This post is a continuation of the previous blog post; please use the link here to read the previous blog post.
Building a Better Immune System:
Consistent efforts to improve our immune systems are essential to staying healthy. While added efforts to boost immune systems during cold and flu season may be helpful, immune health should be an all-year effort.
Several factors support a stronger immune system:
Nutrition: Consume a diet rich in fiber, vegetables, and lower fructose fruits (berries and citrus fruits)
Exercise: Aim for 150 minutes or more of exercise each week. This can help improve circulation and reduce inflammation. However, be careful not to overdo it, as excessive exercise can reduce immune function.
Sleep: Maintain regular sleep patterns and practice a healthy sleep routine
Hydration: Consume enough water daily to support healthy mucous membranes and bodily function
Hygiene: Wash your hands before preparing food and eating, touching your face, attending to a cut or wound, or caring for others. Wash your hands after preparing food, using the bathroom, being in a public place, touching garbage, caring for animals, touching your face, coughing, or sneezing.
Stress: Manage stress through meditation, exercise, therapy, or other efforts. Chronic stress can weaken the immune system.
Supplementation: If your diet is not rich in vitamins and minerals, consider supplementing with Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Zinc, and other antioxidants. Be sure to always check with your doctor prior to starting or stopping any medication or supplements.
How Can Chiropractic Care Help The Immune System?
By addressing spinal health and improving nervous system function, chiropractic care can help naturally improve your immune system. Here are some ways Skyline Chiropractic and Sports Medicine can help your immune system function optimally:
Improved Nervous System Function: The nervous and immune systems are closely interconnected. Misalignments in the spine, called subluxations, can block nerve pathways, which may interfere with communication between the body and the immune system.
Chiropractic adjustments aim to restore proper alignment and joint range of motion. This helps the nervous system work better and may improve the body's immune response.
Reduced Stress and Inflammation: Stress weakens the immune system and puts our bodies at risk of falling ill. At Skyline Chiropractic and Sports Medicine, chiropractic care includes spinal manipulation, manual therapy, and exercise, which help reduce stress and inflammation by relaxing muscles, reducing pain, and enhancing overall body function. Optimal body function supports the immune system and may reduce the risk of becoming sick.
Enhanced Circulation and Lymph Flow: Adjustments may improve circulation and lymphatic flow, which are essential for transporting immune cells and removing toxins. In addition to spinal manipulation, soft tissue release helps move the lymph through the lymph nodes, allowing toxins to drain through our body more effectively. A well-aligned spine supports immune health by allowing the lymphatic system to work more efficiently.
Nutrition & Diet: A healthy lifestyle strengthens the immune system and helps the body resist infections more effectively. Skyline Chiropractic Chiropractors can provide advice on nutrition and diet which play a significant role in immune health.
Reduced Dependence on Medications: Medication can be life saving, however some medications can weaken the immune system. A good example is when patients use corticosteroids to reduce inflammation in their bodies. These drugs lower the natural immune response. By managing pain naturally, chiropractic care can reduce the need for medications that may have side effects on the immune system, like anti-inflammatory drugs or painkillers.
Gross but True:
If you carry a purse or bag, think about where it’s been and what’s in it. How often does a bag end up on the floor, in a bathroom, or on a surface in a public place? Use a disinfectant wipe or spray to help eliminate germs from bags.
What ends up in a purse or a bag? If you’re storing used tissues, wrappers with chewed gum, or anything else that has touched or been near your face, get rid of it!
Bottom Line
Our immune systems are amazing and work overtime to keep us healthy. A healthy lifestyle all year long is the key to healthy immune function, but there are efforts you can make to help maintain your health during cold and flu season. Think about the simple steps that can help eliminate the germs around you. Every effort counts!
Are you concerned about your health this coming flu and cold season, or are you just feeling sluggish or off balance? Skyline Chiropractic and Sports Medicine can help align not only your spine but also your nutrition for a healthier, energized you! Please don't hesitate to give us a call at 724-203-0783 or e-mail us danielzorn@skylinechiropractor.com to schedule with Dr. Zorn or Dr. Zuppe.
We are locally owned and operating in Hopewell Township, at 2253 Brodhead Road, Aliquippa, PA 15001, since 2012.
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