The Most Powerful Ways to Boost* Your Immune System Now!
Yup, we’ve got ourselves a pandemic on our hands, and more than anything else, it has revealed how unhealthy our population really is. And while the news might make you think the only way through is to hide at home, wash your hands and wear a mask (all important things you should definitely do!), there is SO MUCH MORE you can do.
If we’re going to get through this, we have to shift the conversation. And rather than panic on what’s out of our control, let’s shift our focus to what’s firmly in our control! Your habits – your eating habits, exercise habits, stress and sleep habits are mostly under your control. Maybe your kids wake you up, so that’s not quite in your control, but you get what I’m saying.
*First a note about “boosting” your immune system. I’ve read many people advise others to use caution when it comes to “boosting” immune function, because they associate that phrase with auto-immune diseases. I’m not down with that. Auto-immune diseases aren’t due to an overactive immune system, as some might say. It’s immune activity mis-directed. The causes of auto-immune disease could be toxins, could be nutrient insufficiencies, and could be stealth infections – but that’s another topic for another blog! ]
Eating right, exercising, getting sunshine and fresh air, and having fun are all shown to extend longevity and promote health. So let’s harness these things and protect our health. And while we’re at it, here are some specific strategies to measurably improve your immune function:
Give your digestion a boost.
Did you know that MOST your immune system lives right inside your digestive tract? It’s true, and it’s called the GALT, which stands for gut-associated lymphoid tissue. So if your digestion is off, so is your immune system. And if your microbiome is off, then your immune system is also not as strong as it might otherwise be. So take care of your gut health! That might require more than just a probiotic, although that’s a great place to start. But if you have any symptoms, like gas, bloating, constipation or loose bowel movements, food sensitivities or allergies, you’ve got a gut imbalance my friend. And if you’re not sure, I offer gut microbiome testing and microbiome reset protocols.
Balance inflammation.
An enormous part of any infection is the inflammation that goes with it. That’s because inflammation is the language of your immune system. When there’s a threat, your body launches an inflammatory attack – that’s your immune system at work, and you’ve seen it if you’ve ever gotten a scrape and noticed the surrounding area get all hot and raised. A major concern with the virus we’re all worried about these days is its ability to trigger a “cytokine storm.” Cytokines are a type of inflammatory molecule released by your immune cells. That’s how your body attacks an infection or injury. But your body also has built in mechanisms that dampen down and resolve the inflammation when the threat is over – and that’s what goes wrong with COVID – the inflammation keeps going and damages healthy cells and tissues. You can protect yourself from excess inflammation with a diet super high in bright and colorful vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, herbs, spices and fatty fish. Don’t sleep on herbs – you can phytofy your way to a healthier immune system and protect yourself from excess inflammation.
Support glutathione production.
Glutathione is your body’s master detoxification enzyme. It’s also a super powerful anti-oxidant that helps your body balance excess inflammation. Our bodies make this enzyme, but it can get depleted pretty easily. Luckily, eating high quality protein helps you make more of your own glutathione. Plus, herbs and supplements help too. Milk thistle helps your body synthesize more glutathione, as does N-acetyl-cysteine (aka NAC). You can also take liposomal glutathione if your levels are really low or if you have a lot of toxic exposures that would deplete your glutathione levels. My metabolic detox programs also help your body eliminate stored toxins and boost glutathione levels.
RELAX.
Chronic stress and worry puts your body in a constant state of fight-or-flight, and that makes it really difficult for your body to digest and detoxify. Chronic stress drains your body of vitamin C, a critical antioxidant your immune system needs. Plus, anxiety and stress can actually dampen your immune response, and we need our immune systems to be strong! Meditation, deep breathing exercises like 4-7-8 breathing and Wim Hof breathing, and Emotional Freedom Technique (aka tapping) can really help, as can certain minerals and adaptogenic herbs like ashwagandha and magnesium. And extra vitamin C can help support both your adrenal glands and immune system during highly stressful times. Since everyone’s body is different, personalization here is super important. [link to work with me]
Get restorative sleep.
Sleep is when your body does most of its repairing, deep detoxification and clean up. It’s when your brain does its deep detox too – draining metabolic toxins via the glymphatic system down into the lymphatic system, so you can poop them out later. To get the most out of your sleep, dim the lights about an hour or two before bedtime, avoid blue frequency light from electronics, and stop eating 3 hours before going to sleep. Be sure your bedroom is nice and dark, or wear a sleep mask!
Be mindful of your circadian rhythm.
Did you know that melatonin, the hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle, is also an important antioxidant? Melatonin might even be able to reduce the severity of COVID-19 infections. You can re-regulate your circadian rhythm just by getting sun exposure throughout the day. I recommend my clients wake up in the early morning, soon after sunrise, and get outside. Then, get about 10-15 minutes of sun exposure several times throughout the day to let your brain know what time of day it is, so it can release melatonin appropriately. If you do fall ill, 20mg of melatonin per night might help. For immune and sleep support, much lower doses – about 2-3 mg per night – is more appropriate. And of course, dim the lights and avoid blue-frequency light at night, which can shut down melatonin production.
If you’re interested in getting your immune system in the best shape possible, contact me to schedule a free 30 minute discovery call and we’ll discuss what kinds of strategies would be most appropriate for YOU!