(Continued From Outside) 12 Things You Can Do to Maintain a Healthy Immune System
making time for exercise. Keep up you regular physical therapy treatments to keep you pain
Eat fattyfish like salmon,mackerel, and swordfish 2-3 times per week, or take an Omega-3 supplement if you don’t like fish or don’t have access. 6. Skip Added Sugar Sugar can temporarily halt your immune system’s ability to respond to challenges, so focus on cutting your intake of foods with high levels of sugar and added sugars. “Added sugar” is sugar that doesn’t naturally occur in a food, sowe’re not referring towhat you’ll findnaturally in fruit –we’re talking about artificially sweet treats like candies, cookies, and cakes. Added sugar can even sneak into places you don’t expect, like flavoured yogurt, sauces (BBQ, spaghetti, etc.), and granola. Avoid sugar whenever possible, and especially artificially sweet foodswithadded sugars. Youwill find “added sugars” as a line on all nutrition fact panels, so remember to read your food packaging carefully. 7. Move For 30-60 Minutes Each Day Whether it’s a bodyweight and resistance band workout, a long walk, bike ride, or run (if you’re able), the benefits of movement and exercise are endless: improved mood, reduced insulin sensitivity, increased energy, and improved cardiovascular health – just to name a few. Remember toavoid repeatedoverexertion since it can compromise your immune system, butmake healthy movement a daily priority. Get up and get moving – for a minimum of 30 minutes ormore every day.Whether it’s a leisurely walk, a high-intensity band workout, or another favourite workout, take care of your body by
free and moving freely. 8. Get Extra Vitamin C
The benefits of Vitamin C on your immune system are well known – it boosts white blood cell production and improves the effectiveness of these infection-fighting cells. Great sources of Vitamin C include oranges, grapefruit, kiwi, broccoli, and green leafy vegetables like kale and spinach. Consume fruits and vegetables that are rich in Vitamin C, and consider supplementing with 600 mg of Vitamin C per day if you’re not able to regularly consume those nutrient-rich foods. 9. Get Zinc Zinc plays a critical role in our immune system and people who are deficient in zinc are more susceptible to pathogens. Great sources of zinc include shellfish (like oysters), red meat, chickpeas, lentils, and pumpkin seeds. Identify a few foods you like that contain zinc, and ensure you’re regularly eating those foods to avoid a zinc deficiency. If you don’t eat zinc- rich foods like shellfish, meat, or chickpeas, you may want to consider supplementing with 15 to 30 mg of zinc per day to ensure you’re getting enough in your diet. 10. Eat Lots of Protein Antibodies and your immune systemdepend on protein, and it’s a critical component in your body’s process of building and repairing tissue. Seek lean proteinwhenever possible, especially turkey, fish, and chicken. Plant-based proteins fromnuts, seeds, and legumes are another good source,
as are clean, high-quality protein supplements. Aimto consume half your bodyweight in grams of proteineachday–especially protein fromsources such as lean meat or nuts, seeds, and legumes. 11. SLEEP! Inadequate sleep can negatively impact your immune system and increase the likelihood of getting sick. Even as little as one hour less sleep per night can have an impact. Turning off all your electronic devices at least a half-hour before bedtime will quiet your mind, and help switch your focus from surfing the web to something relaxing and serene. Get at least 8 hours or restful sleep per night, and allow your brain and body to fully recover by committing to a nightly routine and a consistent bedtime. 12. Get Probiotics into Your Diet A balanced digestive system is necessary for optimal health, and probiotics help keep your digestive system in balance. You can get probiotics froma supplement or fromfermented foods like yogurt and kefir. Research indicates that probiotics can contribute to healthy immune function, improve absorption of nutrients, aid digestive health, and protect you from harmful microorganisms. Incorporate probiotics into your diet through natural sources like yogurt and kefir or through a supplement.
You’re Invited to Compete in Pittman’s MOVEMENT CHALLENGE 30 Day Facebook LIVE May 1 – May 30 « We’ll show you a new movement every morning at 8am. Post a photo or video of yourself imitating the movement on our Facebook page and receive a point for the day. The person with the most points at the end of the challenge will WIN an awesome prize!
Benefits of the Pittman 30 Day Movement Challenge: • Keep yourself active and moving while at staying at home! • Avoid losing any progress you have made with your physical therapy. • Have fun with your family and see who can best keep up with the challenge.
JOIN THE CHALLENGE: facebook.com/Pittmanpt
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