Easy tips to help strengthen and balance your immune health.
Hello from Florida! ❤️Sending some sunshine to brighten your day wherever you may be.
In life you may not be able to control many things…but you can focus on keeping your mind, body, spirit, and immune system strong. 💪🏼 Oh, and it does take a few years but you can also grow your own pineapples! Sometimes they are super tiny lol… but a home grown pineapple big or small are seriously the sweetest!!!
Achieving a “healthy balance” that makes your true beauty shine begins with the work you do inside. It’s a combination of the mind, body, and spirit. Nutrition and how you “self care” plays and enormous role in your body’s overall health. We all know a strong immune system is needed to stay well… but how often do you consciously feed your body what it needs to achieve optimal health? All this “self care” is work, lol! But you want to look and feel your best. Am I right?!
Before we dive in I want to say that no one is perfect and it’s ok to have “off” days. I’m a firm believer that you should always listen to your body. Meaning if you need to lounge and listen to music, binge on netflix, or lay down and nap mid day do it! For some of you it’s being productive, going for that long run /walk/ bikeride, getting up early, and checking off all the things on your list for the day. Someday’s it’s skipping your workout all together, having desert, or a glass of wine that you truly need. Do whatever you need to cultivate peace and an overall sense of “wellness”. Give yourself permission to embrace whatever end of the spectrum you are feeling. Just everything is moderation is the key!
Aside from my work in the creative field I’ve had an interest in health & wellness. My personal health journey started around 20 years ago… so it’s been years of learning, trying, and testing what works for me. Our health journey is a path unique to each individual as we are all different.
Sharing some healthy staples in our kitchen and things I’ve learned along the way. I’m sure you know some of this and hope it can serve as a reminder to be mindful and do your best… whatever that looks like for you each and every day! Ok, let’s dive in.
Water- 💦 stay hydrated! Water carries oxygen through the body. Essential for survival and optimal health. Add lemon or lime for extra vitamin C! Try to start your day with water before coffee, tea, or anything else.
I try to start my day with an Immunity tonic - warm water, fresh lemon, and cayenne. 🍋Make sure the water’s not to hot before adding the lemon or it will kill the enzymes. Lemons have tons of live enzymes and vitamin C making them a powerful immune booster. I use a whole small lemon or 1/2 a large one. Add a shake or two of cayenne pepper for it’s nutrients, vitamins, and to help dry up mucus in the body. Just doing these 3 things make a powerful tonic for your immune system. Play around with those 3 as a base and try adding some of the suggestions below to change it up! Make it so it tastes good to you. If you don’t care for spice just try a little, eventually your tolerance will grow.
If desired a little sweet I love this manuka honey for it’s powerfully nutritious antioxidant, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory benefits! Is so good to have around to add to many other recipes.
Ginger root - (if you can find it right now) is loaded with nutrients and has a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect. I love getting ginger in when I can! Just put it in first too steep before the lemon, while the waters warmer. Water can be boiling for the ginger but let it cool down before adding the lemon.
This is my favorite apple cider vinegar- known for its antioxidant and antimicrobial effects. Can also be used in salad dressings etc.
If you don’t care for warm water or lemon no problem… just try to have a glass of water when you wake up!
Sleep- 😴 the body repairs itself when you sleep. Around 6- 8 hours give or take is optimal. Do what’s best for your body as much as possible. We all have times when getting whats needed isn’t possible…but being aware is key so you can try and do better.
Try and sleep when the moon is up. Getting in any extra 💤 before midnight is really good for you. This is something I personally struggle with as I’m a night owl.... but if you can get in a hour or two before 12 it’s gives extra repair time for your brain and liver.
Mindset- Focus on staying positive, do whatever you need to stay calm and grateful . You have the power to decide everyday if your intention will be one from faith, gratitude and love or from worry, fear, and hate. Limit the news and anything that doesn’t lift you up. Stay informed but notice how things make you feel.
Take time to listen to yourself, sit in nature or in silence at home, listen to your soul breathe…what makes your heart happy?
I like starting my day giving thanks for what I’m grateful for. You and do this exercise anytime- sit in a cross legged seated position… place your hands in prayer by your heart or relaxed facing up on your lap. Give thanks for every breathe you take, for your health, family, friends, home, food and so on…. You will see there is so much to be thankful for and your list will grow!
Having a gratitude journal or writing down what you are grateful for is another powerful exercise.
Prayer- there is power in prayer. Please pray for our nation, leaders, those who are sick, have suffered, lost loved ones. Give thanks for protection and health of family and friends. I enjoy doing a daily devotional using an app called she reads truth and love that sweet time with God.
Meditation- spending time in prayer and meditation is so good for overall peace, clarity, and mental health. Set a timer on your phone- clear your mind, let the thoughts come and go, sit in silence …start with a few mins working your way up to 15- 20 a day. There are lots of good guided meditations on youtube as well.
Keep check on your mental health and carve out time for self care!!!
Cleanliness- make sure to keep your hands clean by washing them often for at least 20 seconds especially after being out in public, sneezing, coughing, and blowing your nose. Keep surfaces clean & sanitized. Avoid touching your face, eyes, & mouth.
Exercise and go outside- I enjoy switching up my fitness routine with online yoga classes, workout video’s, and live streams floating around. I’ve worked out at home using Beachbody for quite some time it’s worked great with my normally busy schedule. You can workout in your living room, bedroom, dining room, outside, it doesn’t matter just move your body in some way!
Simply stretching is an effective favorite of mine especially on days I don’t feel like doing much.
There’s always walking, biking, rollerblading, yoga, or running outside. Strengthening your body is always a positive way to care for yourself. Since the weather has been so nice in Florida I’ve been riding my bike while Paul runs.😉
Just getting outside is shown to reduce stress and elevate your mood. Go touch the earth, have a picnic, lay or put your feet in the grass. It’s grounding! If you can’t get outside now just remember to do it when the opportunity arrises.:)
Nutrition - be sure to eat a balanced diet full of: fruits & vegetables, limiting sugars, dairy, heavy meats, processed items, & alcohol. We are what we eat so trying to eat a well rounded diet is so important. Meaning switch things up so you get benefits from different food groups daily… everything in moderation is the key! Too much of anything isn’t ideal.
*If you cant buy organic don’t worry just try to eat as fresh as possible. If packaged items are all you have access to that’s totally ok til you can do better.
Ideas for fresh and frozen items you can have on hand to cook or add to smoothies include- berries, vegetables, bananas ( peel if freezing) greens such as chard, kale & spinach. You can “blanch” greens and other veggies by dipping into hot water for 10-15 seconds take out and put in an ice bath… spread out and allow to dry on a flat surface before freezing.
These types of items won’t go bad in your pantry- beans, rice, veggie pastas, and soups. When you cook plan to double up on recipes so there’s extra to freeze or have multiple meals.
Make sure you’re getting plenty of these in your diet. 👇🏼
Vitamin C- 🍊a powerful antioxidant that helps keep the immune system strong.
The best way to naturally boost C is by eating plenty of grapefruits, oranges, lemons, limes, pineapple, and spinach.
If you feel the need to supplement I love this powder from earthley for c...and it doesn’t have added sugar like emergen-C. You could also buy a vitamin supplement. Just be sure it doesn’t have a bunch of fillers.
Vitamin D- is essential for supporting the immune system, brain lung function, nervous system, cardiovascular health, healthy bones, teeth, and more.
Being out in the sun ☀️ helps your body make D. Another great reason to get outside for a bit if you can! If you can’t get out just sit by a window and let the sun shine on your face for 20 minutes or so.
cod liver oil- is a natural source of vitamin A and Vitamin D. If you can’t handle the taste you can supplement. I like this one from earthley it’s pretty mild in taste for fish oil.
Zinc- helps the immune system fight off viruses and bacteria.
Foods like nuts, seeds, beans, & dark chocolate contain zinc.
Probiotics- a healthy microbiome in your gut can significantly influence immune response.
Fermented foods, kombucha, yogurt, and supplements contain probiotics. Supplementing is great because most of us don’t eat enough of those foods on a daily basis.
If you supplement look for one in the refrigerator section with strands in the billions. Best taken on an empty stomach first thing in the am with water or your warm lemon water.:)
Vitamin A- is a nutrient that is only obtained in our diets and is essential for overall well-being, health, and immune function.
Some foods that contain vitamin A are broccoli, spinach, sweet potatoes, carrots, black eyed peas, and cod liver oil.
Elderberry- 🍇 a powerful berry that can have a number of benefits including helping strengthen the immune system.
My fav is this one or finding someone in your area who makes it locally. If you’re in Florida you can buy a locally made one here. I like to use elderberry as an immune booster, preventative during times like this, or at the very first sign of a cold or flu symptom.
I hope this will inspire you to try something new and up level your routine a bit. There’s no better time than the present to implement a new healthy habit or two. Comment below a “healthy habit” you have.? Feel free to share this post with a friend it may benefit!
photography @ucfnate
With infinite light and love,
Jennifer xo
Disclaimer: This post was not sponsored and all opinions are my own. I’m not a certified healthcare professional, doctor, naturopath, etc. The information on this website has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, prevent, treat, or cure any disease. Content may not be reproduced.
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