Regardless of your COVID feelings I think we all can agree that keeping our immune system and entire body healthy is what we are all after. I want to share things I do to keep myself and my little family healthy all the time and some things we have added in. It can feel overwhelming to make lifestyle changes but it doesn’t have to be. One thing I ask of you is to not think of a healthy lifestyle as something you do all the time or not at all. Everyday looks different and honoring your moods and emotions is just as important. The little changes make a huge difference in your well being. And yes the more you do them the more you’ll want to. Of course living a healthy lifestyle doesn’t guarantee you’ll never get sick, but it does increase your chances of fighting off diseases, viruses etc and usually decreases the duration and severity of an illness.
Eat REAL food. I’m sure it doesn’t surprise you that eating processed food, artificial dyes and inflammatory oils is terrible for your body. When you focus on real whole foods with tons of veggies you will notice a difference in your mood, energy, skin and of course warding off diseases. I never look at calories or pay attention to macros but I do look at the ingredients very carefully. Even if a product appears to be healthy from the packaging, always check the label. Some snack/chip brands I always buy are Simple Mills, Siete Chip (and their dips) and Lesser Evil. They all have simple, real food ingredients. Start your morning off with a smoothie and add in greens like spinach or microgreens, organic berries, adaptogens. Smoothies are the EASIEST way to to sneak in superfoods. For lunch, break away from the everyday sandwich and make a bowl with a bunch of roasted veggies, healthy fats and a clean grass fed or free range protein or beans. I use seasonings like crazy because food should taste amazing. And herbs and spices are loaded with nutrients. Just stay away from processed food and preservatives. But on that same note if you are eating out or at a party, eat what you will actually enjoy and feel nothing but gratitude for the food and zero guilt.
KEEP IT MOVING…all of the things. Stagnation in the body is not good. When I say keep it moving I literally mean everything. First and probably most important is you need to have a bowel movement everyday. When you are constipated, instead of excreting toxins they are reabsorbed in the bloodstream and circulate throughout the body. Drink more water (clean water!), take measures to heal your gut by removing problematic foods (you can find this out through an elimination diet or food sensitivity test), take a high quality probiotic, get outside, and give your body ample time to take a digestion break by not eating late at night.
More things you need to keep moving? Your lymphatic system. The lymphatic system includes organs and tissues that help eliminate waste products and toxins. The lymphatic system works by moving fluid (lymph) around the body. This fluid sweeps away cellular waste, invaders, and toxins to the liver and kidneys to be processed and eliminated. It’s the only system without a pump so movement aids the process. Move your body in ways that you love, jumping up and down is especially effective so hop on that trampoline! Try dry brushing or treat yourself to as massage when you are able. Sweat everyday and HYDRATE so you can keep flushing things out. Sweating in a sauna, outside, in hot yoga, in a hot bath…however you do it, it’s so important to sweat every day. Toxins need to come out.
SLEEP. I have really become obsessed with sleep. When we sleep it’s truly when our bodies and even brain “clean house”. Get blue light blockers for after the sun goes down. Sleep in a cold room (65 degrees!). When you wake up try to expose yourself to natural sunlight. If you need help try magnesium sleeping this brand is my very favorite and is somewhat magical. Also try epsom salt baths before bed. Put the insta stories down and make sleep a top priority! It’s where all the repairing happens.
CLEAN IT UP. Remove as many toxic household and beauty products as you can. The average American comes into regular contact with 6,000 chemicals or more. Many of these chemicals are banned in Europe, Canada and many other countries but they hide in our laundry detergent, cleaning products, cosmetics, etc. They have been linked to cancer, act as endocrine disruptors, have neurotoxic effects and of course can suppress your immune system. The more you can get rid of, the more you reduce your toxic load and allow your body to do the detoxing it was designed to do before all of the chemicals, pesticides etc entered our world. I wrote a blog post for our favorite non toxic brands for every budget and even things you can make at home. According to environmental specialist, Dr. Sherry Rogers, M.D., “there is now no question that accumulated toxins are behind nearly every disease, symptom, and malfunction of the body. But get ready for the greatest medical discovery of the decade. If we get these ubiquitously unavoidable toxic chemicals out of the body, we can reverse and even cure the most hopeless diseases.”
REDUCE STRESS. You’ve heard it over and over because damn it’s an important one. We ALL have stress. It’s truly our response to the perceived stressor that creates the reaction in our bodies that cause inflammation and illness. So no, we can’t get rid of the stressors but we can change the way we react. Basic things like mindset shifts can really help. For instance, giving someone the benefit of the doubt when you suspect the are directing negativity toward you. Or when someone cuts you off assume that they are distracted with the burdens in their life and wish them well. One thing I have learned is that when you assume that everyone is doing their best with the tools they currently have, your feelings toward every human shift in a more loving way. Other tools and possibly the most important tool that helps with stress and can be done anywhere, anytime: breathing. My go to is breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, breathe out for 4 seconds and hold the exhale for 4. That’s called box breathing (I think). Get off social media and for the love turn off the news. Sit with yourself. Quiet your mind even for 2 minutes. Obviously the longer the better. Try driving with no music, podcast or phone calls. Move your body in a way that you LOVE. Don’t add more stress with something that you dread. Walk, do yoga or if you need to move that shit out…do high intensity training. Get barefoot and step on the grass. Immerse yourself in nature. Name things that you are grateful for (not the obvious “family” and “friends”) but get specific “a warm bed with clean sheets” “your hot matcha/coffee ritual” “the conversation with xyz you had”. If you really have some traumas that you are trying to work though or some stress you can’t shake, I can’t recommend tapping (Emotional Freedom Technique” enough.
SUPPLEMENTS
I normally don’t even talk about what supplements I take because it’s kind of pointless being that we are all bioindividual. If you are ever curious exactly what you body needs work with a functional medicine practitioner and get your levels tested. But for now and in the name of COVID here are things that we have added beyond our normal at mi casa. Vitamin C, zinc and glutathione. Go to Clovers or Natural Grocers and they’ll guide you toward a high quality brand. I order Mary Ruth’s Organics for Bo. If we weren’t outside so much I would add vitamin D and probs will in a month or two, along with elderberry. We also take reishi and ashwagandha regularly for immune and stress support. And of course a high quality probiotic and healthy diet. I can’t stress getting outside in nature enough. Nature is healing and crucial for a healthy, diverse microbiome…which by now we know is everything to our health and wellbeing.
Take care of your terrain. It is a gift and the only one that we get in this lifetime.
with gratitude,
Kalle