How to boost your immune system - #6 Reduce Alcohol

What are you doing to support your immune system during COVID-19 and Influenza season this winter?

As the winter cold and flu season approaches, ways to boost your immune system are amongst the most common questions people are talking about now. Taking preventative steps to strengthen your immune health will always be beneficial for your physical and mental health, now and in the future. If you’re older or have an underlying health condition, taking preventative measures is a great idea. Your overall immune system health may benefit from the following 6 practical actions, which you can easily do right now: 

1. Be active by participating in moderate exercise that you enjoy
2. Eat a nutritious diet
3. Prioritise restful sleep
4. Manage your stress
5. Take supplements for a boost

6. Minimise alcohol and drink in moderation

Doctors are concerned more people are turning to alcohol as they deal with loss of employment, support networks and the stresses from lockdown. While meditation, physical and mindfulness exercises are likely healthier ways of coping, for some they aren’t enough, and alcohol adds a little something extra. Studies have shown a relationship between chronic heavy alcohol consumption, damages to the immune system and increased susceptibility to infections.

If you can’t function normally without alcohol, find you have become dependent or drink heavily, consider:

• Limiting alcohol consumption to weekends and have non-alcoholic substitutes on hand during weekdays.
• Making managing stress a priority. Stress is a major trigger of cravings, so spend time with supportive people, exercise regularly, eat healthy and get plenty of sleep (points 1-4 above).
• Getting help early - many people with a drinking problem don’t come forward for help until it affected their lives in a big way and grossly underestimated how much alcohol they had.
• If you’ve already started to abstain from alcohol that’s causing cravings and withdrawal symptoms have kicked in (as your body craves toxins), focus on healthy eating to give your body the nutrients it needs to fight your drinking habits.

  

Final thoughts
See Covid-19 as a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reset the important things in your life and live the life you have always wanted to! To elevate the importance of your health and well-being. To make it a priority in your life right now. To reconnect with the people who are important to you and you love. To listen to your body as it never lies! To incorporate all the little nurturing and restorative rituals you’ve let go over the years that you used to do for yourself, before you put others before you as life got busier and more stressful. 

Remember you still have ultimate control and choice in your life. Difficult times can diminish us. Develop us. Define us. Which do you choose? We believe that in most negatives there’s a positive to be found and we’re sure you will come out stronger than ever before in many ways! We’re all in this together.

 

Viva la vida (long live life)

Rob & Belinda

Australian Natural Drinks Co.

https://www.naturaldrinks.com.au/