Being in quarantine, it’s easy for us to fall into a “Netflix and Chill” mentality. We risk ourselves getting caught in the trap of being too lazy with our chores, work, and most especially, our health. Sometimes it’s difficult to find time to keep fit and stay healthy when we’ve always got a full snack cabinet. But with the pandemic approaching its critical stages here in the Philippines, it’s time we stepped up and gave ourselves a fighting chance at running this virus to the ground by boosting our immune system.

Stock up on Vitamin C

Our body needs a variety of vitamins to keep our body’s internal defenses at peak shape. One of the more important vitamins doctors suggest we always have around is Vitamin C. Here’s why:

• It protects your cells from harmful molecules by boosting your blood antioxidant levels

• It keeps your blood pressure at bay and lowers the chances of you getting heart disease

• It reduces uric acid production in your body

• It helps your body absorb iron more effectively

All these benefits come from one nutrient! No wonder it’s a crowd favorite.

Probiotic food and supplements

A healthy digestive tract is integral in maintaining a strong immune system. While our intestines generally contain a good amount of friendly bacteria, sometimes that balance can be tipped over against our favor as a result of poor dietary habits. Adding yogurt and other probiotic products to your cart when you shop for groceries will always be a good idea with your health in mind.

Add a rainbow to your diet

Sadly, I don’t mean skittles. Take a trip to the fruits and vegetable aisle at your local supermarket and pick out the brightest, most colorful pieces of products within your field of vision. Sure, vitamin C is a powerhouse of a nutrient but we need a lot of other vitamins working together to make good things happen in our body.

Carve out time for exercise

You saw this coming. Exercise is even more important today than it was before the quarantine. Staying physically active will ramp up your body’s defenses just as much as maintaining a healthy diet. In fact, they should be paired together for the best results.

This won’t just help you break out a sweat and keep your blood flowing, it helps flush out harmful bacteria from your lungs so you develop a better immunity against colds, the flu, and other respiratory diseases.

There are tons of at-home exercise routines you can do. A lot of phone apps provide detailed sequences you can follow depending on how intense you want your routine to be. And if you ever get bored with your usual routines, you can always do some Zumba!

Meditate

Harboring a lot of mental and emotional stress can cause your immune system to crumble. Life can get a little crazy when you’re stuck in your home for a few weeks. Sometimes you just have to put things down, find somewhere peaceful to sit at and breathe. Give yourself some peace of mind by not thinking about anything at all and just focus on your breathing. Meditating regularly throughout the day will help you put things to perspective without stressing out about it.

In any health crisis that arises, one should always be on the defense, protecting oneself from any sign of health threat. However, sometimes, sickness could still get to you no matter how careful you are. Make sure you have the coverage you’ll need, just in case! Check out ALLCARE’s HMO + benefits package for an affordable, sakto and sulit sa budget healthcare and more.