Tips to Protect Your Health & COVID-19 Update

Coronavirus, or COVID-19, has been at the forefront of news headlines for the past several weeks. Hand sanitizer, canned goods, paper towels, and toilet paper may be hard to come by, but the truth is that there are some steps you can take to avoid getting sick. Here are our suggestions to help you stay healthy when faced with many illnesses, including the flu, common cold, and coronavirus.

Wash Your Hands

We know you’ve heard it a million times before, but we’ll say it again – wash your hands regularly! Simply washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is an excellent form of defense against germs. Washing your hands well is key to protecting yourself from illness. Be sure to lather up before meals, after you use the restroom, and after you’ve been in a public place where germs are actively spread. Think door handles, credit card machines, shopping carts, etc. Avoid touching your face, especially when you are out and about. Touching an often touched item (like a doorknob), then touching your face, is a surefire way to expose yourself to germs.

Maintain a Healthy Diet

A healthy immune system starts with a healthy diet. A nutritious diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein, whole grains, and healthy fats will keep the bacteria in your gut happy. When your body is exposed to germs, your gut bacteria provides the first line of defense, so keep it happy and healthy and you will keep your whole body healthy, too.

Now is also a great time to cut down on added sugars, as they can throw off the balance between good and bad gut bacteria. You always want to stay hydrated!

Additionally, it won’t hurt to up your intake of Vitamin C, either as a supplement or as a food source, or Vitamin D – which you can get for free with a few minutes in the sun.

Sleep Well

It may be a challenge to get a good night’s sleep when you’re stressed about pandemics, but if you aren’t getting at least 7-8 hours of restful sleep every night, you aren’t doing your immune system, or your body, any favors. When you are sleeping, your body takes advantage of that time to rest, recuperate, and rejuvenate. If you find that you are having difficulty falling asleep, check in on your sleep environment. Your room should be cool, quiet, and dark. Evaluate how your nighttime routine could be affecting your sleep. Avoid caffeine in the afternoon and put electronics away an hour before bed. Scrolling through social media is no way to soothe your mind with the recent outbreak, so turn it off and tune out.

Visit Markson Chiropractic

The foundation of chiropractic is to enhance the function of the central nervous system, which is what regulates every function in your body, even your immune system. Regular chiropractic adjustments remove spinal joint dysfunctions, which can impact how well your central nervous system communicates with the rest of your body. When your body can communicate efficiently, then every system is better able to work together to help you maintain your health.

You can’t control the flu, the common cold, or even coronavirus but you can control how well you support your health and immune system. There’s no way to trick a virus, so get back to basics to help you stay healthy. To learn more about how Markson Chiropractic can help improve your immune system, click here to contact your local Plantation chiropractor, serving the greater Miami and Ft. Lauderdale area.