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

Embracing The Next Phase

I was recently let go from my job after 10 and a half years. I have not been happy there for the last 3 years and have constantly talked about moving to Florida and changing careers.  I now have the time, and some income for a while, to pack up my house and move. It’s all very exciting and new, however, I am a creature of habit, as most of us are, and it’s also scary, stressful, and mind boggling.  I know in the long run that everything will work out, but changing my very longstanding routine is so much harder than I thought. I don’t know whether to put myself on a schedule everyday so I don’t waste time, or just go with the flow and let things happen.  The stress of these decisions, and my emotional ups and downs everyday, is getting in the way of my motivation to eat healthy and properly everyday. I am still exercising as much as I can, playing racquetball 3 times a week, and walking in between, as well as getting a few Ab workouts in per week. I am motivated to exercise as it helps relieve the stress. I haven’t had this big of a change in my life for a very long time.

So it’s time to get back on track. I have floundered around with this long enough and I need to develop a routine, but I will call it a flex routine. What this means is I will set a general plan for my day, but if things change, or stuff comes up, I will just go with the flow, and not stress out that I did not stick to the plan. I have been watching Dr. Oz everyday for health tips and info. One of his tips was to exercise in the morning before you eat breakfast, and then have a good protein rich breakfast: Cereal, milk and greek yogurt with blueberries, 3 egg omelet with veggies, turkey sausage, and wheat toast, etc. The key is to get around 30 grams of protein at breakfast.  My plan is to exercise by 9am each morning (trusty ab workout), eat that big breakfast, and start my day. I am really enjoying writing so I have decided to pursue it further and try some freelance writing. I will write in the morning, and work on cleaning out the house in the afternoon. That is my general flex routine, and I will not stress out if other things come up such as playing racquetball during the day, or having lunch with a friend, or just a change in plans. I have already started getting back to my healthy eating habits; 3 meals a day, 2 snacks, and plenty of water. I feel better just knowing that I have a plan and I have started making it happen. This is something I have always wanted; to work from home on my own time, and enjoy my life.

I am finally getting excited about this additional lifestyle change. The last couple of weeks have been eye opening for me, but like all new things, it is an adventure that I am really looking forward to, and I will be so much better for it. I used to tease my aunt that we needed to start the last phase of our lives. She thought it sounded a little morbid. What I realize is that this is the NEXT phase of my life, but definitely not the last.

Living and Loving Change