Aneta Ardelian Kuzma, Wellness Coach

Don’t relinquish your power. Instead focus on that which you can control – the greatest of which is your mind.

We are more powerful than we think, and are able to make choices everyday to help strengthen our mind, body and spirit.  I am not someone who avoids what is happening in the world. I stay informed, however, I do not internalize or embrace fear. This has been especially important the past few weeks. I wash my hands, protect those around me if I sneeze or cough, and stay home when I am ill.  However, the most important thing I do to stay healthy is to protect my energy by focusing on what I want, and not what I don’t want to happen.  

There is a powerful connection between our thoughts and our immune system.  When we become anxious, we trigger our fight or flight stress response and that releases adrenaline, cortisol and other chemicals and hormones into our system.  During sustained periods of anxiety and stress our immune systems are weakened and more vulnerable to infections and illness.  

The great news is that we can make smart choices for our minds and our bodies everyday that can actually strengthen our immune system.  Here are a few tips and reminders:

  • Eat a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables to ensure proper vitamins and nutrients to the body. Crowding our sugar, processed foods, and animal products and increasing plant-based choices will help reduce inflammation in the body, a common contributor to disease.  
  • Get adequate rest and sleep, which means 7-9 hours for most adults over the age of 18 to ensure your body has time to detox, rest and recharge.
  • Increase your water intake to avoid dehydration, which places additional stress on the body.  Adding lemon to your water further helps to alkalize the body.  
  • Exercise and move your body daily to slow down stress hormones, flush out bacteria from the lungs, and increase antibodies and white blood cells that help to detect illness and promote healing. 
  • Add immune boosting activities like laughing, singing and spending time with loved ones.  Find your favorite comedy or musical on Netflix and watch it with your family and friends.  You can do all three in one!
  • Be mindful of alcohol consumption and don’t smoke. 
  • Practice gratitude, meditation, yoga and deep yogic breathing to lower stress hormones, stimulate the lymphatic system to release toxins, and promote more oxygen into our systems.   I have recorded a short meditation that you can add to your daily routine.  

Author(s)

  • Aneta Ardelian Kuzma

    Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Executive Coach, Life Coach

    CEO, Ardelian Kuzma Group, LLC

    Hi, my name is Aneta.  I am a wife, a mom to two amazing daughters, and grateful for all of my blessings.  After a successful 25 year corporate career, I started my coaching and consulting business so I can combine my diverse experience and education with my passion for helping clients create transformational change. I believe that each of us has unique talents and dreams that we are meant to nurture and share. Yet, many of us place our own needs last, and don’t make the investment in ourselves. As a result, we find ourselves burned out, having lost our zest for life, and not living our best lives. I am committed to helping my clients achieve their personal, business, and health goals.   I help clients find their purpose and make life changes, develop self-care practices to reduce stress and burnout, and make health and nutritional changes to improve overall wellness.  I also provide business consulting to organizations to help create a culture of mindfulness and wellness to drive employee engagement, reduce burnout in their employees, and increase innovation.