COVID-19 has rapidly taken over our lives and doesn’t seem to be getting better as fast as we hoped it would. Most school districts are moving to remote-only learning for the 2020-2021 school year, some states and counties are re-closing bars, salons, and dine-in restaurants. A vaccine is being created, but it takes a long time and some of us get nervous about vaccines, especially NEW vaccines. 

With so many components of our daily lives being threatened, consumed, and ruined by this virus, isn’t there anything we CAN do? Anything we can control?! Please?!

Good news, mommas! There are a few simple things we can control and can introduce to our lives and the lives of our family members. 

Multiple studies have shown that boosting your immune system can help fight off and minimize COVID-19 destruction and tragedy. Check out this article from the St. Louis-based Washington University (or WashU for short).

While boosting your immune system may not keep you 100% safe from contracting this virus, boosting your immune system CAN lower your chance of catching the virus and can help you fight the virus better if you do catch it.

Wait, wait, wait, we are all moms here. We don’t have time or energy to add anything to our already chaotic lives, right? 

Fear not, these tips are for tired, exhausted, drained, overworked mommas, too. 

These “boost your immune system”  tips will help introduce more healthy habits in your life and the lives of your family members. These tips are an opportunity to take back the control we have lost to the virus and start healing as a community of moms moving forward in life

Antioxidants

Consuming antioxidants can help boost your immune system and fight off illnesses. There are a few yummy and healthy foods that naturally contain antioxidants. Try adding one or a few of these into your daily diet to boost your immune system:

• Raspberries
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Dark Chocolate 
• Kale
• Pecans
• Antioxidant-rich tea
• Supplements Jens links
• Artichokes
• Cinnamon
• Russet Potatoes
• Black Beans
• Dried Fruit

Limit Fake Foods 

Limiting unhealthy sugar and fake foods can minimize harmful ingredients and leave room for more nutrient-rich foods!

Realistic Exercise 

There are so many specific ways that exercise can help improve your immune system! Simply put, physical activity helps general good health, and general good health creates a healthy immune system. So, aim to get 30 minutes of physical activity every single day. This can be things like workout videos or a trip to the gym, or a chaotic kids yoga video with your small ones, anything counts! Physical activity promotes positive physical health, mental health, and spiritual health. Choose a realistic activity, keep it simple, and make it easy and enjoyable for yourself to get 30 minutes of physical activity a day. Harvard posted this article that highlights the benefits of exercise for your immune system.

Sunshine and Vitamin D

Sunshine on your skin makes your body produce Vitamin D, a vitamin that is known to boost your immune system. While some natural sunlight can be beneficial to you, too much can be harmful. The good news is that Vitamin D is naturally found in some foods! Add these foods to their diets and your body and immune system will be strong and healthy.

• Salmon
• Tuna
• Milk
• Yogurt
• Swiss Cheese
• Egg Yolks
• Mushrooms
• Fortified Orange Juice
• Fortified Cereal

This article from the Cleveland Clinic shows us how to get more Vitamin D from our food.

Moms Need Sleep

Ugh, we are busy moms, is sleep really THAT important?! Welp, yes it is. Sleep is important for many reasons, one of them being a healthy immune system. Think of it this way: while we sleep, our bodies produce Cytokines, and that crazy little protein attacks inflammation and infection. The more you sleep, the more Cytokines your body produces. The more Cytokines your body produces, the healthier your immune system is! Phew, did you follow me with all of that?! It was a lot!

Momma, you deserve sleep and lots of it. As moms, we may not always (or ever) get an uninterrupted 8 hours of deep sleep a night. We may not be able to sleep when the baby sleeps. We may not get to sleep in. But we can add some sleep here and there throughout your day and night to make sure you get enough. Take a cat nap during the day sometimes instead of folding the laundry. Order takeout and go to bed early instead of cooking and cleaning the kitchen. Add some creative sleep to your life and boost your immune system!

Handwashing (Yes, still)

Most of us may be sick of washing our hands so much, and our kids are even less enthusiastic about it. As the virus is still so unknown, we still need to be washing our hands as often as we can. Here are a few tips for keeping up the handwashing habit AND enjoying your time, too:

Lotion

Shop for each family member’s favorite hand lotion and create a hand lotion station in your house. Choose a fun tray, put each bottle of lotion on the tray (where everyone can reach it), and print out signs that say “Lotion Station” or something more creative with your last name. If you enjoy crafting, you may enjoy making a few extra signs for your lotion stations with each family member’s name on it. Have fun with it and express yourself. Encourage everyone in your family to put lotion on their hands after washing and drying to keep your skin healthy.

Sticker Chart

To encourage younger kids to wash their hands, create a bright and fun sticker chart for your little ones. Include an opportunity to get a sticker by washing your hands and set a goal number of stickers. Once your kids hit your goal number of stickers, they may receive a treat! Keep it simple and choose things that work for your family. For example, my 1 and 3-year-old each have their own chart. They each have 6 categories for earning stickers, and once they get 40 stickers they get to pick out a toy from Target. 

Drink All The Water

Drinking water and hydrate and cleanse your body is a great way to boost your immune system. Set reminders for yourself to drink water instead of relying on your already-overworked mom brain. Buy yourself a fun water bottle to use and refill throughout the day. Add ice and a straw to your glass of water to make it a more enjoyable experience. 

Do Happy Things

What are “happy things”? Well, I can’t tell you what your happy things are, each mom has unique interests and passions. We each have our own personal list of things that make us happy. This is a great time to start adding YOUR happy things to your schedule. Lowering stress and boosting your mood will also boost your immune system. If getting into God’s Word makes you happy, pick up your favorite devotional book, or find an online Bible Study (like this one I recently wrote) and dive in! Do you find happiness in nature? Schedule time into each day to be out in nature if that is one of your happy things. You deserve to make time for yourself, and you deserve to be happy.