COVID-19 And Getting Proactive About Your Health
To put it nicely, life in the era of COVID-19 has been stressful, but the Covid-19 vaccine is finally here. People are lining up to get vaccinated, but there are many people who are not yet eligible. If you are one of those people, you may be wondering what you can do to improve your health while you wait for your vaccine appointment. Here are some ideas to get you started.
Exercise Regularly
Moderate intensity exercise done on a regular basis has been shown to support immune response. A minimum of twice per week seems to be where you’d expect to see some benefits to immune health.1 Some scientists think this has to do with the fact that moderate exercise supports a healthy inflammatory response in the body.7
Don’t Smoke
Those who smoke are more susceptible to upper respiratory tract illnesses.2 In fact, some research shows that smokers are up to 3 times as likely to get a cold as non-smokers.3 If ever there was a time to quit, this is it!
Stress Management With Yoga Or Meditation
It is no wonder that COVID-19 brought with it a mental health crisis. So many of us have experienced fear of the unknown, homeschooling, disinfecting groceries, working from home, quarantining, desperately trying to find toilet paper and many other issues. Worse yet, there are associations between stress and poor immune status. Researchers believe that chronic stress leads to out of control inflammatory signals and improper regulation of immune responses.7 It’s sort of like the little boy who cried wolf because your body is in a state of heightened awareness all of the time, so it doesn’t believe the immune system when there really is a problem.
No one is here to tell you that you shouldn’t be stressed. This is a tough time. But there are options available to help manage stress. Try out a yoga streaming service or meditation app to keep your tension at bay. Moderate exercise is another great way to manage stress, double whammy.
Get Some Z’s
We already know that many adults do not get enough sleep. As though feeling tired the next day isn’t bad enough, lack of sleep can also impact your immune health. People who get less than 6-7 hours of sleep per night are more likely to feel under the weather than compared to those who are getting 8 or more hours per night.7
If you struggle to get a good night’s rest, GNC Serenighty might just be what you need! This natural supplement contains combination of adaptogenic herbs which support our body’s ability to handle stress, something that prevents so many of us from sleeping well.
Get Your Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an important part of your innate and adaptive immune response systems,5 so it was not surprising when researchers found that people who got less than 85mg of vitamin C per day were more likely to be under the weather.7 Make sure to eat lots of citrus fruits and strawberries to make sure you are getting enough vitamin C.
Mental Health And Social Support
Depending on where you live, you may have experienced varying degrees of lockdown over the past year, seriously limiting your social interaction. Research shows that social support plays a big role in both mental and physical health.6 Research also tells us that those with higher levels of perceived social support may be less susceptible to respiratory illnesses.7 That is definitely a good reason to call on your support system. Prioritize spending time with those you care about. If you are in person, mask up and meet outside for a walk. If you are stuck in the house, use a video conferencing platform to set up a chat with a group of friends.
On a more serious note, if you are really struggling emotionally, check in with your physician or a therapist. One positive part of the COVID-19 era has been that online platforms for therapy are easier to access than ever before. Therapy session in your fuzzy slippers and bathrobe, what could be better?
COVID-19 Didn’t Know Who It Was Messing With
As we go through a situation filled with uncertainty, it feels good to take control of something…anything! Taking proactive steps to improve your health by exercising, eating right, sleeping, managing stress, and not smoking can help to give you a sense of power. You’ve got this!
