Why is our society so sick?
The two main reasons we all get sick are when we have a deficiency of something we need more of, OR the presence of something that shouldn’t be there (toxins, bacteria, viruses, etc.). To ensure a properly functioning immune system during this ongoing pandemic, I recommend turning your body into an “inhospitable host” by keeping your diet as clean and varied as possible, managing stress, and staying properly hydrated. And perhaps, more importantly, are the health-destroying things to avoid such as sugar, alcohol, and processed & refined foods.
Immune systems are acquired and shaped over time based on how you live your life. Your immune system is not out of your control, your behaviors affect your immune system, so as you modify your behaviors in a health-promoting way, you can ‘boost’ and maintain a healthy immune system. For example, stress weakens the immune system over time but it responds positively to stress reduction activities like mindfulness, meditation, hugging, petting puppies, RomCom movies, consensual sex, grounding (walking around outside, barefoot), a nutrient-dense meal, and even moderate exercise like walking and yoga can reduce stress enough to maintain a healthy immune system.
Daily habits that support your immune system:
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✴︎ Water — aim for 1/2 your body weight in ounces, per day (add lemon for an immune-boosting dose of vitamin C & quercetin) |
✴︎ Vitamin D — every cell in your body has a receptor for this vitamin/hormone, go soak up some sun (at least 15 minutes per day sans sunscreen) to strengthen your immune system |
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✴︎ Vitamin A — only animal foods (pastured eggs, beef liver, cod liver) provide fat-soluble vitamins A + D + K2, needed for eye, liver & optimal immune health |
✴︎ Vitamin C — ramp up immunity by incorporating Vitamin C rich foods like berries, citrus, kiwi & leafy greens
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✴︎ Elderberry — one of the best natural immune system supports you will ever find! Wise Woman Herbals is my preferred elderberry syrup |
✴︎ Medicinal mushrooms — the beta-glucans found in medicinal mushrooms stimulate the immune system & reduce inflammation. Real Mushrooms is my go-to line
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✴︎ Sulforaphane — found in cruciferous veggies like kale, broccoli, broccoli sprouts, and cauliflower |
✴︎ Echinacea — this herb may help improve your immune system and has anti-viral action against colds + viral bronchitis (rotate weekly)
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✴︎ Probiotics — 80% of your immune system is in your gut so keep it thriving with a high-quality spore-based version like TerraFlora or MegaSporeBiotic. If you experience regular, digestive distress, let’s investigate why with a GI MAP stool test |
✴︎ Zinc — eating protein-rich foods like pasture-raised meats, shellfish (esp. oysters), pastured eggs, nuts & seeds will give you an excellent dose of zinc. I also recommend supplementing with 25 mg. per day if you don’t eat enough of these foods
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✴︎ Exercise — no need to push your body to its limits every day, tune in so you can hear what your body needs and aim for at least 20 minutes |
✴︎ Sleep — vitally important to maintaining a healthy immune system. When you’re not getting adequate & restful sleep, inflammation markers rise dramatically and circadian rhythms are thrown off contributing to dysregulation of cortisol levels throughout the day.
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Don’t wait for a magic pill, start today
There has never been a more important time to support your immune system by increasing the consumption of herbs/nutrients/foods that support the body’s ability to fight viral pathogens. The majority of your immune system resides in your gut, so if you’re eating poorly, your immune system will function poorly. Ditch the processed food, alcohol, fast food, bad oils, and sugar and eat only nutrient-dense, properly-prepared whole foods (and of course, wear a mask and don't touch your face, eyes, nose, etc.). My ultimate goal as a functional nutritionist is to help you become more knowledgeable about—and responsible for—your own health. If you’d like personalized nutrition recommendations, reach out to me.
