Stress is no good for your immune system at all and it can be a significant contributor to the onset of sickness. These days’ one in three people claim that they feel very stressed in their life. If this is true then they are at greater risk of becoming sick because the stress will weaken their immune system.
If you feel regularly stressed then you must pay attention to the advice in this chapter. When you are experiencing stress you will lower the ability of your immune system to protect you from harmful antigens. You need to do everything that you can to avoid stress.
By reducing the amount of stress that you experience in your daily life, the stronger your immune system will become. We have a number of suggestions for you and urge you to follow them to reduce the stress in your life. The first of these is all about your diet.
Cut out Coffee and Sugary Beverages
Most people in America and some other westernized countries drink far too much coffee. A lot of people reach for the coffee if they are feeling stressed. But if you introduce too much caffeine into your system then you can suppress your adrenals which will usually make the problem a lot worse.
Introducing a lot of sugar into your body through drinking sodas and other drinks that are sugar laden will not help your stress situation either. If you are stressed (and at other times) it is much better for you to drink healthy warm teas.
Healthy teas can help you to relax and reduce your stress. These restorative teas taste great and will work for you all throughout the day. You can get some great tasting infusions such as lemon and ginger which will help you to combat stress.
Don’t Eat White Carbohydrates
What we are talking about here are food products made from refined white flour such as white pasta, processed cereals, and white bread. A lot of these products contain a lot of sugar, salt and other preservatives. These will not help you to reduce your stress.
You are better off eating fresh vegetables and fruits instead to get your carbohydrates. By choosing the right ones (see chapter four) you will get good doses of antioxidants and probiotics that will help to relax you.
Choose the right Protein
When you are suffering from stress it can lead to blood sugar imbalances, and protein provides a stabilizing effect with your blood sugar. When you consume the right proteins you will get a boost in energy and also reduce mood swings, jitteriness and agitation as well as sharpen your brain and improve your sleep.
We have already discussed the benefits of eating fish, but you can add other good protein sources to your diet as well such as:
Making changes to your diet is just one positive thing that you can do to relieve stress. Now we will look at some other great ways to reduce your stress.
Mindfulness Meditation
One of the most powerful ways to relieve stress quickly is to master the art of mindfulness meditation. When you are able to leave all of the stresses of the day behind and focus on the present moment you will find that your stress disappears very quickly.
A lot of people think that mindfulness meditation is a difficult thing to do. They have visions in their head of learning complex yoga poses and sitting in a trance for hours on end. It is not like this at all.
Here is a simple mindfulness meditation practice that you can do right now. You do not require any special equipment such as a bench or couch to do this. Just find a good space and dedicate a little time to the practice.
All you are going to do here is focus your attention on the present moment. When you do this you can leave any judgment behind. If you find your mind wanders then just focus back in the present. It will take a bit of practice but in a short time it will be easy for you.
Use a comfortable and solid seat and pay attention to your legs. Be sure that the bottoms of your feet are resting flat on the floor. Keep your upper body straight without making it stiff. Follow the natural curvature of your spine.
Pay close attention to your breathing. Focus on the actual sensation of breathing and experience the air moving through your mouth or nose as well as the rising and falling of your chest as you breathe.
Develop a Positive Attitude
Positive people are less likely to suffer from sickness and have health problems than negative people according to numerous studies. Optimists tend to have a lot stronger immune systems than pessimists do.
If you are a pessimist then it will take time and consistent effort to transition to having a positive attitude. But it will be worth it as you will reduce your stress levels and help your immune system at the same time.
The way that you react to events in your life is critical. If you see everything in a negative light then this is very likely to induce stress. Conversely, if you have a positive attitude then you will handle situations in life in a much calmer manner.
One of the best ways to transform to a positive attitude is to start practicing gratitude. Think about all of the people and things that you have in your life that you are grateful for. For example, you can be grateful that you are alive, have your family and friends, a roof over your head and food to eat.
Write down three things that you are grateful for each day. Another good way to change to a positive attitude is to write positive affirmations and read these out each day. These statements can be along the lines of “I can do anything that I put my mind to” and “each day I am getting better and better in every way”. Try it, they really work.
In the next chapter we will look how exercise and sleep play a crucial role in the health of your immune system…
