Help boost your family’s immune systems with these quick tips.
If you consider your health and well-being on a regular basis and take steps to maintain it, you’re already ahead of most people. In fact, studies show that only 3% of Americans are currently living what is considered to be a healthy lifestyle!
Being healthy and taking steps to boost your immune system wellness is always important, but it’s more crucial now than ever before. With everyone freaking out about coronavirus, it’s easy to lose yourself to panic and forget to take care of yourself. This is a naturally vicious cycle, though, since those who take care of their health have more immunity to disease.
Today, we’re going to give you some tips on how you can boost your immune system in less than five minutes. Read on to become stronger, healthier, and make sure that your body has the tools it needs to protect you from COVID-19.
1. Wash your hands.
Of course, the thing you can do to best maintain your immunity is wash your hands. You should do this before eating, after using the restroom, and after handling packages that have come in the mail. COVID-19 stays on surfaces for three days before dying, so you need to wash your hands with soap and water after picking up a package off your doorstep or bringing in essential items like groceries from your car.
You also need to make sure you’re using proper handwashing techniques. Scrub, don’t rinse, and use plenty of soap on all parts of your hand. You also will want to keep your hands under the water for about 20-30 seconds, so sing ”Bohemian Rhapsody” until Freddie Mercury declares to his mama that he just killed a man.
2. Maintain clean spaces.
In addition to maintaining clean hands, you’ll want to make sure you keep your home clean. Tidy up clutter for the sake of your mental health before scrubbing down surfaces with sanitizer. Place your antiviral sanitizer on a soft cloth and scrub countertops and tables in small circles. Make sure you hit every area of the surface you’re cleaning.
3. Short and Intense Activity
Another way to boost your immune system is to do short, intense bursts of activity for five minutes. This will ensure your body stays strong enough to fight off the disease if you do come into contact with it.
Doing some push-ups or jumping jacks for five minutes straight is a great way to go. You can also sprint in place or power-walk up and down the stairs of your house or apartment building. Burpees and mountain climbers also work wonders for your immune system if you’re up to doing them.
4. Take a deep breath.
Breathing deeply helps your immune system by decreasing anxiety. It also opens up the pathways to the brain to allow oxygen to flow into it, which, in turn, oxidizes your bloodstream to keep it healthy. Most importantly, though, it strengthens the lungs, which are the organs most targeted by COVID-19.
You can simply stand there for five minutes taking deep breaths. Inhale deeply, hold your breath for three seconds, and exhale for about five seconds. A good way to ensure your breathing exercises are well-paced is to use this awesome breathing triangle tool. The visual movement of the tool is also beneficial in reducing stress and blood pressure.
5. Brush and floss appropriately.
Brushing and flossing appropriately is essential to maintaining a healthy immune system. Your mouth is filled with 400–500 different kinds of bacteria, a lot of which are necessary for maintaining oral health. Viruses, however, use bacteria as a tool to help grow and multiply, so if a virus does make its way into your mouth, it will be less likely to survive if you eliminate excess bacteria.
Additionally, this excess bacteria can move down your throat and make its way into your lungs. This bacteria isn’t meant to be there and can weaken the lungs, which coronavirus targets. Brushing twice a day for two minutes and flossing before bed is an easy way to eliminate this bacteria and stop your lungs from being compromised.
6. Drink immunity-promoting tea.
Brewing tea takes less than five minutes, and drinking it is a great way to boost your immunity against viral infections. Specifically, green tea has a lot of antioxidants in it called polyphenols, which help the body fight against viral infections like COVID-19.
There are other teas that also benefit the immune system. Chamomile reduces anxiety and promotes the sound sleep that gives your body the chance to rest, recuperate, and produce the cells needed to fight off illness. Elderberry tea contains herbal medicine compounds and is filled with vitamins and minerals that your body can use to stay healthy.
7. Take an immune system booster.
There’s nothing shameful about taking vitamins to boost your immune system. When cooped up inside all day because of social distancing, you’re almost certainly not getting the vitamin D from sunlight your body needs to stay healthy. You’re also not likely to be getting as much vitamin C, iron, and zinc.
Taking a multivitamin supplement helps ensure you get the vitamins and minerals your body needs to thrive. This will fight against depression and anxiety, as well as keep your physical health up to par. Since mental health issues also have an acute effect on your immune system, natural over-the-counter supplements are beneficial in more ways than one!
Boost your immune system health today!
Maintaining your health and working toward increasing your immunity from COVID-19 might sound like a challenge; however, if you take five minutes out of your day for simple and easy immune-boosting activities, it can become an easy habit.
Now that you know some ways to boost your immune system health, it’s time to make an appointment with our dentists. While you may not be able to come in immediately, setting an appointment up in advance is a good way to ensure your teeth get the care they need in the future.
We’re here for you and your beautiful smiles!