How to Maintain a Healthy Immune System

Winter has arrived, and Christmas is round the corner. People everywhere are out late shopping, eating out, staying up late, entertaining friends and family, and are generally in a festive mood. Why shouldn’t they be? It’s the holiday season! And it’s the time to make merry.

However, tis the season to also be sick and weary. Let’s face it. It’s cold, there’s strains of flu going around, and sometimes, the days are bleak and dreary. People’s immunities are being compromised. This is also the time, when a lot of people experience SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), also known as winter depression.

So, how can we deal with these problems ? How can we have a healthy immune system, while keeping our spirits up? Some of these troubles might sound trivial, such as having a cold, but in the long run, its a source of irritation, and who likes having a cold anyway?

There are about 7 basic things I do every time I feel I’m coming down with something, or I feel sad and depressed:

Oxygen

There are many, starving for good, clean air. Sedentary workers crave air, as most of the time, their offices suffer from lack of oxygen. Fresh air is vital to boosting your immunity, and the more fresh air you can get, the better. A short walk in the evening, or (for those of you morning people, in the morning, before work), really invigorates the soul. Learning to breathe deeply is also very important.

It also wouldn’t be a bad idea to throw open your windows, and circulate some fresh air in to your home, even if its for a few minutes to get the stale air out, and the fresh air in. Trust me, you would feel a whole lot better.

Optimum Rest

This is something, all of us struggle with. Especially, during this season. Most people are staying out late, shopping, partying with friends, etc , etc. So, how can you know when to say, “Enough is enough?”

I’ve found that the best hours of the night, in which you get the maximum sleep and rest is from 9:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. This, according to me and a lot of other people I know, is when they derive the best sleep.

Alright, maybe 9:30 is a little too early for some of you. If you just can’t seem to get to bed at 9:30, why not try 10:00 p.m. or even 10:30?

The average person, needs at least seven hours of sleep. Some may require eight. If you can fit these many hours in, and get to bed at 9:30 p.m. you will be getting the optimum rest that your body needs.

Once you establish this sleep pattern, your body will let you know when its going in to shut down mode. And when friends or family decide to stay up till the owls come out, you will tactfully let them know, you wont be able to join them.

Good Food

This is usually the season, when almost everyone piles up on the sugar, and sweets. Well? I don’t blame them, stores everywhere are overflowing with Halloween candy, Thanksgiving pies, and sweets, Christmas candy, New Year candy, and come February, Valentine candy. Whew! All that sugar is sure to take its toll on anybody health. To me putting sugar, especially refined sugar in to one’s body is asking for trouble.

So, let’s take charge of our nutrition. I will not say that people should eliminate all sweet from their diet, but it would be best to limit one’s intake of it. If you can, avoid it entirely. Stock up on fresh salads, juicy fruits like lemon, kiwi or oranges, which are chock-full of vitamin C. In fact, any kind of fruit would be great to consume. Whole grains, and green leafy vegetables are also the best way to go, not just during this season, but all year long, would be ideal.

Exercise

When was the last time you went out for a walk? The last time you got up out of that couch, switched off the tube, and took off in a sprint? (Okay, maybe not sprinting, but just casual walking)

Exercise is something nobody can live without. Try living without it, and you will become sluggish and lethargic. Go without it for longer periods of time, and you might eventually become obese, and might even have a heart attack.

Exercise, is also something many people over do. One needs to find a balance. There are no statements declaring a set number of hours, a person should exercise.

However, I’ve found that 30 minutes everyday, can make a vast difference, and boost your immunity. You could take a brisk walk, go swimming, jogging, work out at the gym, work in the garden, or whatever you like to do. The main fact is, that you do it. Whenever, I exercise, I find that I don’t catch colds or illnesses. It keeps one feeling healthier, and looking younger as well, and …its good for your overall health.

Water

It is the key to healing a lot of diseases and illnesses, but many don’t realize that fact. A lot of people go without drinking water for hours, and, alarmingly, some go without it for days! You could wake up in the morning, and have a cup of coffee, but, that’s not the same as drinking water-pure, fresh water. Sodas, hot cocoa, milk, tea, coffee, or even fruit juice doesn’t cut it. It has to be water.

Water has a lot of healing minerals. I try to drink at least 10-15 glasses a day. The best is to drink a sufficient amount of water according to your body mass. It flushes all the impurities out of your system.

When you catch a cold, taking alternate hot and cold showers, helps boost your immune system. Doing this, opens up circulation, and rejuvenates the white blood cells, which, many of you might already know, fight against infection, and disease.

Sunlight

This is the time of year when sunshine is hard to come by. Its cold, damp, snowy, rainy, gloomy, dreary, and dark. Doesn’t sound very sunny, does it?

There are, however, some days, a precious few, when the sun does show his face. That is the opportune time for us to get out, and get our sunshine. Even, if its only for 20 to 30 minutes, we need it.

When we are exposed to sunlight, our body creates a chemical called serotonin which is converted into melatonin at night which is vital for sound sleep.

Many insomniacs and people with sleep disorders don’t get sunlight. Some get very little, others, none at all. A friend of mine, is a major insomniac, sometimes, needing to take sleeping pills.

A lot of insomniacs I know, keep their windows shut most of the time. The blinds are down, the curtains down, and no sunlight is allowed into their homes. This is also a major cause for mental illnesses, like depression.

Not only is stale air being circulated throughout the house, the people stay awake for longer periods of time, because they have received no serotonin, to convert into melatonin, which is critical for sleep.

Music

Alright, I don’t know about you, but I would wither away and die, if I didn’t have music in my life.

Research has shown that music is the key to cure various mental illnesses like manic depression, and paranoia.

It also depends on what kind of music one listens to. Classical music has known to calm people’s nerves in emergency and intensive care units. When such music was played, the entire atmosphere in the ICU dramatically changed, and people, who, a few minutes ago were tense and agitated, became calm and relaxed.

From my personal experience, music has helped me through depression, panic attacks, and paranoid tendencies. I have found that listening to music with positive themes and uplifting lyrics, helps a lot when I’m having a bad day, or going through a crisis in my life. If I am all by myself and don’t have a CD player or radio, I sing. That really helps.

Music is also a powerful tool to help people who are struggling. For those of you who are musically talented, playing an instrument for someone who is mentally disturbed, would bring relief. If you have a beautiful voice, singing for someone who is agitated, or grieving, would be very comforting.

Now, that we have come to the end of my list, I would like to encourage you to try any or all of these steps, this holiday season. I assure you, you will not be disappointed.

With a spark in your eye, and a spring in your step, you will be ready to enjoy life, and brave whatever comes your way this winter!