Stay Safe and boost your immune system

Introduction

Covid-19 is all around the place. However, just because it’s a new virus we shouldn’t be afraid of it. It’s a new virus and it’s going to stay just like the common cold. However, this doesn’t mean there aren’t any ways to prevent that terrible thing from getting to you. So today, the team at Revolution Chiropractic put up a list of things that you can do to help you boost your immune system and stay safe!

 

Wash your hands

Imagine all the stuff that we touch every day and the same object being touched by other people. We don’t know what the person before you who has touched the same object has. So to be safe wash your hands after you go to the bathroom, before and after you eat. Remember a rinse under the tap isn’t enough so use soap and give your hands a rub. After drying it thoroughly, especially between the fingers. Bacteria love moisture so doesn’t give it a chance for it to grow. Washing our hands can help prevent the spread of bacteria.

 

Vitamin C

It is no secret that vitamin C can help with immunity. A strong immune system can prevent us from getting sick. This is because vitamin C helps your body stimulate more production of white blood cells which is designed to help your body fight off bacteria. Plenty of fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C; oranges, kiwifruit, broccoli, and berries are just a few. If you think you are not having enough or would like an extra boost, there are supplements available.

 

Rest

Rest is the best way to cure any sickness. A lot of the time when we get sick is because our body is already weak, this makes it an easy target for bacteria to attack our body. The best way to rest is to sleep. While we are sleeping it provides an opportunity for our body to recover and strengthen. So it’s important to get 8 hours of quality sleep every day. There are several ways to improve your sleep such as supplementation (ie magnesium) and staying off your screen 30 minutes prior to going to bed. To know more about sleep quality check out our other blogs!

 

Stay home

Stay home if you are sick! That’s the best way to prevent bacteria and viruses from being spread around the community. If you are home you can also get more rest to allow proper recovery too. If we can minimize the spread of the bacteria or virus, it will become less harmful and toxic. So do the community a good thing and stay home if you are feeling under the weather. This applies to kids as well, we don’t want other kids getting sick during this period of time.

 

Get Exercising

It has been proven that exercise can help your immune system function a lot better! In your bloodstream, there are many white blood cells. The function of the white blood cell is to get rid of the unwanted bacteria, viruses, and other yucky stuff that’s unwanted in your body. By exercising, it increases the speed of your blood flow. This results in white blood cells traveling around the body a lot quicker leading to an increased rate of detection and elimination.

 

Iron

This mineral is very useful for our body! The main job of iron is to help carry oxygen around the body through the bloodstream. However, not many people know it can help with the efficiency and function of the immune system. When there is too little iron in the body, it slows down the maturation and proliferation of the white blood cells, especially lymphocytes, thus exposing you to more danger. However, if you have too much iron in your body it can also facilitate the growth of pathogens and other cancerous cells. But don’t worry, nearly 80% of the world’s population is iron deficient. To increase the amount of iron in your body instantly, you can include dried fruits such as prunes, spinach, silverbeet, lettuce), beans and peas, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and some meats too.

 

Zinc

Another mineral that is often overlooked when it comes to nutrition and immunity. This mineral is often found in food such as whole grains, milk, red meats, oysters, poultry, beans, peas, and nuts! Zinc directly contributes to the immune system in two ways. Firstly, it prevents the binding of the virus to cells thus inhibiting the chance of the virus taking over the cell. Secondly, this mineral is crucial for the development of white blood cells in the body to help the innate immune system to fight off viruses and bacteria.

 

Water

Hydration is key to the human body. In fact, 60% of your body is made up of water. Our cells need and crave water to function. This is because just like iron, water acts as one of the carrying agents for oxygen around the body which is needed all around the body including the health of the immune system. Additionally, it prevents the build-up of toxins which could influence the body in a negative way. So make sure you get at least 2L of water in you every day.

 

 

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