Keeping your immune system functioning properly is a health essential, and it is especially important now in light of COVID-19. There are ways you can support your immune system with daily self care, nutrition, and health practices.
What does the immune system actually do?
The immune system keeps us healthy by protecting against foreign invaders called pathogens like viruses, bacteria and fungi.
The body’s immune system is complex! There are systems within systems protecting our tissues and organs at every angle from disease and health conditions. The 2 main immune systems are …
The innate immune system includes physical barriers like the skin, chemical agents like stomach acid and biological barriers as in the microbiome, the bacteria that live in gastrointestinal tract.
The adaptive immune response is the second line of defensive, think of it as a memory of the immune system, it takes time to develop and protects the body upon a second invasion from a harmful disease causing pathogens.
Lots of times when talking about the immune system my clients will ask if there is a supplement they should take to improve immunity. While supplements do boost your immune system filling the gaps in nutrient deficiencies, etc. there is no magic pill to replace the benefits of adequate nourishment from nutrient dense foods, quality sleep and managing stress.
These are ways you can begin to better support your body’s natural defense system…
Take Care of Your Gut Health.
Did you know 70% of the body’s immune system lives within the gut? The gut is designed to filter through the contents absorbing nutrients of nutrients while immune cells keeping out foreign invaders, which may cause immune reactions. The gut microbiome ( crony of bacteria living in the gut) teaches our immune system by communicating what particles are healthy vs. harmful, while maintaining a balance of “good” and “bad” bacteria.
If the intestine does becomes damaged from a harmful pathogen, an imbalanced microbiome can occur, resulting in inflammation, food sensitivities and diseases. It’s important to keep a healthy balance of bacteria in the gut. If you haven’t checked in with your doctor and dietitian regarding your gut health, do this first before starting anything new. My nutrition coaching packages are a great option for taking advantage of personalized health and nutrition recommendations for resolving digestive woes.
Other ways, you can keep your gut healthy are by eating fiber rich foods, probiotics in food sources like kombucha, kefir, kim chi, sauerkraut and supplements. Be mindful, when starting probiotics ( and any supplements) especially if you have existing symptoms before you start any new supplements be sure to check with your doctor and dietitian, blindly taking probiotic supplements can actually make matters worse in certain instances.
Daily Stress Relief Practices.
In an acute stressful situation, like a wound, infection or trauma, the body releases cytokines which are inflammatory cells called cytokines are released in the brain in response to this stressor. Inflammation is the body’s natural response to heal, however, when stress is persistent it called chronic stress, the cytokines become abnormally elevated resulting in high levels of inflammation that can cause damage to tissues and organs.
Chronic stress throws off innate and adaptive immune responses, suppressing immunity by decreasing the number and impairing the function of leukocytes (protective white blood cells).
Everyday norms like checking social media, watching the news, going to work, being with family and relationships can all be sources of stress. Without daily stress relieving practices stress levels can build up contributing to an impaired immune system.
Think about what outlets you have to relieve stress? What can you do to minimize external triggers? There are plenty of ways you can support your mind-body with daily de-stressing.
Be strategic in managing your inner self. Breathing deeply with long exhales, pick an exercise like yoga, running or cycling, and mindset shifts—choosing compassion and silencing the voice of stress. You may need guidance from a health professional too.
Hydrate!
An often overlooked part of immune health is staying hydrated. Water supports the bodies natural detox systems to rid the body of byproducts of daily cellular interaction. Water also is needed for the transport of water-soluble B vitamins, and vitamin C.
Stay hydrated by drinking water, eating fluid rich foods like cucumbers, tomatoes, soups, yogurt, berries. Drinking broths, herbal teas like chamomile, ginger, dandelion and roobios are delicious ways to keep well hydrated.
Make Time to Rest.
Let’s not forget about rest! Rest recharges your creativity, it activates your parasympathetic nervous system allowing your body to be at ease. If you are someone who is always “doing” let this be a loving reminder from me to you, that rest is necessary. Being productive all the time is unrealistic can lead to chronic stress, and immune imbalances.
Whether you are a care taker, non-stop worker, or if you just find it challenging to relax, don’t overlook this pillar because it could be exactly what you need to prioritize. Rest is not the same as sleep. Resting means down time to relax, read a book for pleasure, sit outside and chill, watch a movie on the couch, skip your workout and do less, just be.
Prioritize Sleep.
Clocking in a quality 7-9 hours of sleep each night. Building out a nightly routine with sleep hygiene practices that support creating the atmosphere, ambience and habits that allow you to get into a calm head space to make it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep at night.
Did you know that the immune system send signals for the regulation of normal sleep? This is why sleep is often impacted, in those with chronic stress and why addressing each pillar of health is necessary for overall wellness balance.
Routine Movement.
Exercise supports mental and physical health, you don’t have to have intense workouts everyday to reap the benefits. In fact moderate intensity exercise for 20-40 minutes daily is the sweet spot. Moderate intensity exercise has been shown to be beneficial to immune function by triggering release of anti-inflammatory molecules that promote optimal immune function. Listen to your body on this one, don’t push it unless you feel strong capable of intense exercise, because pushing too far can actually cause inflammation, not great for gut health and the immune system.
Yoga has an additional mindfulness component which is an added bonus, if yoga isn’t for you pick a sport you love and play with it again, walking or jogging, or try a new workout class online or in studio when able.
Eating Well.
When it comes to nourishing meeting your nutrient needs with actual whole foods is the way to go! When discussing gut health we mentioned probiotics, probiotics and fiber from whole grains, vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds and fruit. Micronutrients are also essential for proper immune function especially vitamin A, C, D, zinc and selenium are essential nutrients for supporting your immune system in its daily functions, you can eat these nutrients in …
Vitamin C= red peppers, grapefruit, oranges, kiwi, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower
Vitamin D = salmon, egg yolks, mushrooms, fortified juice/milk, supplementing is common and may be necessary.
Zinc= turkey, pumpkin seeds, whole grains, tofu, lentils, chia seeds, chickpeas
Selenium= brazil nuts, egg, shrimp, brown rice, mushroom, spinach
How are you Supporting your Immune System?
Did you already have practices in place to keep your immunity strong? What are you doing well right now? What areas of your health and wellness do you need to improve on?
Share with me in the comment section below or message me on Instagram @sidebarnutrition
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Resources
Dhabhar F. S. (2008). Enhancing versus Suppressive Effects of Stress on Immune Function: Implications for Immunoprotection versus Immunopathology. Allergy, asthma, and clinical immunology : official journal of the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 4(1), 2–11. https://doi.org/10.1186/1710-1492-4-1-2.
Ruiz, F. S., Andersen, M. L., Martins, R. C., Zager, A., Lopes, J. D., & Tufik, S. (2012). Immune alterations after selective rapid eye movement or total sleep deprivation in healthy male volunteers. Innate Immunity, 18(1), 44–54. https://doi.org/10.1177/1753425910385962.
M. Choct (2009) Managing gut health through nutrition, British Poultry Science, 50:1, 9-15, DOI: 10.1080/00071660802538632
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