The easiest way to fight any disease is to avoid getting it. That means building up the immune system and helping your body to be at its best. At Next Level Fitness in Irvine, CA, we help clients tone their body and eat healthier to improve their potential to stay healthy this summer. Not only can lifestyle changes boost the immune system, it can improve the body’s functioning to prevent serious conditions and lower the risk of injury. Even a health condition already exists, lifestyle changes can help control it better and even improve the quality of life.
You are what you eat.
That may be an old adage, but it’s still very true. What you eat makes a huge difference in how your body functions, your body composition and weight, plus how healthy you are. There are many processed foods on the market that contain man-made ingredients the body was never created to digest. Other food contain a high calorie count, but don’t provide the nutrients you need to keep your body functioning properly. The leading cause of preventable death is obesity. It can lead to high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, kidney disease and even certain types of cancer.
Get regular exercise.
Getting the right type and amount of exercise is extremely important to your overall health and well being. You need a program designed to work all parts of the body that includes all types of fitness, strength, flexibility, endurance and balance. It is amazing how the body adapts and becomes stronger the more you work out. Exercise helps stimulate changes that protect you right down to the cellular level. For instance, exercise boosts the body’s creation of antioxidants that protects the cells and lengthens telomeres that prevent the chromosomes. Regular exercise lowers the risk of osteoporosis, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and keeps you feeling your best.
Stick to a regular schedule of sleep.
Good sleep hygiene has more benefits than just keeping you alert and focused during the day. It helps improve heart health, prevents some types of cancer, reduces stress and inflammation and can even help you control your weight. Studies show that lack of sleep can stimulate the production of ghrelin, the hormone that makes you feel hungry. It also suppresses the production of the hormone leptin that tells your brain when your body has had enough to eat. When you’re tired, you’re also more apt to go for sugary treats to boost your energy level, as well.
- Get adequate sunshine. Getting out in the sun can boost your immune system in several ways. It reduces stress, increases the creation of vitamin D, improves sleep and your mood. You can get too much of a good thing, so apply protection to avoid overexposure.
- Hydrate often. The heat of the summer helps remind you to drink more water, but get into the habit of doing it all year. Lack of hydration can lead to serious conditions. Dehydration can even mimic dementia in seniors.
- Enjoy Mother Nature, but do it safely. Going to parks and green areas renews the soul. It can help lower blood pressure, reduce stress, improve mental health and even improve memory.
- You can get too much of a good thing. Getting outside is important, but on extremely hot days, can overwhelm you quickly and cause heat stroke or heat exhaustion. Early morning or evening are the best time to go outside on hot days.
For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness