HOW TO BUILD A STRONG IMMUNITY

For years I have been asked how I do it.  How do I stay so healthy? How am I not being bogged down with any health issues at almost forty?  How do I avoid getting sick when everyone else around me is? Honestly, I can't remember the last time I caught a cold, or the flu, or was severely knocked down from not feeling well.  I will admit I do falter when it comes to overexerting myself and will get knocked down by exhaustion, so I still have progress to make. But getting sick is not really something I find myself too concerned about.  Even with Coronavirus sweeping the globe, I still don't have concerns about it knocking me down or taking my life.  Why is that?  That's pretty bold, Rebecca, and some may think I'm far too 'woo-woo', 'optimistic', or 'careless' for my own good.  Well, my friends, that could be true I suppose, but I truly don't believe it is.  With every fiber of my being, I'm pretty positive I know the checks and balances at this point as to why I stay so healthy and do have, what feels like at times, an unbreakable immunity.

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT!

I tell absolutely everyone looking to get healthy, to get out of chronic pain, to break away from an autoimmune disease, or to eliminate a problem happening consistently within their bodies that it's all about WHAT YOU EAT!  I've been practicing conscious eating for twenty years now, and I know with all of my heart that it starts there.  Why do I know this? 

At twenty years old I woke up every morning with a horrible feeling that I couldn't sit up straight because my stomach and diaphragm were so tight and in pain.  My gut health was a disaster.  I had a laundry list of chronic problems that bogged down my daily joy and made it hard to function within the blessed body I was given.  The list of problems including fibromyalgia, hypothyroid disease, insomnia, irritable bowel syndrome, acid reflux, panic attacks, sinus infections, anxiety, chronic yeast infections, restless leg syndrome, severe seasonal allergies, headaches, AND if that weren't enough, I pretty much caught every cold and flu that went around.  I was a hot mess to say the least.  And to make things more complicated, my body was a vessel for my profession.  I was a professional dancer and without my body functioning at its best, my life wasn't functioning at it's best.  Sound familiar?  If so; please keep reading. 

This time period in my life is when I was introduced to the Eat Right For Your Blood Type.  I am an 'O' and found that I was eating all of the wrong foods and hardly any of the beneficial foods my body needed to thrive.  For you see, I truly believe that most, if not all, chronic problems we experience are enhanced by the foods, aka fuel, we are putting into our bodies.  And if we are giving our bodies the wrong fuel, they won't nor can't function the way the are meant too.

At this point in my life, I am pretty darn strict about what goes in and onto my body. I do give the blood type diet A LOT of credit because it was life changing for me and others I've lead on that journey, but there are also other things to dive into, so let's continue.

OUR BODIES HOLD EMOTIONAL PAIN

Trauma lives within our tissues, the very fiber of our beings, and in fact, it can even be passed down to us through generations, meaning that not all trauma we are experiencing is our own.  It can be our mothers, fathers, grandparents, siblings, great ancestors, etc.  We may not personally experience the pain of the past, but if it lives within our family stories and vibrates within the patterns of our lives, leaving us susceptible to unconscious traps that therefore need to be undone in order for us to fully heal. How does this pertain to immunity you may be asking? 

Well, think of this, if we are bogged down by stories, thoughts, and/or negative beliefs about our bodies, health, or lives, we experience higher levels of stress, releasing more cortisol, into our bodies, therefore, not giving our bodies the best chance to function the way they are truly meant to.  If we have too much stress, emotional pain or trauma in our bodies, we are in fight or flight mode as we respond to the world.  Leaving us with less joy, energy, control of our health, and eventually that eats away at our immunity.

The reason I can speak to this, is again, due to my personal journey.  It wasn't until my late twenties that I found the opportunities to assist me through my trauma, and heal from many wounds of my childhood. Wounds that were getting in the way of having healthy relationships, holding onto jobs, being aware of my actions, thoughts, and feelings, and ultimately, making it harder to sustain true health mind, body, spirit. However, when I did the work, I noticed a next-level version of myself emerging, and with it came more joy, better health, and closer awareness within my body and mind.  Food for thought my friends. 

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY THAT TRULY HEALS YOU

Being that each of our bodies are complex and completely unique to one another, physical activity is something where one size doesn't fit all. Physical activity will and should look different for everyone, and we get to find the process that works for us. Even though I would guarantee that most 'bodies' would indeed benefit from running, yoga, or weight training - it doesn't mean that every individual does. 

The need for our minds to be actively engaged while doing physical activity is super important, for you see, we release a healthy dose of serotonin, oxytocin, and dopamine when happy and active. Mix those up with some endorphins, and you've got yourself a happy little cocktail that will serve your mind, body, and spirit, beyond compare.

Finding what suits you as an individual is so important. It's less about fitting in because you are that perfect yogi or climb the highest mountain, and more about doing 'that thing' that makes you feel great from the inside-out!

SUPPLEMENTS, VITAMINS, AND MORE!

Utilizing supplements, vitamins, tinctures, herbs, powders, and drinks to gain better health is absolutely a good option, but only if used properly.  Some people I talk to take a multivitamin every day but don't eat healthily.  Sorry to break it to you, but that doesn't work.  Some take a superfood blend but don't actually consume any real fruits or veggies, again, that doesn't really work.  Our bodies are meant to get most of our nutritional value from the foods we eat, the water we drink, the sunshine we get, the mental clarity we gain, the physical activity we do, and the minimizing of stress we consume on a daily basis.   So if you are going to utilize supplements, vitamins, tinctures, herbs, powders, and/or drinks to help boost your immunity, it truly is best if it's an added source to things you are already doing.

HERE'S A LIST OF SOME OF MY PERSONAL FAVS

• Garden of Life, Raw Probiotics - they have a powdered version for kids that you can add into bottles/drinks/shakes

• Garden of Life, Vitamin Code Multivitamin, for Men & Women

• Amazing Grass, Superfood Powders

• Yogi, Echinacea Immunity Support/ Perfect Energy, Herbal Tea

• Traditional Medicinals, Throat Coat/ Gypsy Cold/ Nighty Night, Herbal Tea

• Wisdom, Royale Yerba Maté Instant Tea

• 365, Super B12 Complex Liquid drops

• Natural Vitality, CALM Anti-Stress Magnesium Supplement

AND of course, it goes without saying, I use my product line on myself and my family on the daily, to handle almost any ailment that gets thrown our way.

15 WAYS TO BOOST YOUR IMMUNITY

• stay hydrated

• get enough sleep

• add meditating to your daily practice

• do breathing exercises 

• get ample sunshine 

• take a 'live' probiotic 

• consume organic berries & leafy greens

• consume less caffeine

• engage in physical activity 4-6 times a week

• reduce engaging in things that create stress in your life

• limit your consumption of fried foods, processed foods, sugar, wheat, corn, dairy, & alcohol

• wash hands often with soap & warm water 

• avoid 'antibacterial' soaps & sanitizers (they kill the healthy bugs fighting for immunity)

• laugh & play with your children, friends, or partner more often 

• use HEALFUL JOY products to replace toxic, chemically-ladened products you may have in your medicine cabinet

A FEW SNEAKY-PEEKS INTO REBECCA'S DAILY LIFE PRACTICES

• Before getting out of bed in the morning, I stretch my neck, roll my ankles & wrists, keeping my eyes closed, as I list of things that I'm grateful for.

• I drink approx. 64 ounces, or more, of water a day. My equation is this [take your weight, divide it by half, that number is the total number of ounces you should drink a day], drinking my first glass of water before I make my cup of coffee.

• When I go to the 'bathroom' or I am 'driving' I utilize that time to focus on my posture, sit in silence and meditate - I'm a busy mom and don't have a lot of downtime, so I need to be creative. lol.

• I make sure there is only healthy food in the house.  Following the eat right for your blood type food regimen, and eliminating junk food options for myself, the hubby, and the kids.  We do have a few 'treats' in the house, but they are chosen carefully and made with natural, clean, organic ingredients. 

• We take a daily probiotic.  I give the kids Garden of Life, Raw Probiotic Powder that I add into a drink twice a day.

• We also use superfood greens every day.  The one we like is Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, and Sugar-Free - Amazing Grass, Green Superfood Antioxidant

• I cook with lots of garlic, onions, spinach, & kale - I pretty much put these ingredients in anything & everything I can.  I cut it up really small so the kids can't pick it out and it blends into the eggs, smoothies, pasta's, sauces, etc. 

• I make my own nut & oat milks so we can avoid all the junk found in store-bought nut/oat milk. Even 'organic' ones aren't the greatest, unfortunately.  

• Dessert in our house is typically organic dried dates, fresh or dried organic sugar-free mangoes, frozen berries, or baked apples with cinnamon. Yum!

• I get regular massage & chiropractic adjustments

• I do 'the work' every day to continue bettering my mind, centering my emotions, and riding my life of toxicity

• I get in a 1-3 mile walk almost every day with the kids

• I do yoga & get in my anti-gravity yoga hammock often

I do my best to stay honest, vulnerable, and accepting of what is.  I work on my relationship with myself, my husband, and my children every day.  I do my best to listen to others.  I do my best to listen to my body.  I give myself permission to make mistakes and try again.  I give myself grace when it all goes to shit from time to time.  I'm still human and part of being human is being imperfectly perfect.  

I hope this finds you well, my friends.  If you have any questions or would like to talk further about anything, you can reach out to me at RebeccaJoy@HEALFULJOY.com

Here's to YOUR HAPPY WAY TO WELLNESS!