Immunity has become a hot topic over the past couple of years for obvious reasons.
So, as we approach Winter where more people typically get colds and flu and what with the big C still hanging around, I thought it would be a good time to revisit this topic so that you can make sure your immune system is as strong and resilient as possible.
Your Diet
Eat enough food, of the right kind at the right times. This means eating a good variety of high-quality foods: pure, unprocessed, and natural. An excellent rule to live by is ‘crowd out the bad with the good ’ whereby I recommend an 80% whole food diet and the remaining 20% for slightly more processed foods. You also want to be eating enough and regularly enough to maintain stable blood sugar – this really is key for your immune health in the short term and long term.
Stay hydrated
If you are well hydrated your body is better able to process and flush out toxins. Drink plenty of water around meals. I also like to start my day with a pint of warm water with some freshly squeezed lemon. This helps to flush out all the toxins that the body has been processing overnight and to alkalise the body which aids overall health.
Reduce toxins
When your body must process lots of toxins, it has less capacity to focus on other things such as fighting viruses, bacteria and reducing inflammation. Therefore, to reduce the toxic load/burden on your body, avoid harsh chemicals in: cleaning products, cosmetics, deodorants, air fresheners, scented candles, laundry detergents, plastics, and pollution. In foods avoid overly processed, man-made food. It goes without saying that smoking anything is also toxic.
Limit alcohol
Also, a toxin. Your body can only process one unit of alcohol an hour. Drinking a lot in a short space of time can stop the body from working properly due to the amount of alcohol in the blood. Alcohol also compromises your sleep quality and gut health, both critical for good immunity.
Sleep well
Whilst we sleep our body does most of its detoxification, cell renewal and repair so it is really important that we don’t skimp on sleep. Aim to get 7.5 – 8 hours per night.
Move your body
Sweating is one of the main ways the body to expels toxins. When you exercise and work up a sweat you are helping the body detoxify (the same goes for saunas). Your body also relies on your lymphatic system to remove waste, like bacteria, viruses, toxins and abnormal cells. Every step you take helps it do its job because the lymphatic system does not have an organ like the heart to pump fluid around your body. Lymph fluid relies on movement and the contraction of your muscles to make it flow.
Manage stress
Stress plays a huge role in the suppression of the immune system. Learning how to reduce and manage stress is one of the best things you do, not just for your overall health and quality of life, but also more specifically for your immunity.
Look after your gut
A healthy interaction between our immune system and the gut microbiota is crucial for the maintenance of our body’s homeostasis and health. Imbalances in the gut microbiota may dysregulate immune responses. Keep your gut healthy with whole foods, limit processed foods, preservatives, too much sugar, alcohol and eat/supplement with pre and probiotics. Also, as per the previous point, keep stress down because this plays a key role in gut issues.
Get enough Vit D
For most people, it’s a good idea to supplement with Vitamin D during the darker winter months if you live in the Northern Hemisphere, however, spending time in the sun is also a great way to boost your levels. Deficiency in vitamin D is associated with increased autoimmunity as well as an increased susceptibility to infection. Remember to take protective measures with adequate sunscreen depending on how long you spend in the sun.
Listen to your body
Lastly, this is probably one of the most effective ways to avoid getting ill. If you’re tired or you feel somewhat unwell, perhaps you have a faint scratchy throat or you feel the subtle beginnings of the cold in your chest, or maybe you had a bad night’s sleep and feel exhausted etc – this is your cue to stop and do something about it. Call in sick, rest, cancel plans, take a nap, have an early night, take some vitamin C and/or a good multivitamin … any or all of the above! It’s when people ignore these subtle signs that they then get ill. Especially when taking stimulants to push on through, the most common one being caffeine!
Kate x
