Coronavirus and 5 Tips for Boosting Your Immune System

 

The Coronavirus (COVID19) is here and many people are wondering how to stay healthy. Here are 5 tips to help boost and support a healthy immune system:

 

  1. Exercise
    The key is to get moving, and consistently! Research has found that participants who consistently exercised had fewer sore throats, headaches, fevers, and other ailments than those who exercised one or less times per week.
  2. Sleep
    Get your 8 hours! Research shows that those who averaged less than seven hours of sleep a night were three times more likely to develop a cold than those who averaged eight hours a night.
  3. Whole Food Sources of Nutrients
    Skip the supplements and instead load up on the fruits and veggies. A balanced diet with an emphasis on fruits and veggies appears to be beneficial to your immune system. Research has shown a correlation between increased fruit and vegetable intake and increased immune response.
  4. Hydration
    Drinking enough water is important to keep hydrated on a regular basis, especially during seasonal illness. Research shows that drinking adequate water staves off infection and boosts immunity. Staying hydrated also helps your body naturally eliminate toxins and other bacteria that may cause illness.
  5. Positivity
    People who keep a positive mindset were much less likely to become sick than those who express a negative outlook. Research has found that people are five times more likely to develop a cold if they have significant stress in their life persisting for a month or more. Additionally, those who kept a positive attitude also experienced milder symptoms when they were sick.
Ashley Osterman
Director of Nutrition Education
Healthy Steps Nutrition
www.growyournutritionbusiness.com
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Research References:

Nieman, D. C. (2000, October 1). Exercise effects on systemic immunity. Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1440-1711.2000.t01-5-.x

Cohen, S., Doyle, W. J., Alper, C. M., Janicki-Deverts, D., & Turner, R. B. (2009, January 12). Sleep habits and susceptibility to the common cold. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19139325

Gibson, A., Edgar, J. D., Neville, C. E., Gilchrist, S. E. C. M., McKinley, M. C., Patterson, C. C., … Woodside, J. V. (2012, December). Effect of fruit and vegetable consumption on immune function in older people: a randomized controlled trial. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23134881

Popkin, M, B., D’Anci, E, K., Rosenberg, & H, I. (2010, August 1). Water, hydration, and health. Retrieved from https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article/68/8/439/1841926

Cohen, & Sheldon. (2017, June 22). Psychological Stress, Immunity, and Physical Disease. Retrieved from https://kilthub.cmu.edu/articles/Psychological_Stress_Immunity_and_Physical_Disease/5099050/1

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About the author

Nicole Aucoin, MS, RD, LD/N

Founder, Healthy Steps Nutrition
Home of CrossFit HSN & HSN Mentoring

Author of Nourish & Healthy Kids Cookbook

Author of The Basics of Nutrition Coaching Course, CrossFit Preferred Nutrition Course

CrossFit Level 2 Trainer