Serious question, is there anyone on the planet right now who isn’t extra interested in staying healthy and well? There’s perhaps never been a more important time to brush up on your immune-boosting hacks and show your body a little extra TLC.
The best part is that these hacks double as a dose of self-care, so you’re doing something amazing for the whole body (win, win!)
While we love these immune-boosting hacks, please keep in mind, there’s never one magic bullet or cure-all. At the end of the day, our bodies are perfectly built already to help keep us well and healthy. Therefore, none of these immune-boosting hacks should be heralded as a miracle hack — there’s no such thing! Instead, view these hacks as a supplementary boost to compliment the perfectly designed system that your body already is!
Add In These Immune-Boosting Hacks Today!
#1 Sleep…Probably More Than You Think You Need
You know how, when you’re low on sleep, everything just seems worse? The same goes for inside our bodies. Turns out, a lack of sleep totally diminishes our body’s natural ability to fight off germs. Not only that, but research suggests that slacking on sleep may also negatively affect how we bounce back from illness.
So, get as committed to your nightly sleep routine (at least 7 hours per night, but ideally more) as you are to your daily workout. It’s truly one of the best (and cheapest!) immune-boosting hacks out there.
Plus, with better sleep, you may find that you feel a bit more upbeat with more motivation and productivity to power through your daily to-dos.
If you need some help powering down and getting good quality sleep each night, try these 5 things to do before bed tonight for better sleep.
#2 Eat a Variety of Plant Foods for Nutrients
The link between our health and what we put on our plates couldn’t be more clear. If it seems like every article you’ve ever read just underlines the need for a healthy diet, robust in plenty of fresh fruits, veggies, and plant foods…there’s a reason for that!
The science is pretty unanimous in showing that a healthy lifestyle, including good nutrition, is a super important part of supporting a strong and healthy body.
So, eat the rainbow of fruits and veggies (try adding some to every meal) to make sure you’re hitting your RDA for vitamins and minerals linked to a healthier immune system.
A “standard American diet” high in processed, fatty, and nutritional-empty foods doesn’t do our immune system or our health, in general, any favors. Also, avoid “diet” foods in favor of real whole foods (ones your grandparents would recognize as food!)
Here are some simple ways to supercharge your diet with nutrient-dense foods:
- Add dark leafy greens to your smoothies
- Enjoy fermented gut-loving foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, miso
- Ditch the sugary snacks and try wholesome options like raw almonds with berries, half an avocado with freshly squeezed lemon juice, unsweetened coconut milk yogurt with berries, and chia seeds.
#3 Keep Stress at Bay As Best You Can
We know, we know….it feels harder than ever these days to stay totally stress-free. And all the advice on how you need to combat stress can sometimes ironically just contribute to you feeling even more tense.
But, finding simple ways to combat stress is one of those immune-boosting hacks that does bear repeating since longterm, chronic stress (think the type caused by ongoing situations like family relations, your job, etc.) has been shown to hamper our body’s ability to fight off germs.
Plus, being stressed to the max all the time may cause us to crave all the wrong kinds of food, disrupt sleep, and just leave us feeling edgy.
If you’re looking for some simple ways to help get those stress levels in check, we love methods like:
- Meditation
- Long walks
- Journaling
- Engaging in screen-free hobbies like reading or artwork
- Exercise
We also love specific exercises designed to help you leave your mat feeling a bit more centered. To get started, here are some balancing and calming FitOn classes.
- Balance and Focus with Vytas
- Power Down with Elise
- Heart Opening Flow with JVN
- Vitality and Bliss with Elise
When your mind is racing, a walking meditation is also a great way to shake off that negative energy — check out how to add this into your daily self-care routine here.
#4 Pay Attention To Your Gut Health
Did you know, there’s a science-backed link between the health of our digestive system and immunity? Yep, in fact, a huge portion of our immune system resides in the gut.
To help keep your body in fighting shape, a great immune-boosting hack is to work plenty of fermented foods into your diet to help support all those healthy bacteria in the gut.
Here are some great picks:
- Kombucha
- Sauerkraut
- Kimchi
- Plain, unsweetened yogurt
#5 And Of Course, Exercise (Moderately!)
We’d be remiss to not mention a good sweat sesh! We already know how good exercise makes us feel after our workouts end (hello endorphin rush), so it’s just an added bonus that movement is truly one of the best immune-boosting hacks out there.
Studies show that moderate exercise (think less than an hour-long) gives our body’s immunity an immediate boost and may continue to help increase the healthy cell turnover of our immune cells.
Important caveat: More is not always better here. Scientists think that prolonged, extreme workouts can actually damage and not boost our immune function.
Ready to get moving? In addition to some balancing and centering workouts (like the ones above), find some form of exercise you love — if you enjoy it, you’ll be more likely to stick to it.
Start by scrolling through classes in the FitOn app and favorite the workouts you love or want to try. Next, set a workout reminder, giving you that gentle push, you may need to stay consistent with your workout commitments.
How Many of These Immune-Boosting Tips Do You Do?
As with any change, no need to overhaul what you’re doing overnight! When making changes to our lifestyle, slow and steady wins the race.
So if you aren’t currently using all these immune-boosting tips yet, pick one to add in each month or so. You’ll be well on your way to an overall healthier version of yourself.
