It’s all we’re hearing about right now…the corona virus. And rightly so. With your permission, I’d like to add to the conversation. We know there’s no known treatment or prevention for the virus, which adds to the fear around it. So naturally we’re anxious about how to avoid it, and if we do get it, how to recuperate quickly and unscathed, right?

The thing is, it boils down to the condition of your immune system. Many researchers and MDs interviewed lately have all said the same thing: A healthy immune system has nothing to fear. And its condition is nothing to be cavalier about. That said, then, let’s look at the things that we can do to boost our immune systems and decrease our risk for contagious diseases.

You’ve probably noticed that the grocery store shelves and cold cases are being cleared of meat and processed foods, as everyone stocks up and prepares to spend more time at home. (And let’s not even get started with the toilet paper hoarding…)

Meat and processed foods…POOR POOR choices. Folks should be stocking up on nutrient-dense, immune-boosting plant-based foods instead. This is the stuff that supports and protects health! (I sometimes wish I had a megaphone and the courage to go with it; I’d climb on a soapbox and shout at the top of my lungs, “STOP this health-destroying insanity, for crying out loud!”)

OK, I’ll get to the point. Here, in a nutshell, here is what you can do to strengthen your immune system:

EAT MOSTLY PLANTS AND WHOLE FOODS. This is the food that’s LOADED with nutrients—nutrients that are designed to maintain optimal health. This is a perfect time to practice with plants and whole foods. Start messing around with this list of foods that are rich in antioxidants and essential nutrients (your immune system will experience almost an immediate boost):

• Leafy greens
• Citrus fruits and berries
• Broccoli and broccoli sprouts
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Turmeric
• Green tea

AVOID (LIKE THE PLAGUE) PROCESSED FOODS AND SUGER. I’m begging you. They’re loaded with preservatives and toxic mystery ingredients, they’re highly highly highly inflammatory, they are low low low in vitamins and minerals, and they stress the immune system to the MAX! I know we’re a dessert-based society, but now’s the time to change our paradigms. Instead, focus on buying whole foods and preparing nourishing, nutrient-dense meals (include things from the list mentioned above) and non-sugar desserts and treats.

GET 8 TO 9 HOURS OF SLEEP DAILY. It’s during your sleep that your body rejuvenates and replenishes, so make sure you’re getting plenty of rest. Having trouble falling asleep? Keep reading.

REDUCE YOUR STRESS LEVELS. I usually laugh when I hear this advice. I get it that chronic, prolonged stress suppresses the immune system. So of course it makes good sense to reduce it. But, how the heck do we reduce our stress levels when we’re dealing with a rat-racy lifestyle which is now even more stressful due to a life-threatening world-wide pandemic??

The answer, according to research is in engaging in meditation, dancing, reading, snuggling your pet (and of course, loved ones), gardening, cooking, or any other favorite activity that relaxes you. Those that study stress agree: “Our well-being can’t be left to chance. We MUST get assertive and seek out the things that bring us joy. In the process, stress levels go down. And that means we’ll sleep better, stay healthier, and likely live longer.”

And the last bit of tried-and-true advice that we’re hearing over and over: WASH YOUR HANDS and follow CDC and WHO guidelines. This is quite possibly one of the easiest steps to keeping healthy. You want to remember that even if you aren’t at serious risk, you are a vehicle for transporting viruses to someone that may be at risk.

One last suggestion: BE SUPPLEMENT SMART. No supplement is going to be a replacement for the proven immune-boosting health-promoting foods mentioned above. But there are some difference-makers you might consider adding to an immune-boosting diet. Things such as vitamins C and D, zinc, glutathione, probiotics, elderberry syrup, olive leaf extract, oregano oil, various mushrooms, and certain peptides can enhance the above-mentioned steps.

In closing, at the risk of beating a dead horse, I’ll end where I started: First and foremost, eat an immune-boosting diet. If you don’t, then all these other steps won’t have a full chance of protecting you. So again, please get serious about eating mostly plant and whole foods. If you do, you won’t regret it; if you don’t you might regret it.

You know, when you think about it, this corona virus outbreak is really good motivation for increasing focus on making healthy choices. If not NOW, when?