4th May
You’ve been smashing those Instagram Lives. But, y’know, there’s only so much good that’ll do if the rest of your routine’s gone totally rogue. If you’re finding yourself forgetting how to person, let alone adult, it’s time to hit reset. And CrossFit City Road boss man BJ Rule’s got 5 immunity-boosting tips to not only put you back on track – but get you firing on all cylinders again.
So we’re in this strange Lockdown thing and it’s just been extended for the foreseeable. We’ve had Easter and smashed all the eggs in a couple of days. We ran out of all the alcohol we stockpiled a lifetime ago. So it’s about time for some tips to get you fighting fit and ready to come out all guns blazing on the other side:
1. Exercise. As well as maintaining our gains and keeping us both physically and mentally sane, exercise releases endorphins which give us a ‘feel good’ factor. This endorphin release is obviously brilliant for our mental health and helps balance our endocrine system which in turn supports our immune system.
2. Get outside! We’re allowed an hour a day. Make sure you take it. Fresh air, blue skies, nature and moving about in more than our homes is good for your body and soul. The sun’s been shining and sunlight provides us with immune boosting Vitamin D so: get outside, get your kit off and get your dose!
3. Nourish thyself. Eat well, getting plenty of all the right things… whatever that might mean to you! Think nutrient-dense foods that provide our macros (proteins, carbs and fats) and are also micronutrient (vitamins and minerals) rich. Think meats, vegetables, fruits, nuts and eggs. Obviously eat to your persuasion whether that be vegan, carnivore, pescatarian, fruitarian or Jedi. Eat enough that we stay buff but not too much that we end up fluff.
4. Sleep. So, we’ve now seen Tiger King twice and binged on all things Netflix until the early hours. It’s now time to stop treating our body like an amusement park and start providing it with the number one Immune Boosting tool at our disposal. Sleep!! Aim for 7-8hours. Before 12am is essential, get before 10pm and you’re on your way to Sleep Heroics!
5. Hot and Cold therapy. Both hot and cold treatment have been proven to have positive metabolic effects.
A useful way to start your day with an immune boost is to have a cold shower. Start with your shower as usual and finish with a couple of minutes of only the cold. Progress this by starting with what you can handle- this might be 30 seconds, do it daily trying a little longer each day and before long you’ll have the desired and beneficial 3 minutes.
Hot therapy is extremely useful as raising our core temperature is an effective tool in fighting disease. Try taking a hot bath for 20 minutes at the end of the day and help fight and prevent illness.
So there you go, try adding the above 5 practices to your day (not just during this pandemic but even when life as we knew it begins again) and you’ll develop an immune system with the healing and recovery abilities of Wolverine.
For plenty more wise words to get you through lockdown, follow @bjrule