Dry brushing, massage, hydrotherapy, aromatherapy, and good sleep will all naturally boost your immune system.
Here's how to implement these easy suggestions
Dry Brushing
Lymphatic Support: The lymphatic system is a major part of the body’s immune system. It is made up of organs and lymph nodes, ducts and vessels that transport lymph throughout the body. Many of these lymph vessels run just below the skin, and proponents of dry brushing claim that brushing the skin regularly helps support the lymph flow within the body. Use light to medium pressure. The goal is to stimulate the lymphatic system, which is located just beneath the skin's surface, not to scrub or abrade your skin. Your skin should be slightly pink, not red or irritated. Always brush up and toward your heart or towards the nearest lymph node in sweeps of three. Lymph nodes are in many parts of the body, including the neck, armpit, chest, abdomen, and groin.
Regular Massage
Relaxation, hormone changes, and white blood cell increase: A recent study suggests that massage not only relaxes the body but also boosts the immune system and prompts beneficial hormonal changes. Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles subjected volunteers to what was perhaps the most pleasant experiment ever devised. Half received 45 minutes of deep-tissue Swedish massage, while the rest received light-touch massage for the same period.
Just a single massage session induced marked physiological changes. The Swedish massage group registered lower levels of cortisol, a hormone elevated by stress, they also showed a rise in lymphocytes, white blood cells that aid the immune response. The light-massage recipients showed a greater increase in the “Love hormone” oxytocin and a greater drop in hormones that prompt the release of cortisol.
Hydrotherapy
Herbal Baths: The use of water as a wellness therapy dates back many centuries, to the time of the ancient Greeks and Romans. The warm temperature combined with the delivery of minerals or herbal treatments can increase blood flow, improve the endocrine system, and associated neural systems. By increasing the blood flow in the body, hydrotherapy can strengthen the immune system, allowing it to work faster and more efficiently. It also increases the production of endorphins, the body’s “feel-good” hormones that can even reduce or eliminate pain. Warm baths can also stimulate the immune system, helping to heal faster.
Make your next bath a spa-inspired hydrotherapy retreat with Elixir Mind Body Botanicals Herbal Bath Oils.
Aromatherapy
Essential oils: EOs are natural, aromatic, concentrated, plant-based oils that have healing properties that have been used for centuries for their curative effects. Essential oils may be added to a carrier oil or lotion and applied directly to your skin, added to baths or showers, or sprayed into the air to be inhaled. Here is a short list of popular EOs that help fight colds and flu and support wellness:
- Lavender: Strongly anti-inflammatory & antiseptic; immune stimulant; helps with colds and bronchitis; aids in healing by reducing stress, calming and relaxing; helps with insomnia.
- Eucalyptus: Combats cold and flu symptoms; helps relieve coughing and respiratory congestion; and is cooling and soothing to the respiratory tract.
- Spearmint: Used to help relieve symptoms of general respiratory disorders, as well as dry coughs, sinus congestion, and bronchitis; refreshing and soothing for the respiratory system.
Elixir Mind Body Botanicals Essential Oils are pure, cold-pressed, natural, and effective.
Adequate Sleep
Sleeping helps healing: Lack of sleep makes us more prone to colds and infection because it suppresses immune system function. T-cells go down if we are sleep deprived, and inflammatory cytokines go up. Sleep loss also influences how we fight illness. Our bodies fight infection with fevers. One of the things that happens when we’re sleeping is that we get a better fever response. But if we are not sleeping, our fever reaction is not primed, so we may not be waging war on infection as best we can. To improve the quality of sleep you are getting:
- Have a set time both for going to sleep and for waking.
- Limit or eliminate your screen time (TV, computer, phone, and tablet) just before bed.
- Soak in a warm bath, especially with relaxing oils or mineral salts, before going to bed.
- Avoid caffeine, alcohol, or large meals later in the evening.
- Drink hot herbal tea or warm milk with honey as a bedtime relaxation ritual.
- Avoid difficult conversations or complex projects before bed.
- Make your bedroom a restful oasis with soft lighting, a good mattress, cooler temperatures, light-blocking curtains, and comfortable linens to promote sleep.
Your immune system is your body's first line of defense, and it deserves better than crossing your fingers and hoping for the best. These five powerful practices are scientifically backed tools that can transform your health from the inside out. This cold and flu season, choose to prioritize your wellbeing with these natural, accessible methods. Your future self will thank you for starting today.