Take a Functional Medicine Approach to Protecting Your Health

Taking a Functional Medicine approach to your health and overall wellness can be an effective means to help you regain control of your health, especially during times of uncertainty like we are experiencing now.

A growing amount of research indicates that dietary and lifestyle choices play major roles in overall health and wellness. The effects of food and lifestyle choices influence your immune system function. These daily choices can either support the immune system as a preventative measure for reducing the risk of illness, or weaken it. Implementing health-boosting changes could significantly offset the severity and ramifications of symptoms that may be incurred from an illness such as COVID-19.

The Institute For Functional Medicine recommends some things you can do right now to reduce your immediate risk from COVID-19, as well as the long term risk of chronic disease.

NUTRITION 

• Eat a minimum of 9 servings of a variety of vegetables and fruit every day.
• Consume a minimum of 28 grams of dietary fiber from whole foods daily.
• Eat probiotic foods such as fermented vegetables.
• Avoid or reduce added sugars, salt,  high-glycemic foods, and excessive saturated fat.

EXERCISE

• Create a personalized exercise program.
• Take advantage of apps, the internet, and other tools you can use to exercise at home.
• Experience the calming, immune-supportive effects of being in nature (practice social distancing).

SLEEP

• Get 7-8 hours of good quality sleep each night.
• Practice good sleep hygiene. 
• Maintain a consistent sleep schedule.

STRESS MANAGEMENT 

• Monitor stress levels through heart rate variability (HRV) monitoring or other means.
• Practice stress-modifying techniques on a regular basis.

SOCIAL CONNECTION

• Spend time with people, virtually, who are positive or affirming.
• Consider participating virtually in local community events or in a religious or spiritual group.

Learn more ways to become empowered. Visit the TelMD Upstream Blog often. If you haven’t already, join TelMD and start your path toward optimal health.

Let’s Make Wellness Contagious!™