Lockdown Tips
Struggling to cope with lockdown?
Life feel like its stuck on pause?
Feelings mutual...
It may be tempting to overindulge to soften the blow (comforted by the knowledge that its unlikely you’ll be donning that bikini anytime soon) - and frankly what else is there to do??? BUT, there is a lot we could and should do now more than ever!
If ever there was a time to start paying closer attention to what you put in your body now would be it.
SO I’ve come up with some simple tips for you to keep calm, strong and resilient. Here’s some tips to protect your immune system in the midst of this mayhem...
1 - Eat at least 6 handfuls of fruit and vegetables a day. As well as flooding our bodies with immune building vitamins and minerals this increases the good bacteria in our gut making our bodies more resilient and less likely to fall ill.
2 - Exercise regularly - moderate exercise 5 times a week has been proven to stimulate your immune system to function better. If you can walk in nature then even better as this has been shown to release happy hormones and we all need some of those at the moment! Taking our mind away from the anxiety of these uncertain times will also make us more resilient - so take a bath, dance, meditate or just watch a good old comedy.
3 - Stay away from processed sugar, refined carbs and limit alcohol as much as you can. However, I don’t think you should restrict too much - be kind to yourself, but be sensible as these deplete nutrients in the body, and can compromise immune function.
4 - Stay connected and call a friend at least once a day it will benefit not only yourself but the people around you.
5 - Switch off from the constant stream of negative media and lose yourself in a good book, box-set or film instead!
6 - Staying hydrated is vital to support all the body’s functions. Drink warm fluids as viruses are denatured by heat - here’s my favourite anti-viral tipple which I’m currently swigging all day!
• 1/2 or 1 lemon, juiced: Vitamin C
• 1/2 Tbsp turmeric: Anti-inflammatory
• Dash of black pepper : Anti- inflammatory + anti-viral
• Dash of cinnamon: Anti-inflammatory
• 1 inch of ginger peeled and crushed: Antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory
• 1 tsp manuka honey: Anti-microbial – great for fighting infection.
• MIX ALL THE ABOVE IN WARM WATER AND ENJOY.
7 - Focus on getting a good night’s sleep - aim for 8 hours of good quality sleep each night to allow your body to rest, repair and keep you strong!
At times like this, it can be a good idea to give your immune system a helping hand with some well-chosen researched vitamins here is what I take at the moment:
Vitamin D - 300o IU per day - I like Better you Dlux 3000 spray
Vitamin C 1200 mg and zinc 40 mg– I like Nutravita which has both as a combined capsule.
ProBiotics - support the microbiome to support immune system - Optibac everyday.
N Acetyl cysteine 600mg once a day for prevention, twice a day with onset of symptoms. - Solgar
Quercitin - 500 mg twice a day - Biocare
I hope these pointers will help you feel better through these tough times - because there’s no better time than now to care of your health and well-being!