It’s easy to think that we’re all at the mercy of invading microbes, but it isn’t that simple. There are so many factors that influence our body’s capacity to defend itself against disease.

Some of the factors fall under our personal influence. And this is where our power lies.

True, I cannot completely control my environment and circumstances, although this doesn’t prevent me from doing my best. Just because I can’t achieve 100% success doesn’t mean I sit on my hands and do nothing.

My definition of empowerment is doing everything that I am able to cultivate the life I desire. If I want optimal health, I’m going to address every factor that is within my power.

While the chaos happening in the world is beyond my scope of influence, I do have a fair amount of sway over how it lands in me. I can’t escape stress entirely (although I take a good stab at minimizing it as best I can!), I am all about metabolizing it so it doesn’t leave me in a state of chronic fight or flight.

Not only is that uncomfortable given the resulting tension and anxiety, but living in survival mode drains the body’s resources, rerouting energy that would otherwise be used to keep ourselves healthy.

Sure, there are supplements you can take to boost the immune system. If you’re forever in super-stressed-out mode, though, your digestion and assimilation is impaired and you won’t be able to absorb them and they won’t be particularly effective.

There are tons of ways to address chronic stress. My favorites are spending time in nature, bouncing on the rebounder, laughing, meditation, tai chi, mantra, and Reiki. These practices all soothe my nerves and help me to move the energy so it doesn’t get stuck in my system.

So before you go spending a small fortune on vitamin C and such, find a way to release the tension held in your body and cultivate an internal sense of peace and safety so your nervous system can relax.

If you’d like some support, I’ve created a remote Reiki treatment exactly for this.