How to Boost Your Immune System Holistically

My husband just called and asked me how many rolls of toilet paper we have. All of Italy is on mandatory self-quarantine. We talked about getting some extra food in case our government ordered the same. Things feel a little out of control. You hear some people saying be afraid and others saying not to panic.

What do you do. 

I say, forget the toilet paper and focus on your body’s biggest defense system: your immune system.

I am normally a really healthy person and I don’t get sick very often. However, earlier this year I got the flu (before the Coronavirus hit) and it knocked me on my butt. It happens to the best of us. However, I do feel like I bounced back pretty quickly. And I’d like to think it’s because of all of the work I do to eat healthily and support my immunity. You can’t avoid catching bugs sometimes, but the strength of your immunity determines how well you will fight things off. I suggest doing all that you can to make sure your immunity is as strong as it can be as we wait to see where things go.

There are the common, no-brainer, things you need to be doing to avoid getting sick. Wash your hands often (especially before you eat), if you get sick stay away from other humans (PLEASE), and be mindful about touching your face. Your diet and lifestyle also have a big impact on how well your body fights off disease. Below, you can find my top health tips to help you boost your immunity and stay as healthy as possible as we fight to get through flu season and get the Coronavirus under control. Also, take note that 80% of your immune system lives in your gastrointestinal tract, so probiotics and fermented foods are especially important in this plan. You can read more about probiotics here if interested and you should be because they are really important to your health.

It is funny how sometimes it takes getting really sick, or the threat of a pandemic, to remember how much you want and appreciate having a healthy body.

Holistic Ways to Boost Your Immune System

Nourish

• Eat whole foods and avoid processed foods
• Consume probiotic-rich foods daily – fermented vegetables, kimchi, miso, tempeh, kombucha, kvass, yogurts, and kefir
• Vegetables are your friend – eat as many as you possibly can
• Drink green juice – sneak in some additional vitamins and minerals, mostly veggies is best, add one daily as an afternoon snack
• Avoid or cut out sugar, alcohol, and smoking – these do not boost immunity (You can do it.)
• Focus on brightly colored foods – extra helpful in fighting off disease and inflammation
• Add lots of herbs and spices – a great way to boost the nutrition value of your foods. Tea is a great option for this!
• Drink at least half your weight in oz of water a day, avoid sugar-filled drinks
• Variety is key

Bottom Line: Eat balanced meals made up of whole foods. Each meal should include 50% or more of brightly colored vegetables, a serving of protein (this varies by person and activity levels, start with 3oz) and healthy fats (start with 2 tbsp). Avoid and minimize filler foods with little nutrient value. Consider taking a probiotic to boost gut health and immunity.

Move

• Move your body daily for at least 30 minutes, more if you can
• Exercise in the fresh air and sun
• Include stretching and strengthening

Bottom Line: Find ways to move your body every day for at least 30 minutes. Fresh air and sunshine are essential for health. Moderate daily exercise has been shown to help immune cells circulate through the body more quickly to help kill bacteria and viruses.

Thrive

• Stay calm – stress is the worst for immunity
• Focus on sleep – aim to get 7 to 8 hours a night
• Commit to your daily meditation practice
• Limit social media – plan for screen-free time
• Journal to release anxiety and work through worries
• Find activities to keep your mind focused on other things – read an upbeat fiction, draw, garden, work on a house project

Bottom Line: Do whatever you can to decrease your stress. Stress reduces the immune system’s ability to fight off viruses. Stay informed, but avoid getting too caught up in social media. Spend time with your family. Write, journal or create.

Key Foods and Vitamins that Support Immunity

There are certain foods that pack a real punch when it comes to supporting your health. Below are some of my research-backed favorites.

Immune Boosting Foods

You’ll notice two key features of most of the foods below: antioxidant-rich and anti-inflammatory. Inflammation is your body’s natural response to foreign invaders like bacteria, trauma, or toxins is inflammation. These foreign invaders damage your cells and in response, they release chemicals causing inflammation. In many cases, this helps your body fight off and heal from damage, but in excess can cause problems. Antioxidants help keep this inflammation under control. So when you are looking to boost your immunity it is all about decreasing inflammation and supporting your body with lots of antioxidants to fight off excess inflammation.

• Organic berries – packed with antioxidants and flavonoids
• Turmeric – anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich
• Brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts,  kale) – an overall health stimulator including immune system
• Leafy greens – nutrient and antioxidant-rich
• Oily fish – omega 3 fatty acids in the fish decrease inflammation
• Nuts and seeds – high in vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant
• Mushrooms (especially shiitake, chaga, rishi, cordyceps) – overall health stimulators including immune system

While we want to get all of our nutrients from foods, that is not always possible no matter how hard you try. Below are the key nutrients to focus on that help strengthen your immune system. Always check with your doctor before starting any new supplements.

Immune Boosting Supplements

• Multivitamin
• Vitamin D
• Chlorella and Spirulina
• Vitamin C
• Zinc
• Probiotics
• Curcumin
• Elderberry
• Echinacea

I hope this wrap up gave you some ideas for things you can do to try and stay as healthy as you can. Reach out if I can support you in any way.