5 Key Strategies to Support Your Immune System
Reading Time: 11 Minutes
There’s no doubt that we’re going through scary times right now. Many of us are still unsure of what to do. Do we remain separated from each other, hidden in our homes, waiting for news that the current COVID-19 epidemic has passed?
If you are feeling afraid and powerless, please know that there is something you can do. You can be proactive with your health and fortify your body and immune system. Then, should you contract any virus or illness, you may be able to shorten it’s duration, minimize your symptoms, and get back to feeling like yourself sooner.
This means you have power now!
And I want to help. That’s why I created this week’s blog - to provide you with ideas and strategies that can support your immune system. There are several key strategies you can start implementing now for you and your family to stay healthy.
Keep in mind; there is no one exact thing to do. First, you must understand that the immune system needs many things to be strong to fight off pathogens. And fortifying your immune system can be achieved through several different approaches.
Take a look at the following five key strategies, and see which ones you can add to your diet or daily routine to start supporting your immune system today.
The more we take steps to support our immune system and be healthier, the better off our entire society will be.
And trying new foods and activities can be fun. The foods, spices, herbs and other suggestions that follow are not all that you can do – there’s more. But it’s my goal to inspire and empower you to start taking charge of your health and get started today!
Understanding a Healthy Immune System
Supporting your immune system is not about taking one supplement or avoiding certain foods. There is no quick fix. It’s about a comprehensive strategy to provide your body with what it needs to function at its best.
A poor diet, stress, lack of sleep and too little exercise all affect the immune system and lower the body’s ability to fight infections and viruses.
Along with nutrient-dense foods that help strengthen the immune system, there are other dietary and supplement considerations you can make, as well.
There are many suggestions and options listed below. But please do not become overwhelmed. Start with one or two simple tips that you know you can implement now and then add something else later to build a complete strategy. Doing so will serve you well both now and for years to come
Inflammation
When the immune system fights pathogenic bacteria or viruses, it martials many elements in its arsenal to neutralize the problem. Inflammation, either localized or systemic (throughout the body), is one tool your immune system uses to help fight anything it sees as harmful to you.
Sometimes it’s wrong, as in the case of allergy or autoimmunity. And sometimes it’s right, as in the case of viruses and pathogens. Too much inflammation can cause severe damage. For example, if there is too much inflammation in the lungs, breathing can be impaired, which can lead to a life-threatening situation.
Controlling inflammation is also essential. Many people are chronically inflamed - sadly, most of them don’t even realize it. Should they contract a virus or bacterial infection, even more inflammation will occur, increasing the risk of a more severe outcome.
Gut Health
The gut, and the good bacteria that reside there, is another major player in the quest for a healthy immune system.
You can’t be healthy without a healthy gut. Unfortunately, it isn’t straightforward. Even still, some foods and supplements can help. Additionally, working with a health care practitioner or nutritionist can help should you need a more comprehensive strategy.
So, what can you do to support your immune system?
Where can you start to control inflammation and improve the health of your gut?
If you’d like to start eating right to reduce inflammation but don’t know where to begin, consider picking up our Anti-inflammatory recipe e-book - filled with a variety of quick, easy, and delicious recipes designed to help reduce inflammation.
In addition to this amazing recipe resource, check out our other immune-boosting strategies below.
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5 Key Strategies to Help Support a Healthy Immune System
The following are five key strategies to help you get started:
Eat a balanced diet to support the health of the immune system and gut, as well as to help lower inflammation
Take key supplements that help the immune system fight pathogens
Exercise
Implement stress management techniques
Make sleep a priority
1. Eat a balanced diet to support the health of the immune system and gut as well as to help lower inflammation.
Start improving your nutritional status now by adding more nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables to your diet. Variety is the key!
In addition to fruits and veggies, a healthy immune system requires quality proteins and nutrient-dense complex carbohydrates.
Proteins are broken down into amino acids - the building blocks of the immune system that repair damage and build healthy tissue.
Complex carbs, like grains and legumes, provide slow-released energy that the body needs to function correctly.
In all these foods, vitamins and minerals act as catalysts for all body functions, especially the immune system. Specific vitamins and minerals are incredibly helpful. Some of the most beneficial to the immune system include
Essential Fatty Acids: EFA’s can be found in chia, flax, hemp, cold-water fish such as salmon and tuna, grass-fed butter, pasture-raised eggs, raw nuts and seeds.
Vitamin A-Rich Foods: Eggs, grass-fed butter, cod liver oil, sweet potatoes, carrots, tuna, squash, spinach and other green leafy vegetables are loaded with vitamin A.
Vitamin C–Rich Foods: Citrus fruits, carrots, kiwi, bell peppers, tomatoes, strawberries along with other berries, broccoli, and cabbage are among the best food sources of vitamin C.
Vitamin E-Rich Foods: Vitamin E can be found in extra virgin olive oil, avocados, sunflower seeds, walnuts, salmon, turnip greens, and mangos.
Vitamin D-Rich Foods: Good food sources of vitamin D include cod liver oil, salmon, mushrooms, milk or fortified milk substitutes, and eggs.
Zinc-Rich Foods: Meats, lentils, legumes, dairy products, vegetables, oysters, sesame seeds, cashews and other nuts, chocolate and cocoa, and baker’s and brewer’s yeast contain adequate amounts of zinc.
“Ideally, you should choose to buy organic foods whenever possible. Lowering your exposure to toxic chemicals is just one way to help lower inflammation and take some pressure off the body and the immune system. Do the best you can. ”
Foods that help lower inflammation
In addition to the nutrient-dense foods listed above, consuming foods that have been studied to have anti-inflammatory properties is also a good idea to support the immune system. Some of these inflammation-fighters include:
Omega 3-rich foods such as cold-water fish like salmon and tuna, chia, hemp, and flax
Herbs and spices including turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, garlic, cloves, black pepper, cayenne pepper, sage, rosemary, basil, peppermint, and cilantro/coriander
Many vegetables have phytonutrients that are anti-inflammatory, including tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, bok choy, carrots, cauliflower, and asparagus
Many fruits have anti-inflammatory phytonutrients such as berries, pineapples, papaya, citrus fruits, apples, cherries, avocado, and sea buckthorn
Hemp oil extract or full-spectrum CBD oil also has anti-inflammatory properties
“Avoid any known food sensitivities. Eating a specific food you are reactive to can increase inflammation. Keep in mind that reactions to certain foods are very individual - the inflammation that a person may experience belongs to that person, not the food. The sensitive food is the symptom, while the cause is a gut health issue. If you think food sensitivities may be an issue for you, experiment by removing the suspected food for a couple of weeks and see if you notice a difference. You can also see your nutritionist for help.”
Foods that promote proper gut health
Finally, to feed our immune system well, we must also feed our gut bugs!
The simplest way to start is to feed your gut the food your good bacteria love and remove or limit the foods it doesn’t. Fortunately, the good bacteria in your gut, just like your immune system, love foods that are full of nutrients. And that’s no coincidence!
Here are some examples of foods that help the gut:
Probiotic and/or Fermented Foods: Contain good gut bacteria that affect the adrenals, the thyroid, the liver and how our hormones function.
They can be found in:
Cultured vegetables, miso, tempeh, sourdough, sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, yogurt, kombucha, wine (red or white), unpasteurized beer
Raw honey (contains ten strains of good bacteria and has antimicrobial properties as a bonus)
Prebiotic Foods: Feed our resident good bacteria.
They can be found in:
FOS and inulin foods: Jerusalem artichokes, chicory, garlic, onions, dandelion greens, asparagus, bananas, blueberries, almonds, broccoli, cabbage, kale, cauliflower, radishes, chia, flax, and tomatoes
Pectin foods: Apples, pears, lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruit, and kiwi
GOS foods: Dairy products and legumes
Resistant starch foods: Wheat, rye, spelt, kamut, barley, oats, corn, brown rice (and cooled white rice), potatoes, sourdough, quinoa, and sweet potatoes
Discover more information about prebiotics and probiotics here.
In addition to prebiotic and probiotic foods, bone broth can be an excellent addition to a healthy diet. It provides amino acids that soothe and repair the intestinal wall lining.
Colostrum, aloe vera and collagen also help nourish the gut lining, and all have some anti-inflammatory properties.
FUN FACT:
The Mighty Mushroom: Mushrooms are immune system stars! They have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, plus, they are all prebiotics - so they feed your gut microbiome. Mushrooms are also very versatile, as they are available both fresh, dried, and powdered. Extract powders are an excellent addition to recipes or smoothies and can be used to make teas.
For more information about immune-boosting foods, be sure to check out our blogs on A Nutritionist’s Guide: What to eat in times of stress and Feeding your Immune System: A Nutritionist’s Guide.
2. Take supplements that help the immune system fight pathogens.
Various supplements can help your immune system stay healthy and fight off pathogens (viruses and bacteria). Some work mainly to support optimal gut health, while others support the immune system in general.
Gut-supporting Supplements: Examples of supplements that support proper gut health include probiotics, glutamine, and plant sterols.
Antimicrobial Supplements: Antimicrobials include oil of oregano, aloe vera and grapefruit seed extract. In addition, other supplements contain phytochemicals known as antimicrobial. This means they have the potential to help the immune system fight pathogenic bacteria and viruses. They help “inhibit” not “kill.” They can be useful for helping to eliminate excess pathogens and have the benefit of not harming good bacteria.
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Immune System Supplements: Examples of immune-support supplements include elderberry, echinacea, astragalus, plant sterols, garlic and algae such as chlorella or Spirulina. These supplements are misunderstood because they’re often called “immune boosters.” Many assume this means they will make the immune system more active, and in the case of the inflammation, more will be produced. However, this is not entirely accurate, as the correct term for them is “immune balancers.” They can be very helpful to the immune system to fight pathogenic bacteria and viruses. They also don’t harm good bacteria.
3. Exercise.
Exercise has many proven health benefits, including improving circulation and allowing cells and the immune system to function better.
Easy exercise ideas you can get started with today include:
Go for a walk daily if you can.
If you enjoy jogging and can, then do that, as well.
Look for free apps or YouTube videos for exercises you can do at home.
Purchase a DVD online for yoga, Pilates or any other type of activity that appeals to you.
Get outside and spend some time planting or weeding in your garden.
Get up frequently if you tend to sit a lot and simply walk around your house or apartment for a few minutes.
Start slowly if need be - but the key is to start!
4. Implement stress management techniques
We all know that stress messes with our health.
Some stress can be helpful for the immune system and inflammation. But too much can use up valuable nutrients required by the immune system in other areas of the body. Even if you feel stressed for periods during the day, it’s essential to find ways to relax, calm your adrenal glands down, and engage your parasympathetic nervous system. Why? All these can help reduce the damaging effects of cortisol - the stress hormone.
Here are some ideas to help you better manage stress:
Take regular breaks from the news or your work.
Distract yourself. Call friends or family and have a good chat. Watch a favourite movie or one that makes you laugh.
Practice meditation or mindfulness. There are numerous YouTube videos and online apps that can help if this is not something you currently practice.
Practice Tapping or Electronic Freedom Technique. Check out my blog on Tapping to learn how.
Listen to your favourite music. Sing along and dance if you like.
Exercise. Not only can exercise boost your immune system, but it also improves cerebral blood flow and increases serotonin levels to help you feel better and less stressed.
Make time for your favourite hobbies.
Take an adrenal supplement – there are many. Ask about them at your Naturopath’s office or health food store. Talk to a health care professional for more advice.
5. Make sleep a priority.
Sleep is vital to all aspects of health. For your immune system, it uses the time you sleep to repair and regenerate itself.
Here are some tips to help you get better sleep:
Practice some useful stress-management techniques. Excess stress can keep you awake at night.
Go to bed at the same time every night and aim for at least 7–8 hours of sleep.
Try to create a proper sleep environment with a completely dark room with no sound distractions. Blackout blinds/sleep masks and earplugs/white noise machines can help block out light and noise where necessary.
Lowering the temperature in the bedroom or opening a window to cool things down can help.
Avoid caffeine or eating a large meal close to bedtime. Some people cannot sleep on an empty stomach, so a light protein-based snack such as a few nuts is acceptable.
Disconnect from electronics like computers, cell phones and even your TV at least an hour before bedtime.
Read a book, take a warm bath or practise some deep breathing or relaxation exercises before bedtime to quiet the mind and prepare the body to fall asleep more easily and get better-quality sleep.
Consider taking an herbal sleep formula or magnesium, if needed, to help you relax so that you can have a better sleep.
Conclusion
Your immune system is complicated and relies on many things to be working well before it can work well for you.
The good news is that there are several key strategies that you can start implementing now to help. Each one of the suggestions presented here works to support your immune system - either directly or indirectly.
Consider some of these strategies, and know that you have the ability to help yourself and your family have a healthier immune system.
As always, I welcome your thoughts and value your feedback. Let me know what you think by dropping me a line or commenting below.
Also know that I am here to help. If you’d like more help improving the health of your immune system, feeding your family, or learning about the best dietary plan for your individual needs, make an appointment to see me today. And don’t forget about our recipe e-books - start with the anti-inflammatory recipe e-book or pick the one that resonates most with your needs.
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[Medical Disclaimer]
All information contained in this document is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent health problems. For all serious health issues, please contact a medical or nutrition practitioner. The information provided is based on the best knowledge of the author at the time of writing, and we do not assume liability for the information, be it direct or indirect, consequential, special exemplary, or other damages. In all circumstances, it is always wise to consult your physician before changing your diet, taking supplements, or starting any exercise or health program.