Crutches For Your Immune System

Today I want to make you think. Think about your style of life, about your habits, about the things you just can’t live without. Or so you believe.

And I chose, as the topic, the immune system and how we use crutches to keep it upright. I will actually share with you my style of life.

That does not mean you have to do the same, the purpose here it to challenge your thinking not to tell you what you should do. You have to decide that for yourself.

I will just go straight into today’s topic.

I have water with lemon and ginger and I also have garlic (not with the water an ginger) every morning.

However, to ensure I don’t get dependent on them I take long breaks, a week, a couple of weeks. It’s like a test if you wish, to see whether I can “survive” without them. Then I go back to them.

But, if within a week or two I catch a cold then there is something wrong here. And it has to do with something else that I do or don’t do on a regular basis as part of my style of life.

Are you with me?

If your immune system cannot sustain itself, and fight a common cold for example, unless you take vitamins, mineral and all sorts of drinks, and without them your immune system will weaken, then something else needs your attention.

Sure, have a boost. I do. I sometimes have 2-3 months of multivitamins. I don’t have them on a regular basis. Personally, I want my body to put up a bit of fight.

If I was to catch a cold 1-2 weeks without these then it is obvious my immune system in not actually strong but uses supplements as crutches. In that case it seems healthy eating and training are not enough and it needs extra support.

Does this make sense to you? Of course we are not talking about illnesses. That is a different side of the coin.

But with the cold weather around the corner you may benefit from giving your current style of life a little bit more thought.

Don’t depend on any kind of food or supplement to keep your immune system up. It has to be able to fight by itself. Don’t use them as a crutch.

This is a small thing but the small things make the greatest difference in the end. Small elements of your style of life will either make you stronger or not.

So now think about your style of life. Are you dependent on anything, healthy or otherwise?

November 4, 2015November 4, 2015

The Key To A Strong Immune System

Many times I am asked whether I catch a cold running in shorts and t-shirt in rain or snow, summer or winter. My answer is always no.

We do not catch a cold because it’s cold outdoors. No. We catch a cold when our immune system is down, that firewall. That’s when we are open to viruses and we catch that virus.

Your immune system can drop because of many different reasons. One of them could be intense training or cold. Yes. Cold can lower your immune system. However it’s not the cold that makes you catch a cold. It’s your weaken immune system.

However, if you keep your immunity strong constantly you needn’t worry about cold and intense training.

THE MISTAKE

There is a habit. The habit of inconsistency. You cannot have a strong immune system if you are not consistent with your eating habits, your training routine and sleeping patterns.

The “bad day, good day” stories are good excuses but the only one suffering will be you. In time, by confusing the body so much, its defense mechanisms will weaken and it will be more difficult to get them back up than if you were consistent from the beginning.

You may or may not be aware that what you do for months can cause those defences to gradually weaken, and not what you did yesterday. So running in the rain….no I don’t catch a cold.

STRESS AND LACK OF SLEEP

When I do catch a cold I know these are the 2 reasons that weaken my immune system a lot. I know because I pay close attention to my habits. Sometimes I even write them down.

Need I say more? Just that sleeping well (resting well, quality sleep is not the same as quantity) 3 days out of 7 or 20/30 doesn’t mean you are consistent. And don’t be surprised when you catch a cold because your body didn’t have the chance to recharge.

By the way, sleeping is the only time when the body heals in its natural way. Bear that in mind.

FUEL

This is one of the Food Discipline™ lessons I repeat over and over again.

Food is fuel. Leaving aside the cultural aspects and that it satisfies our taste buds, food is actually there to fuel our bodies and keep them strong.

Understand this, really understand it, and you will witness your food choice begin to change.

THE KEY

If you want to have a strong immune system be consistent with your (right) habits and drop the “good day, bad day” story. The right habits that build and help your body recover.

Recovery is not only after exercising. Recovery is after a day of work or looking after the kids. The body uses resources and it needs to recover.

There is no such thing as a good and a bad day, they are the reflections of your habits. Exceptions should be exceptions, and not daily and weekly habits.

Thus the KEY to a strong immune system is CONSISTENCY.

The KEY to consistency is, many times, ACCOUNTABILITY. If you struggle to stay consistent and want to get certain habits in place, habits that will last long-term contact me.

January 7, 2015May 17, 2015

16 benefits of practicing deep breathing

1. Improves your cardiovascular system. Your heart is a muscle and, like any other muscle in your body, it can be developed through practice.

2. Removes stale air from your lungs.

3. Helps you heal faster by directing the breathe into areas of the body where there are injuries and illnesses.

4. Reduces your cardiovascular warm up at the start of your workout.

5. Reducing your recovery period after a workout.

6. Helps detoxify your body.

7. Helps you let go of tension in your body when you are tense, angry, scared or stressed, when your body constricts.

8. Relaxes the mind and brings clarity, focus, allows room for more creativity and productivity.

9. Relieves emotional struggles, calms you down in moments of panic and anxiety.

10. Strengthens the immune system. Oxygen travels through your bloodstream enriching your body to metabolise nutrients and vitamins.

11. Encourages good posture. When you slouch notice how your body closes up and your breathing becomes shallow. Then you take a deep breath, your chest comes out and your body naturally straightens.

12. Strengthens the lungs, they become healthy and powerful, a good tool to prevent respiratory problems.

13. Assists in weight control. More oxygen to your tissues burns up the excess fat more efficiently.

14. Boosts energy levels and improves stamina.

15. Improves cellular regeneration.

16. For runners, it helps you run faster, stronger and for longer

Here are 2 breathing exercises to get you started

Step 1. Make sure you breathe correctly, that means when you breathe in you make your stomach big, when you breathe out you pull your stomach in.

Step 2. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth

Step 3. The exercise. Let’s take 4 seconds as count for breathing in, out and holds. You can adjust them to fit your level:

Linear breathing technique

I use this as a warm up for the others.

– BREATHE IN through your nose on a count of 4
– BREATHE OUT through your nose on a count of 4.
– Repeat

Triangle breathing technique

Imagine an equilateral triangle. It has 3 equal sides

– BREATHE IN through your nose on a count of 4.
– HOLD on a count of 4.
– BREATHE OUT through your nose on a count of 4.
– No hold after this one. Repeat

Adjust the in breathe, out breathe and holds according to your level.

More advances breathing techniques are square, rectangle, therapeutic breathing.

If you’d like to learn more please download my free eBook “15 Healthy Habits For The Body” or book a free consultation with me.

November 21, 2014March 13, 2015

7 Things I do to avoid the Flu

1. Drink water with lemon and ginger every morning.

Boosts immune system
Alkaline food – Balances pH Levels
Cleanse
Aids digestion
Lemons are high in pectin fiber – helps fight hunger cravings – Aids in Weight Loss

2. Training outdoor.

Especially if you feel a start of a cold, you need to get your immune system up and running asap.

Don’t wait until it is very very bad. It will also make you feel better mentally.

The great thing about training outdoor is that you avoid the viruses which incubate in indoor, hot places. Even if you immune system is down you have less changes of contacting a virus outdoor than indoor with 100 other people.

Boosts immunity
Away from viruses
Oxygen for your brain, blood and muscles

4. Eat citrus fruit or drink citrus fruit juice made by yourself

Citrus are ins season in winter. Indeed they are high in sugar but they are not high on Glycemic Index.

What can they do for you?

Boost of Vitamins
Keeps the whole fruit so you don’t miss any nutrients
No added sugars, colours, preservatives etc
Low Glycemic Index
Grapefruit give you about 59% of your daily recommended value of Vit C

5. Drink lots of tea.

Cleanse body of toxins
Boosts immunity
Green tea and other herbal teas are best

If you fancy a tea with a twist, but still green, healthy and full of antioxidants, check out Matcha Tea on our store, as well as our review on it

6. Eat fresh vegetables of all colours
Every colour has its vitamins and minerals the body needs to stay healthy, strong and fight illnesses.

Green – vin A, B9, B2, Calcium, Magnesium, Iron,
Red – vit A, vit C (red apples contain quercetin, a compound that can fight colds, flu, and allergies)
Orange – vitamins C, A, B6, potassium, and fiber
Yellow – potassium, fiber, manganese, vitamin A, magnesium
Blue – antioxidants, fibre
Purple – anthocyanins (antioxidants that protect blood vessels and preserve healthy skin), vitamin A and flavonoids
White – vitamins and minerals: vitamins C, K, and folate, contain fiber

7. Sleep good.

Sleeping properly, a restful sleep, 6-8 hours every night gives the body a change to regenerate and heal. It is probably the most important tool to fight illnesses, if you ask me.
I use meditation and relaxation tracks which help me relax and also help me have positive thoughts before I go to bed.

8. Your mind has the power

Never say “I will get sick” or “I am sick”

Since high school, when I had the odd cold, I used to tell everyone that I am not sick and I actually produce antibodies.

My friends always wondered how come I was ill but had more energy than when I wasn’t, I would train harder, laugh harder and be very cheerful all the time. What you think and what you tell yourself and others influence the outcome in reality.

I did not know then that this was actually a science, I had no idea why I was so energetic when ill. Well now I know.

And I have the perfect article to support this