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health, immunity, mantra, mantra's effects on immunity, meditation, sankalpa, sugar's effects on the immune system, wellness, yoga
Namaste yogis and yoginis!
Getting sick is not an unavoidable, yearly or quarterly occurrence, despite many people thinking it is. When we think that something is bound to happen, no matter what we do, we aren’t taking responsibility for ourselves. This takes us out of the driver’s seat and puts us in the back seat- with the dog and groceries. This is called “playing the victim” as we liked to call it in the wilderness therapy field. A strong immune system is easy when you create a lifestyle that promotes health and wellness in all ares.
So what can we do about it? How do we prevent illness? I’ll give you some of my secret, kung fu immune-boosting tips here:
So first of all, understand that you don’t have to get sick regularly. I know fellow health coaches who haven’t been sick in years. Create the mindset that your body is strong and resilient and it will be strong and resilient. Take an active role in your health and wellbeing and empower yourself to stay healthy all year long! We’re going to be talking all things immunity next Saturday: Cultivating the resilient immune system– the yogic, holistic path of letting go of lethargy, illness and feeling run down. For more info, and to sign up, click here.
If you’re eating a balanced, healthy, plant-based diet, illness will happen a lot less often for you. I’m talking vegetables as the base of your personal food pyramid, along with healthy amounts of fruits, whole grains, legumes, seeds and nuts. You can even try adding some superfoods like cacao and goji berries to add some essential amino acids and antioxidants to your diet.
Crowd out the junk. Fill yourself up with so much unprocessed, whole food that came from the ground and you won’t have room for processed, sugar-laden, immunity suppressing foods. Which leads me to my next point…
Quit the sugar! Seriously. Sugar dampens your immune system like a rainy day in Portland. You have two options here- join me in person in San Francisco on March 22nd for the third installment of my Resilient Body, Vibrant Life workshop series: Overcoming the Sugar Blues – Loosening the grip of sugar and other addicting foods to embrace a yogic life of true nourishment. For more information, click here. Or, if you’re out of town, I’m hosting my Signature Sugar Blues free teleclass on March 12th. For more info, click here.
When you feel yourself getting sick… cancel as many of your commitments as possible and take care of yourself. If that means you don’t go out to dinner with your friends or have to ask someone to take your child to soccer practice, do that. If you don’t nip it in the bud as early as possible, you’ll be sick longer and will inevitably miss out on even more of your plans. Use it as an excuse to relax, practice some extreme self-care and read a book you’ve been meaning to read. Drink Traditional Medicinal’s Immune Support tea, drink some nutrient-rich green juice, have some homemade soup, and get cozy! In essence, your body needs extra nourishment when you’re feeling yourself getting sick so be sure to honor your body’s needs.
Finally, one of the most fascinating things I’ve learned about the benefits of mantra and sankalpa (intention) was about it’s effect on immunity: “A Sanskrit word meaning ‘resolve’ or ‘resolution,’ sankalpa is a short statement formed to open a pathway of healing by planting a positive seed of change into the subconscious mind through thought power. A potent force in healing, sankalpa conjures enormous willpower and endurance and is especially useful in chronic diseases, such as cancer, to heal and give courage.” – Healing Yoga by Liz Lark. Yoga asana, mantra, meditation, and pranayama are all incredible vehicles for life-long health, avoidance of disease and illness and the healing of the wounds and imbalances we already have.
What do you like to do to prevent illness and feel your best? Comment below!
Have a beautiful weekend, lovies!
Jenna
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Jenna is a board certified holistic health coach and yoga teacher and is the health and wellness expert for the global yoga community. She presents workshops and classes regularly at Google and at yoga studios around the San Francisco Bay Area. She helps her clients have more energy, lose weight without dieting, curb sugar cravings, and heal their relationship with food. She combines western holistic nutrition and eastern philosophy to maximize her clients’ transformations. Photo credit: Sarah Galli Photography.