You eat a healthy diet, you work to stay active and yet you are always sick. Sound familiar. If you are struggling to “kick” the sickie germs out the door – read on.
The truth is many of us suffer from chronic sickies. Just as sure as you overcome the common cold, here comes the sore throat and then the stuffy nose, the headaches and now you’re stuck in a rat race cycle of drug store feel-good concoctions. If you are struggling to finally overcome this bout of on-going sickness the following tips can be implemented to help you once and for all.
Get Rest
Our bodies are much like a well-appointed computer system. A meticulous machine priming all day and night to keep each and every motion in sync throughout our existence. Similar to a computer needing to “shut-down and update” our bodies too must be turned off so to speak. Your mind is in constant download and update mode, opening and closing tabs and processing information. Your body is working to accomplish the tasks that the mind hands off to it and oftentimes simply can not keep up the pace. Rest is important, down-time is crucial and restarting our systems is vital to our health and well-being.
Studies show the average American gets around 6 hours of sleep per night. Experts recommend 7-9 hours of sleep per night in order to maintain a healthy sleeping pattern. With most of us falling well below the recommended amount of sleep time – its no wonder our bodies are in a constant tug-o-war with sickness and health. Turning off your system is important – if you are in a constant battle with sickness try turning in an hour early each night. Consider your body the vehicle worthy of care and maintenance. Add a few hours of rest each week to your schedule and notice how your body appreciates the additional down-time.
Stay Hydrated
Water is the fluid of life. Our bodies are made up of mostly water. When the water supply runs low or dry our bodies become parched. When our bodies become low on water supply they began to ration the supply – what this means is that each organ and process in the body goes into fight or flight mode and our stress responses kick in. The body is preserving the water available and of course the system begins to function at a lesser rate. Water has a long list of duties, from insulating your organs and lubricating your joints to forming the very building blocks of cells. And of course, the water that escapes you in sweat and urine helps to cool you off and rid your body of waste. If your body seems to be stuck in a ‘sick’ mode – perhaps you are a little dry. Perhaps your body is in need of a nice refreshing drink. Aim to drink at least half your weight in ounces per day in water and more if your supply is depleted. Be intentional about drinking your water each day. You’ll may just drown the sickness out and your body will thank you for it.
Cut back on Caffeine
Most of us take in quite a bit of caffeine in any given day. Caffeine is a diuretic and could cause your body to dehydrate – which we are trying to prevent. If your body is in a state of sickness – laying off the caffeine is not a bad idea. Coffee for example has a high acidity level and could irritate any areas which are highly inflamed during sickness. Research has also shown that caffeine can have an adverse effect on the immune system and could inhibit the ability to ward off sickness. When you are feeling under the weather it appears caffeine could actually be working against your wellness plan and reaching for a cup of hot (decaf) tea with lemon and honey may be a better choice.
Get a new toothbrush
If sickness has overstayed it’s welcome – its probably time to change out your toothbrush. Germs and bacteria will undoubtedly camp out in the bristles of your toothbrush making it a bit more difficult to kick that sickness out the door. While rinsing your toothbrush is always a good idea – there are times when you simply must toss the little tool in the trash. Toothbrushes are fairly inexpensive so why not give this a try. It is recommended to change your toothbrush every 2-3 months anyhow so go ahead – treat yourself to a set of fresh bristles and see if this doesn’t help speed up the recovery process for you.
In-vision Wellness
Finally, if you can’t seem to kick the sickies out the door try a mind-shift exercise. There are times when our bodies simply cannot heal due to the condition or environment of our minds. This includes our surroundings, relationships and environments as well. Remember, the mind controls the body. Our minds can be the breeding ground for negative thoughts. Listening to the negative talk from other people can also influence our health. Sounds crazy right? Yes, we can actually MAKE ourselves sick – the negative talk from OTHERS can actually make us sick. Hence the phrase “You make me sick” If you have tried all of the common remedies to kick the sickies out the door and still come up short. Assess your daily thought pattern. Become aware of the talk you engage in daily. Remove yourself from conversations that are negative in nature.
Try this Mind Shift Exercise:
- Sit in a quiet place for 3 minutes listening only to the sound of your breath.
- Invision how you will feel when this sickness leaves you.
- Write down 5 things you are thankful for at this moment.
- Write down 5 things you will do when you feel better.
Engage in this exercise as many times as you need.
Being sick all the time is no fun! Take care of yourself and remember our health is not only our physical being. Give special attention to the main control center of our bodies also – The Mind.
