Keeping your immune system strong is always a great idea. Here at Semblance Medspa, we want to do all we can to help you stay healthy and looking and feeling incredible! With that in mind, we’ve gathered some of our favorite lifestyle tips for boosting your immune system naturally.
Eat more vegetables.
Vegetables are incredibly beneficial for your overall health and the health of your skin! Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, and leafy green vegetables like kale and spinach are all full of antioxidants. Antioxidants are great for your health because they reduce inflammation in your body and prevent damage by free radicals. Free radicals wreak havoc on your skin, causing lines and wrinkles and other signs of skin damage. Other anti-inflammatory foods you can feel good about adding to your diet include avocados, berries, omega-3-packed nuts, flax seeds and salmon, spices like turmeric, ginger, and chili, and green and black teas, which are rich in flavonoids – a powerful type of antioxidant.
Hold the sugar.
An article in Health points out that the average person eats over 60 pounds, or 6,780 teaspoons of added sugar each year! We know limiting sugars is one of the hardest diet changes to make for numerous reasons, but when you know that sugar is linked to acne, wrinkles, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even cancer, it’s clear why limiting your consumption is so important. The American Heart Association recommends consuming no more than six teaspoons of added sugar per day (not including the natural sugar found in fruit and some vegetables like sweet potatoes). The biggest way to start cutting out added sugar is by eliminating sodas and candy, and even the sugar you put in your tea or coffee, especially if you have those daily. Next, you could try limiting your consumption of pre-prepared foods, which can have way more hidden sugar and sodium than you would expect. To balance the removal of these things, do the best you can to increase your intake of fresh, whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, eggs, unprocessed meats and fish.
Stay hydrated.
Regardless of whether you work out often or not at all, it’s still essential to stay hydrated – and not just because it helps your skin stay healthy and glowing! Dehydration can lead to headaches and hinder your physical performance, focus, mood, digestion and even heart and kidney function. All of those issues can increase your likelihood of getting sick. Some ways you can try to improve your hydration on a daily basis include keeping a water bottle filled and within reach throughout the day, and adding fruits and vegetables with a high water content like citrus fruits, cucumbers and bell peppers, to your diet more regularly.
Trying even just one of these tips, let alone several or all of them, can start you on the path to being healthier and better protected from illnesses. If you’re interested in how our expert team can help you improve your overall wellness – self-care included – we’re here and ready to help! Just give us a call at 518.599.0008 or request a consultation online today.