It’s that time of year when the kids are going back to school and us adults have the opportunity to get things back on track. Summer has sadly come to an end and we’re coming off of months of weekend getaways, indulgent habits, and summer fun. Somewhere when we cross seasons into summer, all of our beginning of the year goals and resolutions start to take a back seat. And really who can blame us? When you live in the Midwest, you have to take every opportunity you can to cash in on the nice weather and sunshine.
But now that school is back in session, it means we can get back to focusing on our health, goals, and our intentions before the rush of the holiday season is upon us. In fact, the more we dial things in now, the better off we are as we head into the holidays. Life is about to get busier with the kids back in school but it’s an opportunity to become more scheduled and disciplined before the coming months. Cold and flu season is right around the corner, and I don’t think we’ve yet forgotten how hard everyone got hit last fall. Our immune systems are still readjusting after 3 years of covid. The distancing from one another gave our immune systems an opportunity to forget how to play nicely with other people’s germs. Additionally, Covid hit many people pretty hard in one way or another and many people’s immune systems are still recovering. Using the end of summer as your chance to renew your commitment to your health can end up making this fall easier on everyone with fewer trips to the doctor’s office, and fewer days of missed school and work due to being under the weather.
Luckily, we have a few tricks up our sleeve to help you get back to a solid place and build up your immune strength before the fall is upon us.
Diet
Are you eating real, whole foods with a high content of protein and colorful fruits and vegetables? Summer is typically a time for ice cream, barbeques, and delicious cocktails. While it’s important to allow ourselves to have this time of relaxation and community, all good things must come to an end. We encourage you to prioritize well-sourced proteins and aim for 1g of protein per lb of ‘ideal’ body weight per day. You should be getting 25 to 30g of fiber per day via a mix of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.
IV Therapy
Our back-to-school special is the perfect opportunity to grab a friend and boost your system up with some IV vitamins. Most moms do the classic ‘back to school breakfast or coffee date’ with their friends once the kids are back into their routine. But healthy moms opt to do the ‘back to school IV drip date’ to hit two birds with one stone. Depending on your needs we can target stress, immune health, overall nutrient replenishment, detox, or a boost to your metabolism. And for our working mamas, we offer these nourishing drips on Saturdays too!
The Back to School Sleep Routine
Sleep is quite possibly the most important of all health habits. Quite frankly, even if everything else is properly dialed in but you’re not prioritizing strong sleep habits, your immune system, your weight, your energy, and your mood will all suffer. Don’t bother trying to convince yourself that your body is different and you ‘function fine’ on less than 8 hours of sleep. The truth of the matter is that no matter who you are, without adequate sleep, you are functioning at less than your best. Additionally, the timing of your sleep matters. If you go to bed too late in the evening, your body will miss out on getting as much quality deep sleep as it needs. Did you know that your immune cells actually function less efficiently when you chronically experience fewer than 8 hours of sleep per night? Let’s make this a priority to optimize before the bulk of cold and flu season is upon us.
Exercise
Moving your body regularly affects a variety of systems. Your lymphatic system for one, is an important pathway for moving toxins and inflammatory molecules out of your body. Exercise should be incorporated into daily life. Aiming for only 30 minutes per day of movement, while an increase for some, is simply not enough movement time. Work in walks during your lunch break, 15 minutes of yoga in the mornings, or some kind of group class or sport once per week, on top of your typical exercise routine. Additionally, weight training offers a variety of benefits for bone health, heart health, mental health, and metabolic health. Weight training should be a part of everyone’s routine. While you’re reworking the school year schedule, make sure to pencil in your days so that they’re just as important as all of the other ‘to-do’s’.
Immune support
This is a big one. Looking back at last year, kids were missing school, parents were struggling to figure out how to manage work with kids who were always sick, and hospitals were overflowing. Our immune systems are still recuperating in this post covid era. Ensuring you have strong immune support on board now, will prep your system to be able to better recognize and attack germs this season. We recommend a variety of supplements that can help in this department, and a visit with one of our providers can help you adequately prepare. Some of our favorite suggestions are ensuring your vitamin D levels are optimal, incorporating immune-modulating mushrooms like 5 defenders comprehensive immune support or AHCC, and comprehensive immune support like OrthoMune.
Work With Peak Health Institute
Learn more about the importance of getting back into routine with health goals after a busy summer by working with our functional medicine team! Discover how you can optimize your health and live the life you’ve been dreaming of with straightforward solutions like diet and lifestyle changes. Reach out to our team of functional medicine practitioners to learn about our services and get started today!