Building Your Immune System For the Future

What is life now? Everything is closed except for essential business; grocery stores, drug stores, restaurants for take out and delivery only. All due to a virus that seems to be all over the world at present. I am a bit baffled at the severity of info that is driving everyone to quarantine, keep social distance, wash hands continuously and avoid any type of germs. I wonder what will be the takeaways from all of this. Will we learn to take better care of ourselves and our health to have stronger immune systems, or will we just continue to be germaphobes, worrying about everyone and everything. The tone and mood is stressful and strange. Now more than ever we must practice mindful meditation, yoga, exercise, deep breathing, and any other kind of activity that increases our endorphins and brings some peace to our lives.  Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is key to having a strong immune system. I feel that this has not been publicized enough. We continue to hear about cases and deaths. What they don't talk about is the other underlying conditions that are driving these deaths and continuous respiratory problems, not to mention how many older adults are affected due to other health issues. This happens everyday, even before this virus. There are many reasons people get very sick and to continue to only blame this virus is ridiculous.

I want to focus on building your immune system so it is strong and you have a better ability to fight off these illnesses, and germs. We were raised playing in the dirt and swimming in lakes with fish and turtles. The exposures to dirt is what built our immunities. Now we are dirt and germ free which is not a great recipe for the latter. I know this is just for now and due to this virus but I also wonder how will we continue after this is over. Please focus on keeping yourself healthy and strong by eating lots of veggies, fruits, wild caught fish, grass fed and organic meat and poultry, gluten free grains such as quinoa, millet, kasha, brown rice, nuts and seeds, and healthy fats like avocados, olive oil, goat cheese, hummus, just to name a few things. Stay away or limit dairy such as cheese, milk, yogurt, as it causes inflammation which causes illness and disease. There are great substitutes such as almond, rice, or soy milk and dairy free options. We also need to sleep 7-9 hours each night, stay active during the day and try some intermittent fasting. I have been able to do this by not eating after dinner by 7pm until the next morning around 9. That's a good 14 hours to detox without you even realizing it. I have been doing this since the beginning of January, along with cutting most of my sugar and I feel so much better and lighter.  Dealing with the everyday stress these days is a concern and we must all find ways to handle this. As I said earlier, mindful meditation, relaxation exercises, physical activity, yoga and deep breathing. Also whatever you need as an escape to take your mind off the present situation; limit your news exposure, listen to good music, watch something funny, work on puzzles and games, give back and help others.

My best line of defense is the veggie, fruit, grape and berry, and omegas that I take everyday. This  whole food nutrition has been boosting my immune system, reducing inflammation and oxidative stress, and contributing to my overall health and wellness for the last 7 years. It is my best insurance policy. I also drink a plant based chocolate shake several times a week which is low glycemic and a great snack and meal replacement.  Please watch the video below for more info and let me know if you would be interested in getting started with these amazing healthy whole food gems. We also have a hydroponic growing system called the Tower Garden and you can grow your own produce at home. It's nice to know where your food comes from.

Please take care of yourself and your body so you have the defenses you need to fight anything that may be lurking out there. Try to relax and not stress during this very strange time in our lives and focus on the positives as things will go back to a new normal soon.

Keeping it Happy and Healthy
Your Nutrition Coach
Susan G
www.sgeers.juiceplus.com

Life Is A Gift; Don't Wait For The Tragedy

Everyday there are so many stories, TV shows, ads, and reports about obesity, and the tragedies that have caused people to become healthier and take charge of their lives. I finally decided that this needs to be the subject of my next article, so here it is. Why do we have to wait for a life changing event such as death or illness to shock us into reality, and finally take charge of our  health and wellness? I think it's great that there are more and more shows such as "The Biggest Loser", and "The Revolution", and even "Dr. Oz", not to mention all the cooking shows on the Food Network to promote the importance of losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. What I don't understand is how and why we let ourselves get to the point of no return. I know that everyone is a victim of their environment. We eat the way our parents eat which is the way their parents ate. We exercise the way we were taught in school, and/or by our parents. As adults we are exposed to so many new things, however we seem to turn a blind eye to the things we know we should do in an effort to maintain the norm as we know it. Always afraid to take that new step into the unknown. How will I ever live without my cakes, cookies, chocolate, creamy sauces, satiating fried foods, etc. I can't tell you how many times I have tried to talk to people about new foods I have tried, and had them tell me; "I can't live without this", or "I can't give that up", " It doesn't taste the same", "I'd rather not eat it if I have to substitute this for that". The very next comment is; "I can't seem to get rid of this belly, and I am exercising all the time".

 My answer is if you want your body to change, you have to be willing to make changes.   The real question is how badly do you want things to change. I have learned throughout my life that you can do anything as long as you try hard enough, and want it bad enough. We all control our own destiny. What we eat, and how much we exercise is no different than what we want to be when we grow up, or what we want to do with the rest of our lives. The information is out there for the taking, but you have to go and get it, and then do something with it. I realize that change is always the hardest thing to accomplish. I found this out being an Office  Manager/CFO in my last job. I instituted many changes in my early years at the job, but this was by far the greatest challenge. People are so resistant to change. If we never take that next step into the unknown, we never improve on anything, and everything stays at a constant whether it be good, bad, or indifferent. If it's not a good change, the best  part is you can always change back to what you know to be good. What have you really lost in the long run, and you took the bigger step in an effort to find out what else was around the corner that you otherwise would have never known about. More times than not, the results of the change will be positive, and you will feel a remarkable sense of satisfaction, and accomplishment for going in the new direction. I have always felt that there is always room for improvement. 

Getting back to my point of the article; Take charge of your life now. If you wait until something tragic happens, you could be harming yourself in ways that cannot be repaired. It is a well known fact that getting rid of the belly fat, and incorporating daily exercise in your routine, can, and will reduce medical conditions such as high blood pressure, cholesterol issues, and many other illnesses. This is different for everyone, and there is no guarantee as to what medicines you can reduce or cut out completely, but the benefits of eating more fruits, and vegetables, healthy whole grains, beans, lean meats, chicken, and seafood are becoming clearer and clearer each day. I know myself changing the way I eat has caused me to notice how badly my body feels when eating too many sweets, fried foods, and fatty foods. I actually enjoy the taste of fresh fruits, and vegetables, and cooking my own healthy meals gives me such a sense of accomplishment when the meal is complete. I was raised to enjoy my food, and I have learned to do just that thru healthy eating with fresh ingredients. Always remember to eat what you like, and be creative with your food. Once again, change is good, so try new things to enhance your choices, never depriving yourself of anything within reason. My advice is be healthy 90% of the time, and let yourself go 10% of the time.

EVERYTHING IN MODERATION

Life is Precious, Don't Take It For Granted