Strengthen Your Immune System and Resilience
Written by Melissa Kessler, MA, PCC
Immunity and resilience are more important than ever right now. Our immune system helps us fight off disease and stay healthy. We must nurture it and protect it to keep it functioning optimally. Resilience is our ability to go the distance, overcome obstacles, and recover from setbacks. Below are some ways to strengthen your immune system and resilience in the 4 domains of body, mind, emotion and spirit. (Please see hyper-links below for tips on engaging in these activities.)
Body
- Eat healthy. (Minimize processed foods, sugar, saturated fats, sodas, etc.)
- Get enough sleep (7-8 hours each night). – (Here are some tips to get better sleep.)
- Drink plenty of water (6-10 glasses each day).
- Exercise regularly (cardio, strength training, and stretching).
- Take vitamins daily.
- Eliminate tobacco and alcohol.
Mind
- Monitor and limit the amount of media you take in (ex: news, social media, etc.)
- Engage in meditation or deep breathing exercises.
- Practice mindfulness (being present).
- Practice visualization. (Picture your happy place or a positive outcome.)
- Engage in positive self-talk (affirmations)
- Stop mental rumination.
Emotion
- Develop emotional self-awareness (how you are feeling and why).
- Practice regulating emotions (emotional self-management).
- Develop empathy for others.
- Engage in laughter as much as possible.
- Nurture interpersonal relationships. Connect socially while social distancing. (Use FaceTime, Zoom, phone, text, email, social media, etc. to stay connected to family, friends, and colleagues.)
- Practice daily gratitude.
Spirit
- Reflect on what matters most to you. (What are your real priorities both now and long term? What are your values?)
- Find meaning and purpose in your work.
- Do what you are passionate about.
- Find ways to serve others. (Find ways to volunteer in your community.)
- Engage in activities that bring you joy and fulfillment.
May you take care of yourself physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually in the weeks and months ahead in order to stay healthy and happy and overcome any obstacles and setbacks that you may face during this challenging time.
“Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have. Make the Now the primary focus of your life.” – Eckhart Tolle
“Mindfulness improves social relationships, resiliency and task performance and is associated with learning, memory, emotional processing and regulation, perspective taking, self-regulation, and attention.” – The Center for Creative Leadership