1. Plan your meals and snacks to be fueling your body with nutritious foods.
This is a great time to focus on nutrition. So many of us will be cooking at home, and we can choose what we bring into our homes to fuel our bodies. Don’t bring home things that you don’t actually want to eat. Anticipate your obstacles. If you know you are going to be standing in front of your pantry at 9:30 PM looking for a quick fix to your stress, you don’t want a bag of chips to be staring you in the face. Although that quick hit of dopamine will feel good for a literal second, the subsequent crash and fatigue will not serve you well in this time. Instead, build some structure into your food choices. Plan out healthy meals and snacks, and shop for those things. Having a rhythm to your eating will help you avoid boredom-eating and stress-eating as well. And while it’s true that we could all use a little comfort right now, it is also true that you can choose to comfort yourself with foods that actually nourish you.
In addition to eating a wide variety of wholesome nutrient-dense foods, there are several supplements that help support the immune system. Vitamin D3 and vitamin C are important for immune system function. Since 80% of the health of our immune system originates in our gut, good gut health is especially important right now as well. If you aren’t including fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, plain active culture yogurt, kefir, and kombucha in your meals every day, you may benefit from a high-quality probiotic supplement.
There is an online cookbook full of delicious, nutrient-dense meals as part of the TRIBE membership. Right now, the TRIBE membership is available for 50% off at DrTraciKiernan.com with the coupon code TRIBE50. This resource can help inspire and encourage you to put your health first. If you’re looking for more personal and specific advice and support, our team is available for remote consultations. You can book an appointment with one of our team members.
This time can be a wake up call. You don’t have to live your life limited by poor health. If it’s time to make serious changes, we’re here for you.
2. Actively practice managing your stress.
You can support your immune system by reducing the toxic load on your body by paying attention to your nutrition and to what kinds of chemicals you put on your body, but did you know that your thoughts can be toxic as well? Our emotional and mental health are deeply tied to our physical health. We are living in unprecedented times, and because we have access to so much information all the time, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. Take time away from the news. Focus on being present in your life. In your planning, make time for prayer and meditation, and practice focusing on your breath and releasing your thoughts and anxieties. Taking five to twenty minutes every day to focus on deep breathing will ground you and give you the space to feel what needs to be felt and then to choose how you respond to these new experiences.
3. Move your body every day.
Guess what? This tip is going to show up no matter what part of our health we are going to focus on, because motion is life. It is so important to keep our bodies moving, for every aspect of our health. If you can get outside and still maintain some distance from people this is a great time of year to be walking, jogging, biking, and just enjoying the fresh air. If you are in an area where you need to limit your outside time, open the windows and do some yoga, body weight exercises, or just crank up the music for a good dance session. There are many resources available online for at-home workouts, and many of them don’t require special equipment. You can start with a seven-minute workout. If you have some exercise equipment sitting around, it might be a great time to dust it off and give it some use. Moving your body is good for your brain, your heart, your lungs, your muscles and bones, your mood, your sleep, your metabolism—you get the idea. Aim for thirty minutes every day.
4. Consistently get high quality sleep.
Here’s another tip that’s going to show up no matter what area of our health we’re discussing. Sleep is vital. It gives our bodies a chance to heal and it’s a dishwasher for our brains. With everything that’s going on right now, it may be difficult for you to get to sleep at night. A consistent wind-down routine, perhaps with some journaling to help you get your worries out of your head and onto the paper, and a consistent bed time are important. A cool, dark room can help too.
5. Hydrate.
Our bodies are 70% water, and every cell needs water to function. Begin your day with a full glass of water, and aim for half to three quarters of your body weight in ounces every day.
Let this be the year that you focus on your health, that you honor the body that carries you through your life, and that you learn how to create a lifestyle that supports all the good things you want to show up for. For a deep dive into these topics and more, the Lifestyle Master for Health online course is available at DrTraciKiernan.com.