During the winter season, millions of cases of the common cold and flu are reported each year. As winter approaches, there is an increased risk of illnesses like colds, coughs, and flu. Although we may not avoid exposure to germs, there are protective strategies to boost our immune system and achieve cold and flu prevention during the colder months. Below, we explore some practical natural tips to boost your immune system and keep you healthy during the winter!
• Eat more nutrient-rich foods.
Ensure your diet consists of nutrients like vitamins C and D and Zinc, which are beneficial in boosting your immune system. Such foods include red meat, broccoli, salmon, oysters, tuna, orange juice, and tomatoes. It's also essential to maintain a balanced diet to help keep your body properly fueled and healthy. A diet incorporating plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein helps boost your immune system.
• Take a supplement
Taking supplements helps boost your immune system during the winter season. For instance, zinc and vitamin D prevent bacteria and fungi from entering your body. Vitamin D deficiency results in an increased risk of flu and infection. Vitamin C is another essential antioxidant that helps protect the body from disease and keeps new immune cells growing.
• Adopt healthy habits
Healthy habits can help you boost your immune system naturally and prevent colds and flu during the winter months. Some of the healthy habits to consider include:
1. Enough sleep
Sleep plays a significant role in your overall health. When you sleep, your immune system releases cytokines, an essential protein responsible for immune system cell growth and protection of your body from infection. When you are sick, you need more of the cytokines, so it is essential to have enough sleep.
2. Drink plenty of water.
Water helps your blood to keep pumping, essential for your immune function. Water also assists in transporting nutrients throughout the body, including vital nutrients in fighting off infections. Proper hydration also helps keep all your organs functioning properly, including your immune system. As a result, you are less likely to get cold and flu during the winter season.
3. Exercise regularly
Moderate exercise helps boost your immune system by increasing the circulation of your immune cells. When your immune cells move correctly through your body, they can better protect you from infection.
4. Wash your hands frequently
The importance of washing our hands frequently has always been emphasized, and following the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become even more apparent. Washing your hands helps minimize the spread of germs. Ensure you frequently wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with warm water and soap to eliminate germs and avoid transferring them to your body through your eyes, mouth, or nose.
5. Reduce stress
When stressed, your body produces fewer lymphocytes (white blood cells) that boost immunity. Stress can also increase your cortisol levels, leading to inflammation and a dip in immune levels. Reducing your stress levels can help keep your immune system functioning properly to fight off any infections.
• Try chiropractic care
Winter weather increases stress levels, and chronic stress can weaken your immune system. Chiropractic adjustment helps reduce stress by promoting relaxation and balancing the body's stress response. As stress decreases, your immune system can operate more effectively, providing a better defense against cold and flu, which is common in the winter season.
Need more support!
Remember, seeking professional guidance is okay; everyone needs a helping hand occasionally. If you would like a more detailed explanation of winter wellness and how to boost your immune system naturally, we recommend talking to Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC.

The holiday season is fast approaching! It’s a season that involves holiday gatherings, events and activities. Although most of us look forward to enjoying the festivities, the anticipation and excitement of holiday activities can build up anxiety and stress. Holiday stress is triggered by the inevitable complexities and tensions of family relationships, the pressure of holiday shopping, gift and travel expenses, and the stress of hosting gatherings or managing a packed calendar of holiday events. Good news, it doesn’t have to be that way this year! Instead of running yourself ragged, take a deep breath, slow down and try these natural tips to reduce holiday stress!
• Feel Free to Say No
Although the holiday season is meant to bring joy, it can be stressful, especially when faced with conflicting obligations. Focus on achieving holiday stress relief by having a thoughtful plan and schedule. Don’t overbook yourself! Fitting in family obligations, holiday events and finding the perfect gifts can be overwhelming on top of a busy schedule, triggering stress. Normalize saying no to situations that stress you out, whether missing a party that falls in a week that’s been too intense at work or cancelling travel that is not very important to give yourself time to rest and recharge.
• Eat Healthy
The importance of eating healthy cannot be ignored at any time. Sticking to a healthy diet during holiday celebrations marked with lots of cooking and baking may seem challenging. It’s ok to enjoy some holiday cookies and an extra serving of mashed potatoes, but try to remain mindful while indulging. As you enjoy the tastes of the season, be keen to include a variety of vegetables, fruits and whole grains in your meal. Remember to drink lots of water, limit alcohol consumption, and pay attention to the food portions you eat.
• Exercise Regularly
Physical activity releases endorphins or brain chemicals that act as natural pain and stress relievers. So, with all the holiday stress your body is going through, it’s time to prioritize exercise. Not enough time to exercise? Get creative! Take advantage of any good weather to plan active holiday get-togethers, including walking, sports, or hiking. Regular exercise will help you reduce stress naturally.
• Practice Meditation
Holiday schedules can be hectic and overwhelming. Meditation can be a valuable mental wellness tool during this season. Embrace meditation practices that are focused on helping you develop awareness of stress and learn how to reframe negative emotions, manage anxiety, manage financial stress, and do mindful cooking activities. You can also incorporate gratitude meditation and reset and refresh meditation to help achieve a healthy mind and body over the holiday season.
• Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care is comprehensive and goes beyond just bones and joints. As holiday stress builds up, you experience muscle tension, which causes you to feel tense constantly. This muscle tension can lead to aches and pains that take away your holiday joy, not to mention the back pain that may develop as you actively wrap gifts and make frequent movements as you attend parties and gatherings.
An appointment with a chiropractor will help restore your body’s balance while allowing the muscles to relax and feel a sense of relief from aggravating back pain. You will be more energetic and feel jolly throughout the holiday season through New Year’s Day! Book an appointment today with Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC.

Most of us have the desire to stay active daily and in the long term. An active lifestyle is a daily pursuit for many of us, and an essential part of this journey is practicing flexibility and mobility. Flexibility refers to the ability of muscles to lengthen passively through motion, while mobility is the ability of joints to move actively through motion. Flexibility and mobility impact our daily activities like sitting, bending over, climbing stairs, and carrying groceries. Flexibility and mobility have been proven to impact overall physical fitness and health significantly.

As we celebrate the gains in flexibility and mobility, we should ensure regular practice to achieve a healthy, happy body in the long term. To help you, we have explored some steps to uphold while celebrating improved flexibility and mobility. Have a glance!

• Ensure that you practice flexibility and mobility consistently. This can be achieved by setting and sticking with a relevant SMART goal. A SMART goal should be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound. For instance, you can spend 30 minutes active four days a week. Our strongest belief is that "no program works if we don't do it." Therefore, we encourage consistency, which matters more in achieving and maintaining long-term flexibility and mobility.
• Engage in active stretching before exercise and static stretching after exercise. Active stretching, which is performed before exercise, involves gently moving through a range of motion to increase blood flow and warm up muscles. On the other hand, static stretching, which is normally performed after exercise, involves stretching a muscle to its furthest point and holding that position for a period of time.
• Always move when you get an opportunity. Whenever you get a chance to move, please do it! Whether it's walking outside, working out at home, or playing basketball, every chance of being active matters. Ensure you look out for a fun activity so it will be interesting to do it consistently.
• Consider engaging in diverse exercises. Incorporating a wide range of exercises in your routine will significantly help you achieve overall flexibility and mobility. For example, strength training can help increase the flexibility and balance required for functional movements, while activities like yoga, Pilates, and barre are best for improving both flexibility and strength.
• Focus on improving your posture. Ensure you check in about your body alignment throughout the day. Consider changing positions from sitting to standing as often as possible. You can also engage in stretches that support better posture.

Flexibility and mobility are foundational attributes of being healthy, and we recommend celebrating their gains with regular practice. It is also essential to seek professional support from a chiropractor to diagnose and treat injuries. This is because it is not advised to do exercise or activities that aggravate muscle or joint pain related to an injury.

If you need more guidance on celebrating improved flexibility and mobility, talk to Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, for assistance!