Looking after your immune system
With the amazing news recently that vaccines to protect us against COVID-19 are now on their way into the hands of UK doctors and nurses; the team here at U Perform are more excited than ever for what 2021 might bring.
Like many, we can’t wait to wrap up 2020 and move on to pastures new. We have had an amazing launch year and for that we are very grateful to all of our amazing customers and ambassadors.
But do you know what really excites us most about 2021?
Taking U Perform on the road! Should circumstances allow we absolutely cannot wait to head events, gatherings and competitions near you. Bringing our passion for fitness, exercise and nutrition with us on this journey to inspire as many people as we can to make positive changes to their quality of life.
But there is still a way to go before we get to this point, and this means we still need to remain vigilant so that events can go ahead next year.
2020 of all years has proven to us just how important our overall health and wellness is and we have all recognised and addressed that in our own way. Whether we have changed the foods we eat or started to exercise more, everything we have done this year is another step closer to a becoming a fitter, healthier and happier you.
Key to all of this is our immune system, which works day in, day out to protect us against a constant barrage of nasty viruses and bacteria. From the common cold, to flu and of course the dreaded COVID-19.
By our very nature, as active people and athletes we are constantly putting our body under an immense amount of pressure and stress when we exercise which unfortunately lowers our immune response. And it is a fine line between staying in top tip shape and falling foul to illnesses, fatigue or injury.
Unfortunately for us, when our immune system is in tip top condition, we often don’t realise it! Because of this, it becomes so easy to take your immune system for granted. But now more than ever we know that the state of our overall health and wellness has a huge impact on how viruses and bacteria can affect our lives. Being fit and healthy has never been as important as it is right now.
Nutrition plays a massive part in this and we all know that we need to eat a healthy, balanced diet in order to promote good health and wellness. The guidelines are 5-7 portions of fruit and vegetables every day, but this can be hard for many of us to achieve.
Lack of time and cost are two of the most common reasons why we don’t often hit our 5-a-day guidelines.
By eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, we are giving our immune system and our gut the best chance to stay healthy and keep us safe.
However, there are a few essential vitamins and minerals that will struggle to get enough of through our normal diet alone. Vitamin D3 for example is present in some natural and fortified foods but during the winter months when access to sufficient sunlight is limited, we will struggle to maintain optimal levels of vitamin D in the body.
Vitamin D3 aka ‘The Sunshine Vitamin’ contributes to the normal function of our immune system and our muscles as well as playing a key role in maintaining good bone health. So it really is an essential for everyone whether you are active or not. But did you also know that vitamin D can also help to reduce symptoms of depression! An amazing benefit like this is not one to be overlooked!
More recently, when we look at the relationship between our immune system and COVID-19, the fact that it is so important for everyone to maintain optimal levels of vitamin D3 has been recognised most recently by UK governments. With England and Scotland offering free supplies of vitamin D to vulnerable groups just like they would any other prescription medication.
It is also becoming more and more researched at the moment just how effective optimal vitamin D levels can be against reducing not only the chance of infection of a virus like COVID-19; but also the severity of the symptoms.
Not only has this terrible pandemic highlighted just how effective physical activity can be against illness and disease. But it has also shown us that simply taking a vitamin D supplement like our U Perform active vitamin D3, is actually a convenient and cost effective way to help tackle an increasing vitamin D deficiency in modern, urban populations.
But it is not only nutrition that can help support our immune system. Managing our fatigue can also be really beneficial for keeping us in tip top shape and often it is simply a case of listening to your body and learning when to rest and recover instead of hitting that next workout.
Sleep is when your body does all its best work. So making sure you get enough sleep every night will go a long way to keeping your energy levels up during the day but also prevent the build-up of harmful stress and fatigue.
Making time to exercise like you would for everything else is also really important. If you plan your workouts well, you are less likely to make impulsive decisions and putting extra stress on your body and immune system.
Here at U Perform, we have an entire range of wellness products scientifically formulated to meet and exceed the nutritional demands of a busy and active lifestyle. From vitamin D3 to green superfoods, antioxidants and everything in-between, we have got you covered.