We all dread the time of year where no matter where you go, even if you choose to mostly stay home, someone ends up sick. It is inevitable and cannot be avoided, even with the greatest effort. While Fall tends to be the beginning of the long haul for most of us, especially with young kids in school, challenges to our health can really come any time of year. Which makes the ability to boost your health during sick season a key part of minimizing these setbacks.
Especially, if you live in a place (hello, Michigan!) where time outdoors and in the sunlight can be limited during the colder months, you may find even your vitamin levels need a little help. Something like lack of sunlight, which seems so minor, can even possibly affect your vitamin D levels. What else might we be missing out on to keep the sickness at bay or to shorten their duration? Furthermore, when we do get sick we often deplete the body of nutrients and need extra help to restore the body back to its normal levels.
But have no fear, there are many ways you can boost your health during sick season to shorten the time you are out of commission. Or stay ahead of the game and fend off severe bouts by routinely making healthier choices.
As always, I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice. Use these tips as general advice and please seek a medical professional for any specific information.
Now, let’s take a look at some of the best ways to get that boost we all will need at some point in time.
1. Eat in color.
Also referred to as “eat the rainbow”, this phrase focuses on eating fruits and vegetables of all colors. Different colored fruits and vegetables offer different types of vitamins, which our bodies need to stay healthy and fight off sickness. For example, if you take a look at bell peppers, you’ll notice they come in many colors, most commonly red, yellow, orange, and green. Specifically, red peppers have the most beta-carotene and all of them have some level of vitamin C.
I recommend venturing out and trying other colors of your favorite foods such as yellow kiwis, yellow grape tomatoes, purple carrots, purple potatoes and so on.
Focusing on a plate that is colorful is also a great way to stay mindful of consuming different types of nutrients. Need help getting started with meal prep at home? Grab this free beginner’s guide to Simple Meal Prep to inspire some colorful choices!
2. Stay hydrated.
Everyone says this, right? Yet, it is so difficult to stay on top of. Whatever you need to do, staying hydrated is very important, especially during your sickness. It doesn’t take much to begin to see the effects of dehydration, especially if you’re one to sweat a lot during your workouts.
There are signs your body will tell you when you’re not drinking enough water or that it isn’t being absorbed as it should be. Especially coming off a stomach bug, a bout of increased sweat loss, or even a hangover, drinking just water without having something to aid in actual recovery may just turn into more trips to the bathroom.
That said, you may want to consider incorporating an electrolyte powder or a dash of some mineral salt to your water (like Himalayan Pink Salt) if you’re in need of rehydration. This will help increase the salt content in your body and help the water be absorbed for recovery.
Of course you’ll want to know your baselines and these strategies aren’t needed every day. But after a good sweat, a hot summer day, or after a stomach bug, you may find a little powder drink or salt retains the water in your body a little longer to utilize it better.
Peeing a lot can sometimes even dehydrate you faster because it isn’t holding onto the water long enough to use it. If that’s you and you’re interested in trying electrolyte powder, check out DRGN Salt! I love the mango individual packets. Here’s 10% off if you want to give it a try or use code: ALLTHEMAMAS!
3. Supplement as needed.
As mentioned before, having the right balance in the body will help aid in recovery and can even short illnesses. While I can’t talk too much about supplementation, what I can say is that there are some that are really common at giving you a boost but how much and how often is different for everyone. Some of the most common vitamins to consider are: zinc, vitamin C, vitamin D and magnesium.
You’ll also want to know whether or not the vitamins you’re taking are fat soluble or water soluble. Fat soluble vitamins are stored in the body and don’t need to be replenished as often as water soluble. You’ll also want to take them with fat to increase their rate of absorption (like an avocado). For tinctures, multi-vitamins, and holistic health options, here are a few I really like:
- Earthley Products: Cough-B-Gone, Energy Plus, Magnesium Lotion, Immune Bundle
- MaryRuth Organics: Vitamin C + K2, liquid Zinc, Immune Support gummies, Elderberry Gummies, Magnesium Gummies (use code ALLTHEMAMAS for 15% off)
Just keep in mind, don’t mix a bunch of things and exceed the recommended intake. Recovering or preventing sickness is a tough thing to handle and working with a provider you trust is the best way to find what you need for your body!
4. Prioritize shuteye.
This is also one you’ve probably heard before but it matters. If you’re a parent of small kids this may not be an easy one to tackle but it is a really important way to boost your health during sick season.
Make sure you remove distractions that can keep you up late, work on prioritizing your to-do list (does it all have to get done today?) and use technology to your advantage.
Set yourself an alarm or a wind down period before going to bed and for yourself to get off your phone or away from the tv.
Dedicate your evenings to preparing your health for the next day or weeks to come. And get as much of it as you can if you’re already sick!
5. Get your sweat on, maybe.
Can exercise really prevent you from getting sick? The studies say it’s possible! There is a lot of information out there on what it could possibly do to aid in the prevention or recovery of illness however, most notably to me is that it causes a change in antibodies and causes white blood cells to circulate more rapidly which all impacts your immune system.
While some of these theories haven’t been proven, it is nice to think that by prioritizing exercise, you may just be helping fight off bacteria and other viruses you didn’t even see coming!
6. Reduce stress.
Sounds easier said than done, I know. However, if you read this far than you saw the benefits of #5. That said, exercise can also help slow down the release of stress hormones which may cause sickness and run down the immune system.
Additionally, a really good way to reduce stress is to be prepared for when sickness arrives. Instead of frantically trying to get hands on medicine, vitamins and other recovery items, stock up on a few of your family’s top choices so you can be ready to go. One less thing to add to the chaos when it’s in full force.
So for all the times you’ve read to reduce stress without many solutions, here’s a couple good ways!
7. Do the obvious stuff.
I don’t have much to say here. It’s simple. Keep your hands off of your face and wash your hands often with soap. And maybe give your cell phone, keys, steering wheel, etc. a good wipe down every so often seeing as you use those almost daily.
No matter where you start on your health journey, prioritizing your immune system can help in so many ways. From eating colorful food, to aiding your body in restoring balance, these strategies to boost your health during sick season can really make a difference.
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