Having proper immune support and health is imperative to putting you in a better place to handle stress, sickness, or anything that life throws your way. There is a lot going on in the world right now, and while we certainly don't have the answers or a cure for Coronavirus, we do have science based studies that show there are ways to help reduce cortisol levels and support your immune system. In this episode we take a deep dive into all things immune-related and share our best research-backed tips to help you stay healthy and feel your best!
In this episode you'll learn:
- Why smoking cigarettes or vaping nicotine can negatively impact your immune system
- Why it's important to support your immune system with a wide variety of healthy foods, especially fruits and vegetables
- That acute (moderate to vigorous intensity) exercise is beneficial to the immune system
- That obesity and chronic inflammation can have an impact on immune function
- Why it's so important to drink alcohol in moderation, especially when it comes to immune health
- How alcohol can negatively affect different aspects of your health
- Why it's important for immune function to find healthy ways to minimize chronic stress
- A few ways Amanda and Chris deal with stress
- About some supplements that have been shown to help promote relaxation and reduce cortisol (Magnesium, Ashwagandha, B Complex, Reishi, Omega 3, GABA, 5HTP, Theanine, Cava, Valerian Root, Lemon Balm)
- The role caffeine can play in stress and immune health
- Why maintaining connection with others is helpful for reducing cortisol levels
- How activities like chewing gum and listening to music can help with stress
- That quality sleep is crucial to preventing and fighting viruses
- Why maintaining a healthy gut is imperative to nutrient absorption and immune health
- That spending time outside can help your body synthesize vitamin D and help reduce the likelihood of you getting sick
- About some foods that contain high amounts of vitamin D
- How immune strength changes as you get older
- About the lack of connection between weather and increased risk of sickness
- That certain herbs can have antiviral properties and immunostimulatory effects
References:
- Nicotine increases cortisol levels, while reducing B cell antibody formation and T cells' response to antigens: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5352117/
- A study in the American Journal of Medicine showed that moderate exercise reduced incidents of the cold: https://www.amjmed.com/article/S0002-9343(06)00782-0/fulltext
- Epidemiologic studies consistently show decreased levels of inflammatory biomarkers in adults with higher levels of physical activity and fitness, even after adjustment for potential confounders such as BMI: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095254618301005
- High exercise training workloads, competition events, and the associated physiological, metabolic, and psychological stress are linked with transient immune perturbations, inflammation, oxidative stress, muscle damage, and increased illness risk: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095254618301005
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1555415516001732
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19027101
