9 Tips to Strengthen Your Immune System
Now the clocks have changed and we notice the temperature starting to drop, we are all mindful of what winter will bring.
Here are my 9 top tips on how you can look after your immune system, and increase your overall health and vitality.
9 Tips to Boost Your Immune System
Just by making the following simple lifestyle and diet tweaks you will give your immune system the support it needs, to strengthen and protect your overall health from the inevitable coughs, colds, and viruses that do the rounds in the winter months.
Drink enough water: yes even in the winter months - and especially if you've got the central heating on!
Water is the best way to cleanse our body of harmful wastes and toxins and ensures that our system stays healthy and hydrated as well as strengthening our immune system. Remember: the best solution to pollution is dilution.
Sleep Tight: The immune system is strengthened and finely tuned during sleep, and sleep deprivation can lead to weakening it. Ensure that you get a good eight hours of sleep every night to keep your immune system in good shape. Studies have found that people who sleep eight hours a night have stronger immune system, and are less prone to getting viruses or infections.
Limit caffeine: If you are having trouble falling asleep avoid stimulants like caffeine or caffeinated teas after 1 pm.
Avoid bright lights in the evening: Dim the lights. Exposure to full-spectrum lighting can reduce production of growth and repair hormones, creating more stress in your body. This can interfere with sleep.
Stress Less: The more stressed you are the weaker your immune system becomes. If you live a super busy life juggling too many responsibilities then it can lead to chronic stress.
Current research shows that when stress is alleviated by following key foundation principles such as hydration, nutrition, and proper breathing, and coupled with meditation or tai chi, within the weeks to months you will start to see changes to your overall health and vitality.
Up Your Antioxidants: A diet that is nutrient-dense contains powerful antioxidants that strengthen your immune system and balance your physiology. They eliminate free radical build up, assist in detoxification and reduce the risk of illness and disease. These foods that are loaded with powerful antioxidants:
Berries: wild blueberries boast the most antioxidants, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blackcurrant and elderberries are also rich and antioxidants. This is due to the high levels of polyphenols, and quercetin to give them their rich spectacular colour.
Hot cacao: Studies have shown that cacao is packed with nearly double the amount of antioxidants than found in red wine and up to 3 times that I found in tea.
Cruciferous vegetables: cruciferous vegetables like kale, broccoli, spinach, and cauliflower have been shown to boost immunity.
Go for Garlic - it's a proven potent natural antibiotic .
Heal your gut: Hippocrates, the father of medicine, famously said “All disease begins in the gut”. Research shows that when your levels of bad bacteria outweigh the good bacteria, your immune system is weakened.
Think About Zinc This wonder mineral is found in every one of your cells and it’s critical for healthy cell development and function. Zinc interacts with thousands of proteins in your body and is involved in around 300 different enzyme processes. It improves wound healing and improves thyroid function, gut health, blood clotting, vision, and a whole host of other powerful benefits. Zinc also works as a powerful antioxidant.
Most importantly, zinc boosts immunity. When zinc is deficient (as it is in an estimated 2 billion people worldwide) there is a reduced function in your T cells, which act as soldiers through the immune system.
Zinc supplements can be helpful during colder months. Current research shows zinc may reduce the duration of a cold by three days. Also, Zinc can knock a cold on its head if taken within the first 24 hours after symptoms appear, reducing the severity and duration of any virus.
Cut back on sugar: Sugar will lower your immune system, and can lead to a whole host of other complications in your body. Switch to natural sources such as raw organic honey, stevia, or coconut sugar and your gut will thank you.
Stay away from toxins: We are knowingly surrounding ourselves with toxins through our cleaning and personal hygiene products, most of which are toxic to our immune system. For example, simply switching to coconut oil with a few drops of lavender oil to moisturise your body will give you all the natural healing and protective properties you need to protect your skin from harmful microbes. It will also leave your skin feeling incredibly soft and supple. Use green cleaning products to keep your house and your body clean.
Probiotic foods: these include miso, kimchi, sauerkraut, certified organic yoghurt (if you can tolerate dairy, otherwise get coconut or almond yoghurt) and kefir.
Probiotics: Current Scientific research clearly shows that supplementing your diet with probiotics on a daily basis has an even greater impact on your health than taking a multivitamin supplement. There are more than 150 studies showing the positive effects of taking probiotics for optimum health. I, personally use P3OM by Bioptimizers, for more information check out their website at www.bioptimizers.com.
Is there anything else we can do? Yes there is! Here are some immune boosting tips that you may not have heard about!
Immune system boosters:
Hugs: it’s true – a quality cuddle helps lower blood pressure and increases levels of oxytocin, the same chemical we produce when we’re in love.
Laughter: a good giggle gives your immunity a leg up by boosting antibody production and activating important productive T cells. Laughter increases the production of antibodies and activation of the body’s, natural killer cells killing the activity of tumour cells.
Getting a journal: Writing in a journal of personal events or traumas can help strengthen immunity in people with asthma, arthritis, and HIV. Journaling can help you clarify feelings, problem-solve more effectively, work through negative emotions, distress, move on and let go.
Making good diet and lifestyle choices cannot only keep your immune system healthy, but will protect the body from all kinds of viruses and illnesses. It will also increase your overall health and vitality, and allow you the freedom to do everything you love through the winter months, while feeling on top of the world.
