13 Easy Ways to Improve Your Immune System Naturally in 2013
By LaKenya McClough, MPH
Happy New Year family! Given the recent spike in flu incidences in California and across the country, I thought it might be helpful to highlight a few more options on how to stay healthy this season. In this article, I’m sharing with you 13 different and simple ways you can naturally boost your immune system. These are not new ideas. In fact, they are easy everyday practices that when adopted on a regular basis can make a world of difference for your health and may even help prevent you from getting the flu!
Tip #10 — Massage
So we’re on tip # 10 now and you probably are starting to see a pattern; most of the things we’ve been talking about, the things that that naturally make us feel good, (i.e. green tea, meditation, yoga, eating the right foods) are also good for us. Surprisingly, it’s no different with massage!
Massages are the kind of thing we typically think of when we’ve already got a problem like a body ache, or simply needing to relieve stress. Science and medicine on the other hand, have given us another perspective; using massage as a means of preventing illness, and maintaining or optimizing health.
A recent study tested the effects of Swedish massage on the brain, the endocrine system and immune functions. The study found that (Liberty Pub.com) found that even just one single session of Swedish massage can improve the immune system by stimulating circulation in the body and signaling an increase in the production of white blood cells which help to fend off bacteria, viruses and disease.
When it’s all boiled down, it’s as simple as this; the more our bodies are relaxed, properly fed, rested, and moving the better it can function and protect us naturally. The result is an optimally functioning body with multifaceted benefits, including more energy, flexibility and mobility, improved mood, less sickness and longevity. To learn more about effects of massage on the immune system, check out the article by the Huffington Post.
If you’re up for some heavy reading on one of the original studies about the effects of massage on the immune system, here’s the full journal article.
Let’s remember to take care of ourselves and each other.
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