Keeping our immune system strong is great for being resilient so that we have “energy reserves” when we have to face the next stressor of the day. This makes sense because if our bodies are not battling inside they can better handle what is happening outside. This internal battle can create inflammation at the cellular level.

Inflammation is an autoimmune response that our bodies put into play when they have to respond to some crisis. While some inflammation situations are good such as when we cut our finger, other types of inflammation such as when we get into reacting to that idiot on the road are not so good.

Foods rich in Omega–3 oils (fish like tuna and salmon) veggies (like spinach, romaine lettuce and cauliflower) nuts and seeds (such as walnuts and pumpkin seeds) all help to keep down inflammation in our bodies. And if the inflammation can be lowered, then when we do face a stress situation, we have a bit more resources available to us.

I carry a little tin of nuts in my car that I munch on during the day. I eat them as a snack as I drive from meeting to meeting and find them both tasty and filling. However if I find myself really frustrated by that idiot on the road, I sometimes even consider throwing a cashew or macadamia their way.

Nuts…they really help build the resilience.

© Richard Citrin, All rights reserved, 2015