Boost Your Immune System Naturally
“All Disease Begins in the Gut” –Hippocrates
Since the beginning of 2020 immunity has become one of the most talked about subjects in one way or another on a global scale. You might not immediately recognise this, but washing hands, wearing masks, social distancing etc. are all interwoven into the performance of one of the most powerful systems your body has. In this blog I’m going to talk about the links between your gut & immune system and why it is so important to think about your diet during these unprecedented times…….and more importantly…..All The Time to boost your immune system naturally.
Firstly what does your immune system do?
The immune system is your bodies defence against pathogens, such as bacteria, fungi & viruses. We are exposed to various pathogens every day, in the air, on surfaces, through food & liquids etc. Your immune system is an incredibly powerful killing machine and has 3 lines of defence dealing with these pathogens.
The first is physical such as the skin & mucous membranes. These try & stop pathogens entering the body.
The second is a non specific immune response meaning white blood cells target anything they don’t recognise. The immune response can also be fever as pathogens can’t survive above 37.5 degrees. Inflammation is also an immune response to combating pathogens, this can be heat, pain, redness, swelling etc.
The third line of defence is specific & targets particular pathogens which the immune system has learned from and devised antibodies to kill the pathogen.
So why is the gut &, more importantly, gut health so important to the immune system?
Surprisingly 70% of your immune system is in the Gastro Intestinal Tract (GIT). This is a first line of defence as the majority of pathogens will come into contact with the GIT. This is because the GIT is essentially a long tube that starts at the mouth, travels through the body & ends at the anus.
Most of the immune tissue is found in the intestines. This is where most absorption occurs and so it is being constantly challenged by pathogens. This is why from an immune point of view it is really important to keep your gut healthy. A healthy gut should mean a healthy effective immune system that can deal with pathogens as they arise.
So what foods should you eat for inflammation?
Acute inflammation is the immune’s system way of dealing with a virus, bacteria etc. that doesn’t belong in the body. If the inflammation is for a short period of time this is beneficial as it is killing off the pathogen.
When inflammation is prolonged and, therefore, chronic this isn’t good for the body and action needs to be taken
Cutting down on what is known as pro-inflammatory foods is essential to staying healthy. So avoiding foods such as:
Processed foods, dairy, alcohol, coffee, refined sugar, sweeteners, red meats & processed meats especially
Try & include:
Organic fruit, lots of organic vegetables, nuts & seeds, chia seeds, quercetin (red fruit & veg), turmeric (with black pepper & oil in the evening for effective absorption), ginger, garlic.
What foods should you eat for a healthy immune response?
For the immune system to respond efficiently in the first place you need to give it the correct fuel, we wouldn’t give our petrol car diesel and expect it to run very far & the same logic should be taken with our immune systems.
For your immune system to work at its best try the following foods:
Zinc: it enhances immunity by promoting the development of immune cells and is found in pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, cashews, mushrooms, spinach, cocoa, kefir & chicken or lamb.
Vit C – found in Oranges, kiwi, guava, broccoli, leafy greens, blackcurrants, red & green pepper, berries, parsley, pineapple
Beta Glucans (medicinal mushrooms) – Reishi, Chaga, Cordyceps,Shiitake
Probiotics – kefir, natural yoghurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, cabbage
Prebiotics – Oats, Garlic, Onion, jerusalem artichoke
Echinacea is great for increasing white blood cells as is elderberry & ginseng
It’s not just all about the food
When we talk about gut health we naturally just think about food & drink being the only things to affect the gut. This in fact is far from the truth & there are other factors which also play a big part in the health of the gut.
The Environment
When we talk about the ‘environment’ and health this can literally mean the physical environment such as your home, workplace, neighbourhood, the park, the woods, the greater environment such as the air, the earth, the sea, rivers. However it can also mean the environment your cells & organs live in. This is affected by the food & liquids you consume and physical environment but it is also strongly affected by your stress levels.
Acute stress is caused when the flight or fight system is activated. If you suddenly have a tiger about to attack you your sympathetic system kicks into survival mode. Your digestion reduces, your immune responses close down whilst cortisol is released to increase your sugar levels for a burst of energy. Adrenaline & Noradrenaline are released to increase your blood pressure & heart rate. All this is to prepare you to run!
This response is obviously a life saver if you are running away from a tiger, but unfortunately this response is very common and enduring/chronic in today’s society and this is definitely not a good thing. A prolonged state of your immune system being suppressed will hinder the body from resolving infections and will make you more susceptible to illness
Stress Management
Managing stress, therefore, is also paramount for a strong, healthy immune system and for health in general.
There are lots of things you can do to reduce stress & it is important you find what works for you as we are all individual and react differently.
Sleep is a really important factor for reducing stress and something we all need good quality. 7-9 hours a night is recommended.
Aerobic Exercise is a great stress reducer so swimming, walking, cycling, yoga, pilates, tai chi are all great for helping you to relax. Also this is a great time to get inventive and find ways to move that you enjoy or can fit into a busy schedule. Even doing the housework is great exercise or gardening or an allotment.
Aerobic Exercise is a great stress reducer so swimming, walking, cycling, yoga, pilates, tai chi are all great for helping you to relax. Also this is a great time to get inventive and find ways to move that you enjoy or can fit into a busy schedule. Even doing the housework is great exercise or gardening or an allotment.
Get outside! Probiotics were mentioned previously which are essential for a healthy gut & immune system. One of the best ways of introducing lots of varied probiotics to your body is being in nature! Visit as many different ecosystems as you can and breathe in as many microbiomes to give a variety of good bacteria to your GIT. Being in nature will help to destress you and if you can combine it with exercise such as a walk or bike ride even better!
Breathing correctly is paramount for destressing so maybe download an app for free such as Balance (free for the first year) or the Tapping Solution app to learn new relaxing techniques
Meditation is a great way to destress and there are many free Youtube videos or meditation apps that can help you incorporate this into your daily routine.
Food is also a great way to reduce stress levels so again reduce things such as caffeine & alcohol which are stimulants
Include:
Omega 3’s which reduce cortisol levels – oily fish, nuts & seeds, flaxseeds, walnuts, brussel sprouts
Potassium (supports adrenal function) – avocado, spinach, sweet potato, salmon, apricots.
Magnesium (reduces cortisol release) – spinach almonds, avocado.
Vitamin C (when stressed, vitamin C is excreted from the kidneys).
So hopefully this has given you an overview of why your diet & lifestyle is so important in giving you a strong immune system and given you some ideas you can incorporate. Always remember it is small, incremental changes that are important so don’t overwhelm yourself when deciding to try new things.
And one of the most important things you can do to support your immune system?…………Laugh………Laugh, Laugh. Laugh and enjoy times with friends, family, neighbours, acquaintances, watching funny videos. Laughter reduces stress hormones and is a great immunity booster, even if you have to fake it, but even better if you don’t! https://youtu.be/SVkG3L79sL4
