I will be writing health articles each month for my page and clinic: 1. How to boost immunity in the winter. 2. The Paleo diet and how and why I follow the 80/20 rule. Hope you all enjoy x Its that time of year again… With colder nights and colder mornings settling in and the recent outbreak of yet another respiratory virus (RSV), we really need to look after ourselves by making sure we all boost our immunity so these nasty energy depriving colds and flus don’t get us down. The immune system is the body’s primary defense against potentially harmful substances. It has a network of multifaceted cells that protect the body from invading microorganisms, prevents the growth of cancer cells and mediates the healing of damaged tissue. It does this by identifying antigens that have entered the body and generates a response to eliminate them. Below are my tips for maintaining a healthy immune system: 1. Look after your gut. – Most of our immune cells lie within the gut mucosal lining and this is why treating any underlying gut issues are critical. Take a good probiotic every day to provide the digestive system with good bacteria to take over those nasty bad bacteria’s. 2. Garlic, Garlic, Garlic – cannot get enough. The active constituent in garlic, Allicin is a phytochemical which has antiviral, antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. To get the most Allicin out of the garlic, crush before eating to release the juice. 3. Vitamin C – this wonderful antioxidant enhances white blood cells (our first line of defense). The body also excretes vitamin C at an increased rate during stress, thereby elevating the body’s need for it. So eat lots of fruit and vegetables or supplement with a tablet or powder form. 4. Zinc – this is arguably the most important mineral for immune function. It is unfortunately very deficient in most of us as our fruit and vegetables are no longer grown with minerals. Good dietary sources are beef, ginger, oysters, grains and seeds. 5. Vitamin D – Dietary sources are fish liver oil (or cod liver oil), egg yolk, milk, and sprouted seeds. This vitamin also lifts serotonin (our happy hormone). 6. Herbs – these lessen the severity and duration in the likelihood of catching a nasty bug. They work by increasing white blood cells. Echinacea, Astralgus, and olive leaf extract are my favorites. 7. Sleep! Sleep! Sleep! – We are just not getting enough. Our bodies need to rest and repair themselves for the next day and they do this during the night. With less sleep and not enough quality of sleep we are constantly living in a deprivation. Most of us need 7-9 hours a night; yet most of us are surviving on much less. Avoid caffeine after 2pm, drink a calming herbal tea before bed, ensure adequate protein at the evening meal to ensure sustained blood sugars throughout the night, practice deep breathing exercises to help with relaxation and keep a pen and paper next to the bed to write down any thoughts or ideas that may need to be remembered in the morning. Taking a magnesium supplement is great for promoting a restful sleep and reducing the amount of time it takes to fall asleep. 8. Reduce Stress– any trigger that activates the immune system also activates an inflammatory process, which in turn triggers a stress response. This is a vicious cycle. Find things that help you to relax these might be going for a walk, reading a book, meditating, cooking, or watching a movie. Set aside at least one morning a week for yourself. 9. Sugar– Consuming refined sugar actually fuels all pathogenic activity in the body. The only way to prevent a virus, bacterial infection or fungal overgrowth is by starving these pathogens by keeping sugar out of the bloodstream. 10. Get moving! We are designed to move. Any form of exercise can significantly increase immune health. It raises internal heating and gets the blood and oxygen moving. A healthy immune function can be maintained with the use of some herbal and nutritional supplements and ongoing dietary and lifestyle support ☺ Stephanie Pearson Naturopath
Posted on: Tue, 06 Aug 2013 23:59:10 +0000
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