The COVID-19 pandemic has changed life as we know it and continues to challenge to our mental, emotional and physical health. While the NHS has provided practical information on ways to help prevent further spreading of the virus – washing hands, avoiding touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands, cleaning surfaces, avoid going out if you have symptoms – what can we do to look after our own ‘internal’ environment?

To ensure that you are as healthy as possible, why not incorporate the following:

1. Ensure that your vitamin D levels are adequate. Living in the UK we do not get enough vitamin D from the sun (or lack there of!), and deficiencies have been associated with higher incidence of autoimmune disease and increased susceptibility to infection. The NHS recommends that everyone should be taking a vitamin D supplement throughout autumn and winter.

2. Increase your fruit and vegetables. A healthy, balanced diet will provide your body with the tools that it needs to fight/recover from infections/viruses.

3. Decrease your stress levels. Stress decreases your body’s natural ability to fight infection by decreasing the number of antigens. Try deep breathing, meditation and yoga.

4. Moderate intensity exercise helps the body in a number of ways, so as long as you aren’t ‘running yourself into the ground’, move regularly! It also increases endorphins, which are good for decreasing stress and helps with sleep.

5. Get enough sleep. If you aren’t getting the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep every night, your body will produce less infection-fighting antibodies and cells, therefore increasing your susceptibility. It can also increase production of stress hormones and increase inflammation in the body.

6. Ensure your body is functioning at its best. A chiropractic adjustment improves your body's function and keeps all systems firing at their best. It helps decrease pain and lessen stress in your system which can improve functioning at many levels.

7. Decrease smoke and alcohol consumption. Alcohol and smoke decrease your immune system’s ability to fight

8. Ensure that you have adequate support from loved ones. Feelings of isolation have been shown to lower immune function.

Immune function is complex and involves many systems; however, your body is designed to protect you so we need to do all we can to ensure it functions at its optimum.