Hello Friends,
I hope you are finding ways to add the other tips to your immune boosting lifestyle: exercise, eating more fruits and vegetables, making sleep and stress management a priority and taking essential vitamins. In this article, we talk about the fifth tip to improve your chances of staying healthy and boosting your immune system:
Drinking Less Alcohol:
An occasional drink is not a bad thing, but do you know what moderate consumption looks like? According to the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, alcohol should be consumed in moderation. This equates to up to one standard drink a day for women and up to two standard drinks per day for men, and only by adults of legal drinking age.
What is a standard drink in the United States?
· 12 ounces of beer (5% alcohol content)
· 8 ounces of malt liquor (7% alcohol content)
· 5 ounces of wine (12% alcohol content)
· 1.5 ounces or a “shot” of 80-proof (40% alcohol content) of distilled spirits or liquor (e.g. gin, rum, vodka, whiskey).
Excessive consumption of alcohol impairs the immune system and increases vulnerability to infections by damaging your liver, digestive and cardiovascular systems. The microbes living in your intestines are affected by changing the balance of healthy and unhealthy bacteria, altering the way your good bacteria interact with the immune system.
This disruption could allow infections to pass into the blood creating inflammation, reducing the number and function of important types of immune cells, ultimately leaving your immune system compromised, with the end result being tissue damage.
Do you need help moderating your alcohol? Our mission at Intelligent Motion Therapy is to help you make healthier choices so you can:
Move Better, Feel Better to Live Better!!
Do you know of someone who could use a dose of Wellness? Share this with your Friend!! We would love to help!!
Sincerely,
Your Friends at Intelligent Motion Therapy & Pilates
Dr. Rebecca Hoeck PT, DPT, CWC, CIDN, MPT-DMI ®
19751 E. Mainstreet #310
Parker, CO 80138
303.808.9807