With the change of season, approaching holidays, and crazy family and work schedules, our bodies’ immune systems can glitch. Here are some ways to help nourish your body during these busy times.
1. Pay attention to signals. Your body is constantly sending you signals in the form of symptoms like fatigue, anxiety, headaches, digestive troubles and pain. Learn to see symptoms as a heads up to nourish your body, just as how you pay attention to problem indicators coming from the dashboard of your car.
2. Reset your nervous system. Over time, chronic stress depletes the body’s energy stores and depletes our immune defenses. Reset your chemistry each day in simple ways like breathing consciously, taking walks in nature, practicing yoga, singing, meditating or just sitting still.
3. Focus inward and do less. Flow with the season, not against it. In Eastern medicine, the winter (yin) season is when we should turn our energy inward and hibernate. As the days get shorter and colder, consider slowing down, sleeping more and conserving energy for the spring. Too much intense exercise and lack of sleep can be depleting over time.
4. Nourish your body properly. Your immune system starts in your gut. Eating more fiber from fresh, non-processed foods creates a healthy microbiome for a strong immune system. Also, consider adding supplements like vitamin D3, zinc and probiotics to your daily routine, or seek advice from a nutritionist for more tailored recommendations.
5. Prevent and treat illness. Acupuncture and herbal therapy have been used for thousands of years to boost the immune system, treat colds and flus, relieve stress and bring the body into homeostasis (aka, balance). You may also want to try dry skin brushing three times a week, or for more advanced illness prevention, consider lymph enhancement therapy (LET) and massage to filter out viral debris and boost immune function.
Source Healing is a holistic wellness clinic offering acupuncture, naturopathic medicine, and massage, and specializing in women’s health, fertility, and stress and pain management. Learn more at sourchealing.com.