How to stay healthy during the winter months AND how to boost your immune system.
First and foremost - thank you for taking the time to read my blog! 2020 was an amazing year for me. I launched my personal training business, LIWMI FITNESS, and I expect nothing less for 2021. I know you are all wondering... its pronounced “lou-me” and it stands for “life is what we make it”.
With the addition my new blog (YAY), and more awesome ideas in the pipeline, I know 2021 will be a year to remember.
There is so much more to life than fitness (even though its a major part of mine), which is why I want my blog to cover an array of topics. From fitness, overall health, diets, nutrition, books, beauty, current events, music, pop culture etc., nothing is off limits! So if there is anything that you would like my opinion or insight on, drop me a DM or email and let me know!
The main goal of this blog is to SERVE YOU, so, dont be shy :)
Ok, and with that, back to the topic at hand!
COLD - FLU - AND COVID "season" are here, and unless you live under a rock, this is how every winter goes. But the question still seems to remain the same: How do I maintain my health during these colder months and what are the REAL things I should be doing if I get sick?
TIP #1: Take care of your gut.
I'm not talking about the one hanging over our pants per say, I'm talking about maintaining our health from the inside out. Did you know that 70% of your immune system is in your gut? 70%! Think about that for a moment. That means that what we are putting in our mouth is either fueling our immune system or hindering it.
So, what are you fueling your immune system with? If you aren’t happy with your answer, don’t worry, I have you covered.
Foods like asparagus, apples, garlic, pineapples, and onions (all whole foods, no surprise here) have been proven to help keep our gut healthy, and they all have anti-inflammatory properties.
Inflammation gets a bad rap these days, which is unfortunate because inflammation in your body is actually GOOD (a topic i'll cover another time). But, as the story goes, too much of a good thing is a bad thing, which is why these anti-inflammatory foods are amazing for your gut.
TIP #2: Get your Vitamin D
Vitamin D has been found essential in order to maintain healthy immune system function.
Get this - in a recent study, COVID- 19 patients were tested for their vitamin D levels, and guess what they found? People experiencing mild COVID symptoms had higher levels of vitamin D than those who experienced severe symptoms.
It’s not a coincidence that once we all get tucked away inside for a cozy winter, viruses, colds, and the flu tend rear their ugly head. Why is that? Well, given what scientists now know about sunlight and vitamin D, we can all agree its NOT because there are more viruses around during the winter months. Temperatures simply drop. The days get shorter, and we spend less time outside and in the sun.
Today I made a commitment to myself, and I encourage you to join me: Every day the sun is shining, I will take a short walk outside.
Listen, I live in a suburb of Chicago, and we get 189 sunny days a year. I'm essentially asking you to walk for 10 minutes a day, half the year. Use that 10 minutes for YOU - call a friend and chat, listen to a podcast, listen to music, or just take in the sunshine and fresh air. Guys, I promise this won’t just help your vitamin D levels, but your cardiovascular system and mental health will thank you too.
Now, lets talk about what to do when you wake up one morning and you aren’t quite feeling like your healthy self (like me when i tested positive for the dreaded COVID 19 - but thats a whole separate blog itself)
The #1 thing you can do when you are sick is REST!
The reason you are so tired when you get sick is because your body is literally using all of its energy to fight off whatever you have. Let it do its job. Did you know that you have the ability to boost your immune system with JUST getting a good night sleep? Something so simple that has fallen by the way side, to help keep you healthy, good old fashioned FREEE sleep.
Next is honey, sweet beautiful honey - something that we all probably have in our pantry (we want a raw, organic, and sustainably harvested honey), that has the capability to help fight not only cold and flu symptoms, but the actual viruses as well.
Honey is an absolute phytonutrient powerhouse (really powerful plant food), with capabilities to boost your immune system. Honey is also full of antioxidants AND it has strong antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. Which sounds great, but what does that really mean? It means that honey has the capability to soothe a sore throat and cough, improve digestion (right back to that gut again), and helps to fight infection.
I want to wrap up with one final thought, when you get sick (because its going to happen, we aren’t perfect and the cold and flu viruses are tricky) please be mindful of what type of "medicine" you choose to put in your body. Stop buying the advertised on TV brand medicine from the drug store. Please. They are loaded with toxic ingredients, and harmful dyes - look for something all natural with ingredients found in nature.
I could talk about this topic all day, but I wanted to keep it short and sweet while giving you guys a few tangible tips to take with you. Stay happy and healthy, and let’s slay 2021 together!
