamin C like oranges, grapefruits, red bell peppers, broccoli, and potatoes help to protect cells and encourage the formation of antibodies.
Vitamin E in foods such as nuts, seeds, and avocados works as an antioxidant, protecting your body from unstable cells and infection.
Carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes, and mangoes with Vitamin A keep your intestines and respiratory systems healthy, and the zinc found in beans, seeds, meat, poultry, and fish helps with enzyme production and healing wounds.
Hydration
In addition to a healthy and balanced diet, drinking plenty of water keeps your joints lubricated, protects sensitive tissues like the brain and spinal cord, and helps you maintain a normal body temperature.
Physical Activity
Giving your body regular use and care is just as important as what goes in it. Remembering to keep active is key during the winter months that you spend mostly at home or in quarantine.
Exercise, whether it’s lunges across the living room, chasing after a toddler, or bicep curls with grocery bags, does a tremendous amount for our bodies.
Staying active reduces the long-term risk of disease and helps in the short-term to combat anxiety and depression, as well as to keep our minds sharp. It also promotes good circulation, which helps your immune system work more easily and move freely throughout your body.
Catch Plenty of Z’s
Regular physical activity combined with a healthy sleeping schedule and minimizing stress as much as possible can help keep your body and immune system well-provisioned in the fight against diseases.
It’s recommended that adults get at least seven hours of sleep per night, school-aged children get between nine and 12 hours, and toddlers get 10 to 14 hours.
Turning off electronics like TVs, computers, and phones at bedtime can help ensure a comfortable sleeping environment.
Also, avoiding caffeine, large meals, and alcohol before bed leaves your body more rested and prepared the next day.
All year long, but particularly throughout these colder months during the COVID-19 pandemic, we can all do our part to keep ourselves, our families, and our communities safe and healthy.
Each small action counts. Whether you live with extended family in a rural community, or alone in a city, everyone can make a difference to ourselves and those around us.
G3 Life Sciences believes in doing our part to help keep the world healthy. We see language as a tool to reach as many people as possible in that effort. Contact us to find out how we can use language to build a healthier world—together.