Boosting Your Immune System

This morning my daughter woke up coughing a bit, and sneezed twice- nothing else, that’s it- but with just that I kick into “boosting immunity mode”!  This year has been pretty mild for her.  I guess the older they get, the better immunity from past years' diseases. Call me crazy, but I’m the kind of person who thinks it's good to be exposed to viruses and bacteria as it makes a stronger immune system. How your immune system reacts, however, depends on a lot of factors- so how that virus or bacteria expresses itself in yours or your child’s body, can be anywhere from mild to severe.

I’m not afraid of getting sick, nor I try to suppress symptoms with strong medications. In my opinion, this might come back to bite you in the end! I just try to arm our immune system so that symptoms are milder and shorter in duration. But, let's start with prevention, as nobody really likes getting sick!

Prevention: Building a Strong Immune System

Nutrient deficiencies and chemical overload cause our immune system to not function to its highest
potential. We are exposed to colds and flus nearly every day. When your immune system is functioning properly, it will immediately activate white cells and destroy the pathogens keeping you healthy. If you are run down, deficient in nutrients, eating foods that you are sensitive to, or chronically stressed, then your immune system may become compromised.

1. Keep the diet clean! This is a no brainer, but fruits and vegetables are loaded with the micronutrients you need to have a strong immune system.  Processed, fatty, and sugary foods are loaded with toxins, fat and sugar, and preservatives that do just the opposite- suppress your immune system. So eat plenty of organic vegetables, greens, and fruits daily. Whole grains (not too many ground grains, i.e. flours), beans/legumes, pastured/organic eggs, wild fish, sea vegetables, and raw nuts & seeds.
   
2. Exercise. Physical activity may help by flushing bacteria out from the lungs, and increasing output of wastes, such as urine and sweat. Exercise sends antibodies and white blood cells (the body's defense cells) through the body at a quicker rate. As these antibodies or white blood cells circulate more rapidly, they could detect illnesses earlier than they might normally. The temporary rise in body temperature may prevent bacterial growth, allowing the body to fight the infection more effectively. (This is similar to what happens when the body has a fever.) Exercise slows down the release of stress-related hormones, which is important as stress increases the chance of illness.
   
3. Vitamin D. Make sure your levels of Vitamin D are between 40-60ng/mL starting in the Fall (most adults need around 5000-6000IU per day to accomplish this). If you live in my part of the country, you most likely need supplementation from Fall to Spring. I give my 4 year-old daughter a food based D3 supplement (no gummies please, those are dentists worst nightmare!) Even in other regions, if you are not outside daily, I’d say check your levels and supplement if necessary. Vitamin D has been found to be incredibly important for a healthy immune system.
   
4. Specific Immune Boosting Foods: 
   
   -Oranges and pomegranates should become daily treats in the winter months! They grow this season on purpose. Yes, nature is perfect! Both pomegranates and oranges are full of vitamin C, flavonoids, and other antioxidants for keeping the immune system strong.
   
   -Eat more mushrooms. They can increase natural killer cell activity that combat viral infections. Shitake, reishi and maitake are especially great.
   
   -Eat or Drink Greens. Greens help your body deal with all the toxins we are exposed to on a daily basis that alter our immune system function. Kale, collard greens, and other cruciferous vegetables increase phase 2 detoxification of toxins while ramping up our body’s production of antioxidants. Greens are also loaded with carotenoids, or precursors to vitamin A- a key nutrient for proper immune function. Kale chips are great for kids!
   
   -Soluble Fiber. The soluble fiber in fruit, and more so in whole grains and beans, helps with the removal of toxins from the body.
   
   -Eat Brazil nuts. Eat brazil nuts every couple days, or add one to your smoothie.  Brazil nuts are very high in a mineral called selenium that many people are often deficient in and that is very important for immune function. Certain agricultural regions have soil that is deficient in selenium so the plants that grow there and the animals that eat them tend to be low in this key nutrient. For example, in the Northwest of the US soils are quite deficient of selenium.
   
   -Garlic. Bad breath aside, garlic is incredibly beneficial to your immune system because it offers a triple-whammy! it’s antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal. Eat garlic every day! One of the best things about garlic is that bacteria, viruses, and yeast build up no resistance to it, unlike with synthetic antibiotics. For optimal benefits, garlic should be fresh since the active ingredient is destroyed within one hour of smashing the garlic cloves.
   
   
5. Get enough sleep. This might be one of the most important ones! Sleep is a time to rest, digest, and repair. If you want your immune system to be in great shape, then give it time to rejuvenate.
   
6. Stay away from SUGAR. Sugar is an immune system suppressor.  This is especially important for children, who are so sensitive to sugar. My daughter already knows (and is great about it!), I may be flexible with sugar or candy on occasion, but at the first signs of illness or when sick, we have a NO SUGAR rule!
   
   
   
   
   
7. Avoid Antibiotics like the PLAGUE! Unless obviously, completely necessary, but do note that they are very often over-prescribed.  Antibiotics kill the bad bugs along with good bugs in your gut, necessary for a strong immune system. There is an incredible overuse of antibiotics in animals as well, so buy your meats and animal products organic or antibiotic-free. Also, don't use antibacterial soaps and sanitizers, just good old water and soap will do!
   This topic can be a whole other blog post, so for now I will give you this link to read further… 

Last, but NOT LEAST... Heal your GUT!
In the last couple of years I’ve developed a newfound respect for the gut.  I believe in a holistic approach where no organ or bodily system is more important than another, it is all interconnected, but let me tell you- a healthy GI tract may be the answer to prevention of many chronic diseases! 

You may be wondering what does the gut have to do with a cold? Well, to summarize… about 70% of the immune system is located in the lymphatic tissue of the gut. And 60 to 80% of IgA antibodies are made in the GALT (lymphatic tissue in the gut). Our intestines contain more immune cells than the ENTIRE rest of our body!!!

So, if you…

1. suspect you have issues with your GI tract.  You suffer from heartburn, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, chronic gas, or stomach pain,
2. get sick a LOT, and/or...
3. have taken a lot of antibiotics in the past, (and this can be as little as once a year!)

you may need to heal your gut!

This may require some help from a naturopath, health coach, nutritionist or other holistic practitioner, but do know that if you have GI issues, your immune system will suffer. And this goes further than just catching colds and flus, you may be more susceptible to developing autoimmune disorders, chronic diseases, and even cancer.  (Stay tuned for my post on tips for keeping a healthy gut to come next week.)

So, start with a strong immune system so you don’t get sick, or don’t get sick often- and if you do, your symptoms will be milder and shorter.  Thursday I will post "How to treat cough, cold and flu, naturally".  Check in then, and stay healthy!!!