Ways to Boost Your Immunity During the Pandemic

Our world has been ravaged by COVID-19 and it doesn’t seem to be letting up in many locations. Right now, we are just starting to accept that this is our new normal. Surely you are all tired of hearing “wash your hands,” “wear your mask,” “make sure you practice social distancing.” We are all adults; we know what to do to keep ourselves safe and clean during this crazy time.

But—do you understand that there are certain things you can do to boost your immunity, which will help you to stay healthier and stronger, so if you happen to contract the coronavirus, your body will be prepared to fight hard to get rid of it and to decrease the severity of your symptoms. Not only that, there are still other viruses and illnesses floating around. Just because COVID-19 is running rampant, does not mean that you can’t get “regular sick.”

Here are two ways you can easily boost your immunity to stay in tip-top shape.

Pay attention to what you consume.

We all know that eating healthy can help prevent us from getting sick. But what kinds of vitamins and minerals should you be consuming in order to stave off an illness?

According to Harvard Medical: zinc, selenium, iron, copper, folic acid, and vitamins A, B6, C, and E deficiencies were related to an immune response. They note that taking a multivitamin/mineral each day and eating healthy should be enough. More is not better!
Consuming alcohol and drugs as well as smoking can compromise the immune system. Vaping during the pandemic is a bad choice. Research in a study stated that “e-cigarettes are unsafe because their vapor contains free radicals that can cause airway inflammation and impaired responses to bacteria and viruses.”

Pay attention to your stress levels.

Stress can wreak havoc on your immune system like no other. There is so much research out there on this topic. To put it simply, when you are experiencing stress, things start to happen in your body and stress hormones are released. These hormones over time can actually suppress the immune system. Not only that, but your heart rate and blood pressure increase when stressed, which is obviously not good for your health. Below are some ways to de-stress during this craziness.

Use meditation apps or YouTube to guide you through a daily meditation.
Practice mindfulness.
Smell essential oils when you feel stress coming on.
Go for a walk in nature—get away from people and noise.
Take a moment to just be. Lay in a hammock or on a yoga mat and practice deep breathing.
Socialize with a friend—use Zoom, meet up at a park, etc.
Exercise, play a sport, or dance away your stress.
Let out your anger and stress: punch a pillow or punching bag, hit a tree with a wiffleball bat, or scream at the top of your lungs in your car (by yourself!).
Take a bubble bath with soothing music.
Buy a stress ball or fidget—this helps with keeping busy when you may be antsy.
Practice tapping or temperature change to reduce stress.