By Becca Weidle

FLEX Member Becca Weidle shared some tips for and protecting yourself from getting sick during this time:

GET OUTSIDE

Our internal environment resides in our gut. It’s known as our microbiome and it consists of a vast amount of bacteria. It is a huge component of our immune system and we need it to be diverse.  One of the easiest ways to do this is by getting fresh air.

The more variety of places we visit, you guessed it, the more variety in our microbiome. Since we are lucky enough to live in such a nature centric area we can take advantage of this while still keeping our suggested distance. Put simply–take a hike–the exercise doesn’t hurt either, of course.

DRINK GREEN TEA

This is probably the easiest and best thing to incorporate into your daily regimen, if you don’t already. It contains catechins that help to disrupt bacteria AND viruses. Ramp it up by peeling some oranges that you’ve washed and boiling those in your water as well–it’s more than just vitamin C.

EASE STRESS & FEAR

Naturally, most of us are concerned about the virus. Some of us are also dealing with unemployment or the challenge of working at home (possibly with kids). These stressors have become constant and their end is uncertain. That’s a lot of stress. It has been proven that chronic stressors “have negative effects on almost all functional measures of the immune system.”

Combatting stress should not be another source of it. So, when you’re feeling overwhelmed close your eyes, feel your feet on the floor and take slow, deep breaths. If it feels right, you could even come up with a mantra to recite, i.e.: I am safe, I am capable, I am calm.

Thanks, Becca, for the tips!

Do you have tips to add? Comment below!

This article was published in the Future Leaders & Entrepreneurs Exchange’s (FLEX) May 2020 edition of the FLEX Your Ideas (FYI) Newsletter.