A healthy body begins with a healthy immune system….
Having lived through a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, most of us are familiar with the basics of self care to avoid getting sick. Despite this gastro, Covid, the flu and all the other unwanted and pesky germs are always coming up with new ways to win.
This means that supporting our immune system should be an ongoing priority if we want to experience life doing what we love.
While most viral infections come and go after a week or so, some of us can experience ongoing symptoms for months after initial infection (Listen to episode #51 On Long Covid) leaving you feeling tired, foggy and run down – no thanks!
To combat this, in todays episode we're looking at three ways to support your immune health.
- Boost your Gut Bacteria
The healthier our gut (gastrointestinal tract) the healthier we are. Our immune defences - all of our beneficial bacteria, live in our gut, ready to fight off any ingested nasties that don't belong there.
Put simply, a healthy gut full of beneficial bacteria helps to build immune function, whilst a compromised microbiome can hinder your immune army's response against infection.
- Build up your reserves of immune-enhancing nutrients
Your immune cells need the right nutrients! Zinc, Vitamin C and an adequate level of Vitamin D (Over 100 on a blood test, or over 150 if you have an autoimmune or immune compromised) together with regular protein intake can make the difference between an immune army that barely makes it through bootcamp versus a squad that gets the job done.
Nutritional deficiencies or inadequate dietary intake can impair immune function, increasing both the risk and severity of an infection.
- Reset your mindset and be kind to yourself
Growing up we were taught to "soldier on" and as women, we often scoff at man-flu… BUT rest and recovery time is vital. Permission granted to bunker on the lounge under a blanket binge watching Schitt's Creek!
Here are my Top Tips for Immune Support and if you're looking for immune supportive foods, check out this blog here: https://kyliepinwill.com/2021/08/01/immune-supportive-foods/
- Include roast sweet potato and pumpkin with dinner – add in a few pieces of roast garlic
- Go for green! Yes, green smoothies… Adding spinach, avocado & kiwi to banana and coconut water allows the body to readily absorb all the amazing immune-supporting properties of green vegetables.
- Nourish your body with good fats (avocado, coconut oil, nuts, seeds, fish) and good protein (organic meat, chicken, fish, nuts, seeds, legumes, eggs).
- Soup for the soul – it's true, chicken, veggie or broths will heal. It's an easy way to include lots of nutrients.
- Get out in the sunshine for extra vitamin D, get outdoors on winter sunny days and enjoy eggs and oily fish. Vitamin D is essential in warding off sniffles and illnesses and plays an important role in immune health - critical for anyone with autoimmune to have optimal Vit D levels
- Fresh air – keep rooms well ventilated
- Keep your exercise routine going, even when it's chilly outside! If you aren't feeling 100%, listen to your body and rest
- Avoid sugar (one of my top rules!) – sugar feeds those nasty bugs and depletes the white blood cells that are the basis for the immune system.
- Choose quality supplements with a therapeutic dose of Vit C and zinc to help reduce the duration of a cold
- Avoid mucus forming foods during a cold or virus - such as dairy, bananas & eggs (re-introduce these after, as they are all highly nutritious).
- Antibiotics will only help when the infection is bacterial. Most colds and coughs are viral and need TLC as mentioned above. Antibiotics can rob the gut of that good bacteria we need to keep healthy.
- Drink plenty of water, soup, hot lemon, ginger and honey, herbal teas, and hot cocoa to wash nasties away.
- Rest + reboot; enjoy a little couch time and make sure you get adequate sleep. Reducing stress can keep viruses away.
- Keep your hands clean! This is especially crucial when everyone else has the sniffles and sneezes: Wash hands often to keep those viruses and bacteria at bay. Cleanliness is the key; a tea tree nasal spray is great too.
Links and Resources
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