Rebooting our Immune System

Good morning, It's early Sat morning as I writing you.  How are you doing this morning?  We are in some strange and stressful times.  How are you managing all this?  I've found I have days of feeling super confident and powerful which will be followed by a day of wondering and low energy.  I know this is normal, it is stress showing up.  We all have stress.  The stress level of our entire world has exponentially increased.

Yesterday I was reading one of my favorite books.  Born to Run- if you follow me, you know I'm a huge fan of journeys. exploration, nature, human nature and running... this book has it all in spades.  It's about modern day ultra athletes and an ancient running people the Tarahumara.  On page 37 they are talking about a group of Tarahumara who started living the modern life...with it came foods they had "rarely eaten - soda, chocolate, rice, sugar, butter, flower.  They developed a taste for starch and treats.....that was twenty years ago. "Now, there are no runners in Yerbabuena."  What I know for sure...Food is Medicine.  Food can also be a thief.  Poor food choices steal our health.

This passage struck a cord with me.  I've been giving myself more than normal treats, comfort foods, baked goods, chocolate, butter... rich foods.  My body doesn't work as well on these foods. My brain gets foggy.  My immune system isn't as powerful.  I know eating has a tremendous impact of my own vitality.  I've known this for years.  Just because we know something doesn't mean we always are perfect- hardly. 

 Nutrition and stress are directly linked.  Up your nutrition...your stress decreases...lower your nutrition...your stress will increase.

I run a pretty clean personal health ship because I like to feel good.  When I'm stressed, I up my self care...which includes nourishing foods. foods that reduce my own stress.  Lately I'm feeling signs of high stress... I'm more emotional, fuzzy brained, up's and downs in my energy, lowered decision making... that's my body, mind and spirit talking to me.  I'm listening...

I invite you to join me.  For the next two weeks, I'll be upping self care and lowering things I know drop my vitality, focus and immunity.  Two weeks isn't very long. It's doable.  I know from experience rebooting my vitality is priceless.- it is essential.  

Two week TLC list/Practice...

    1)  Make sleep a priority. Getting at least 8 hours.  Did you know sleep deprivation drops your immune system, your ability to problem solve and have focus???  

    2)  Eat for health... low inflammatory foods... veggies, fruits, proteins(plant and high quality )  Small meals.

               What are inflammatory foods?  hint..  many were listed on page 37 of  Born to Run. 

    3)  Drink/2 your weight in water...anything besides water is in addition to water not a substitution.

    4)  Take time to be quiet.  Meditation, gardening, walking, doodling/drawing, yoga, Tia Chi and Qi Gong, sitting in nature

You know I'm already outside everyday  Nature and exercise are huge for stress reliever. Nature nourishes for my mind, body and spirit  

I also use cleaning and tidying up as medicine... having my own home at ease, gives me a feeling everything will be ok, it calms my nervous system.

Chose one, two or 4 things from this list.  Make your own list. There are no rules. Think of this as an experiment.  How do you feel today?... how do you want to feel?  The key is to intentionally live for two weeks.  Clutter clear our health habits...  Think of this as an investment in your spirit, your healthy your vitality.  Play, notice, explore.  What brings back your center, vitality, confidence, clarity?  Listen to your body, your mind, your spirit.

Challenge:  Join me  We can do anything for 2 weeks.  Whatever day you are reading this, this is the day to start.  Mark your calendar for the next two weeks.  Two weeks dedicated to your TLC, your immunity, your letting go of too much news and baked goods.  The payoff is a clear brain, stronger immunity, reduced stress, deeper confidence and improved problem solving... which we all need right now.  

I get it, there needed to be a time to nourish ourselves with comfort foods.  Even indulge ourselves.  We were all in shock.  This Virus and it's effects took us all by surprise.  In 3 short months the virus shut down economies and isolated our world.. Yes, we all have stress.  I'm right there with you.  But we need to remember what season we are in.  Spring is the season to reboot, detox and clean out.  Even during a pandemic, staying in rhythm is important...more important.  If you are feeling a bit lost, down, anxious, even unsteady, now is the time to regain our centers- our internal strength.

 We are in a marathon.  We will need our stamina, our brains, our immunity, our faith, our vitality to see our way.  I ask you to join me for 2 weeks.  Reboot and clean up what we do have control over. Our own daily health habits.  We still have a lot of choices.  I'm choosing to care for myself  so I can be there for you and my family, for our world ... we need us all.  We are all essential.  

I'll sign off with a quote from Arianna Huffington's book "The Sleep Revolution"  "Sleep has a profound effect on the brain's prefrontal cortex, home of advanced cognitive processes such as planning, decisions-making and problem solving-"  ... all of which are seriously needed by us all right now!  

From my home to yours... may you be happy, may you be healthy, may you be at ease,

           Denise

The pictures you see are found from my daily walks, runs, nature explorations..

I highly recommend going outside and looking for beauty.  Find spring. What catches your eye? Moves your spirit?