Dabbl

              There’s an awful lot of buzz around immune system health lately and how to boost it. Different vitamins and minerals are being tossed around that have never gotten the time of day before the Covid crisis. It gets difficult because there’s so much info that came out on how to build your immune system, how to avoid getting sick, what to do when you are sick, what to take, and so on. But the amount of info that gets thrown in your face can be confusing. Not the mention it seems like every week the story changes. So here is my practical guide to keeping a strong immune system. You may here from a lot of doctors using a lot of long fancy terms, but people need to be told straight what it is they should be doing to protect themselves from Covid and any other illnesses in the future.

              To preface, I don’t like saying this because it sounds like I’m bragging, but I rarely get sick. I pride myself in having a strong immune system and this is not by chance. I have taken steps anyone can take to build up their immunity. Since graduating from high school, I have only been sick once. College is when I really started to gain interest in taking care of my body. And I want the same for everyone, now more than ever. So, here’s my guide as simple and as practical as I can make it.

1. Vitamins/Minerals
   1. Take daily D, C, Zinc, and Iron.
      1. These vitamins are the ultimate cocktail for a healthy immune system. I like taking almost double the recommended dose for each of these during dyer times. Especially in the case of a pandemic, it’s better to err on the higher side.
      1. The best way to get these vitamins are through whole foods. However, that’s not always easy nor possible at times. So supplementing is the next best option. I’m a big fan of taking Emergen-C every morning. That covers Vitamin C, Zinc, and others I left of my list. Then I also supplement with Vitamin D and Iron through basic vitamin capsules.
2. Exercise
   1. Plenty of cardio and weights
      1. Exercise is so crucial to having a strong immune system. Getting any sort of sweat is helpful, but if you have the chance to lift some free weights, then I highly recommend that as well. Testosterone can get a bad reputation these days. We sometimes think of testosterone as a macho man with a pea brain. But it’s important to recognize that the testosterone hormone plays a super important role in our bodies for men and women. In this case, it helps regulate and boost immune system functionality. And lifting weights and exercising helps boost testosterone. So get plenty of exercise in for this reason.
      1. If you have access to a sauna, I highly recommend this as well. Sauna will help keep your body functioning well by sweating out any unhealthy toxins, allowing your body to keep itself healthy without the nasty toxins that build up.
3. No alcohol, smoking, or drugs
   1. If your main goal is to keep from getting sick, then any alcohol or hard drugs is going to compromise that goal. Alcohol and hard drugs weaken the immune system by dehydrating you and focuses your body’s energy on recovering rather than focusing your body’s energy on building and fighting. If you are really looking forward to having a drink, do so in moderation and stay hydrating before, during, and after.
4. Drink plenty of water
   1. Staying hydrated is key for allowing your body to do what it needs to do. Keep hydrated and your body will thank you for so many reasons. Water helps your body transport nutrients properly and flush out any toxins in your body. In general, water helps with basically every function your body does. So drink up.

There’s a lot of confusion when it comes to immune system. There can be so many Do’s and Don’t’s that it’s hard to keep track of. But this simple and practical list will cover all your bases without confusing you. It’s easy to follow and will help keep you protected.