Boost Your Immunity
As we head into cold and flu season, it’s important to make sure your body is strong and equipped to fight off whatever comes its way.
The immune system is the body’s way of protecting itself from infection and disease, and it defends against everything from viruses and bacteria to other threatening microbes. It’s a big job and while you can’t prevent illness, as we all get sick from time to time, you can nourish your body in ways that give it the best fighting chance.
Your immune system may be struggling if:- Your stress levels are through the roof
- You often catch a cold or other common bug
- You feel fatigued all the time
- Your tummy is bothering you – frequent gas, constipation or diarrhea
- Slow recovery from infections or wounds
A seasonal revamp may be in order to safeguard your health and bolster your immune response. Pursuing immunity-optimizing habits, including sleep, stress reduction and body therapies, is wellness 101 and goes a long way in revving up a strong defence response.
While there are a plethora of supplements and products claiming to boost immunity, it takes more than a few vitamins and minerals in a bottle. Taking a natural approach is the best course to staying healthy, energized and keeping colds and the winter chill at bay.
Find some holistic TLC for your immune system at Ste. Anne’s. Our extensive spa wellness offerings and holistic treatments have especially potent immune-boosting powers by reducing inflammation and stress. If you deal with a consistently high-stress level, your body produces an overload of cortisol, which blocks the immune system from functioning properly.
Relax and release all your worries in our quiet therapeutic hydrotherapy pools and rejuvenating steam room and sauna. Studies show that hot-cold therapy decreases inflammation, promotes circulation to flush out toxins and reduces stress and tension, all factors that help give the body an immune boost. Soaking up hot water provides relaxation, restoration and also diminishes stress. Our customized heat and hydro treatments, including scrubs, wraps and rinses, combined with essential oils, have wonderful euphoric properties that clear the mind and refresh and renew wellness.
Regular massage treatments release wonderful serotonin and get things moving in our circulatory, lymph and vascular systems. Our CBD-infused treatments, including our revitalizing Canna Massage, nourish your entire well-being – studies suggest that hemp helps to enhance immunity and protects the immune system through its anti-anxiety and anti-inflammatory properties.
Our fall-winter wellness classes will help get your body moving to increase blood flow and oxygen and strengthen antibodies, which improve defences. Meditating, journaling and exercise are excellent ways to relax the body and mind. The less stress, the healthier the body and so too your immune system.
Further strengthen your immunity:- Distance yourself from processed fats and anything with white sugar, along with too much caffeine and alcohol. Drink lots of water.
- Focus on foods like fruits, veggies, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. Nutrients such as vitamin D, selenium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and zinc which are all major players in the immune processes.
- Engage in regular activity. Exercise helps the lymphatic system, where our immune cells circulate, and decreases stress hormones. Pumping more blood through the body moves along nutrients and immune cells and flushes out toxins.
- Get good sleep. Lack of sleep elevates the hormone cortisol, which suppresses immune function.
- Get out daily for some fresh air – germs don’t linger in the outdoor air like they do indoors.
While there is no one elixir to optimize your immune system, it’s all about balance of lifestyle habits so your body can stay healthy and heal itself. In the big chill ahead, make time for self-care with the power of therapeutic touch, detoxification, stress relief and immune-boosting food and treatments – be well at Ste. Anne’s Spa.
