Fitness Fanatics Guide to Staying Healthy

Your health game is at an all time high. You’re working out, eating your fruits and veggies and getting plenty of sleep. Suddenly your kids are sniffling, your co-workers are calling in sick and now your barre buddy is sneezing next to you. You will do everything you can to avoid that seasonal cold that seems harmless but knocks you out for a week. Colds are the worst! So what do you do to keep the ick from attacking you? Your first reaction might be to put yourself and the family on lock down. No germs are coming into your fortress of health. That works fine except for, well, life. The only way through the sick season is to forge through it. Because we hate being sick, we have stockpiled a “to do” list of things we practice all year round – not just when we feel a bug coming on.

1. Cover up. Wear grip socks and grip gloves in every studio class. The grips provide the traction you need to not slip and the cute gear also acts as a barrier against germs. It’s not that the studio you are in isn’t clean, it’s just that dirt, sweat and germs are inevitable, especially when you’re in a group setting. Cover your hands and feet for extra germ protection.
2. Drink warm lemon water every morning. Lemon water helps hydrate and alkalinize your body, which boosts your immune system.
3. Get plenty of sleep. Your body needs rest to relieve stress, to heal, and to fight off nasty germs.
4. Keep moving. Exercise keeps the body strong so we try to sweat everyday. If you start to feel a bug coming on, reduce the intensity of your workouts by going for a walk or enjoying a restorative yoga class.
5. Eat colorfully. The more vibrant the color of your fruits and vegetables are, the more antioxidants the food has to nourish your body while fighting off the bad stuff. Focus on dark leafy greens and berries.
6. Laugh a lot. A hearty laugh-fest with friends is proven to reduce stress, lower blood pressure and produce endorphins that make you happy. Happy people tend to get sick less often and can get over the sickness faster.
7. Wash your hands. When a bug is going around, be sure to keep your hands clean and away from your eyes, mouth and nose.
8. Drink water. We L-O-V-E water. It hydrates our bodies, makes our skin glow and helps flush toxins out of the body.

If you do happen to catch that cold you’ve been avoiding, be sure to prescribe yourself permission to slow down so you can heal faster. Stay well friends!