5 Ways to Boost Your Immune System

The overall health of our immune systems is something many of us may have, in the past, taken for granted. At most we may have taken some Vitamin C during the winter months to help ward off what the annual cold and flu season would throw our way. However, since Covid 19 made an unwelcome arrival on the world stage in 2020, many of us have taken a much more active interest in ways to boost our immune system.

And thankfully, there are plenty of simple things each of us can do to try and aid our bodies natural defences in the fight against germs and bugs. Most involve simply taking the time to take care of ourselves, being mindful about our diet, our mental health and trying to get ourselves moving more. Luckily our mojo&co journals are a superb way to help you do this, by helping you focus some time and thought on yourself and your actions each and every day.

Here are five simple, yet effective ways to boost your immune system.

Diet

The old adage really is true, in the sense that what we put into our bodies can have a very real impact on the outside. A balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables is a great place to start. Look for leafy green vegetables, such as spinach and sprouts which are rich in several vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin C and Iron, both of which are crucial for our immune systems.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D has both anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory properties and is an ideal way to help boost the immune system. In Ireland, many of us are lacking in Vitamin D as it is created by the skin after exposure to the sun. Knowing our wonderful, yet rainy island as we do, that means many of us are lacking exposure to sufficient sunlight during the winter months. You can also source Vitamin D from oily fish, eggs and liver, however according to reports as many as 1 in 5 older adults are deficient in this vital vitamin in winter months [https://tilda.tcd.ie/publications/reports/pdf/Report_Covid19VitaminD.pdf] The study also concluded that, ‘maintaining a sufficient vitamin D status in the adults is beneficial in prevention of acute respiratory illness and may therefore be of benefit in the COVID-19 pandemic.’

Sleep

We all know that sleep is a huge driver of our overall health, but it also plays a key role in the functioning of the immune system. Improving your sleep hygiene can help. Steps like having an uncluttered room, that is not overly warm and is properly dark are very useful. Getting rid of screens is also key. Try and turn off your screens before bedtime and aim to give yourself at least an hour of screen-free time before you close your eyes.

Your mojo&co guided journal is a great way to facilitate this. Try and schedule in time to do some journaling before you go to sleep, which will not only help to focus and clear your mind, but it will also help you to ‘de-screen’ before you drift off.

Reduce Stress 

‘Modern medicine has come to appreciate the closely linked relationship of mind and body’ [https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-to-boost-your-immune-system] and it’s not surprising when you think about it. When your mind is feeling positive, it can have a massive impact on your life. Stress is shown to have a negative impact on our mind and bodies by increasing the inflammatory response which in turn is not good for our immune systems. In fact, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine, controlling your stress is key to improving your immune system. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/managing-stress

Setting aside some time to journal daily can really help decrease your stress levels. It can assist you in setting and achieving goals, it can help you to have a more positive frame of mind and in turn feel less overwhelmed and stressed out. All of which is good news for the immune system.

Exercise

Finally it’s the one many of us don’t like to hear, but yes getting a little more exercise is also a key driver in our overall health and by extension our immune system. If you struggle to fit exercise into your day or are just turned off by the idea of gyms or classes, then instead simply look at it as moving more.

Be it walking somewhere instead of driving, dancing to your favourite music, or trying a new hobby like sea swimming or cycling, once you hit upon an activity that you enjoy, you’ll find your steps start to increase.