I get the question all the time… how do I support my immune system? You can do so in many many different ways – my approach usually includes multiple strategies. Often if you are living a healthy lifestyle, you are most likely incorporating some of these ideas!
Natural ways to support your immune system:
- Sleep – don’t skimp on this, there’s a reason why it’s #1
- Eat a nutrient rich diet – see below
- Hydration – stay fully hydrated
- Lymphatic massage
- Avoid food allergens
- Supplements:
- Elderberry syrup – daily maintenance
- Super Bio Veg – Priority One – when you feel like you’re getting sick and during sickness
- Probiotics – over 50 billion per day
- Planetary Herbals Wild Cherry Bark Cough syrup –
- Osha tincture – STRONG – when you feel like you’re getting sick – strong immune stimulant, heavily antimicrobial as well as antiviral
- Mushroom capsules – Paul Staminets
- Probiotics – Renew Life 50 billion – your immune system is in your gut
- Zand Elderberry Echinacea Zinc tablets
- echinacea = immune stimulating and modulating
- NAC – great natural mucolytic
- Essential oils – diffused
- Astragalus – good for chronic use, immunomodulating and immune stimulating
- Andrographis – anti-viral
- Carlson’s ACES+Zn is a great supplement – immune “catch- all”
- DO NOT TAKE Emergen-C – vitamin C and glucose (sugar) compete for entrace into your cells, so if you are eating sugar along with vitamin C rich foods or supplements, preference will be given to glucose uptake, and your cells will not assimilate the vitamin C
- Diet
- Avoid sugar and processed carbohydrates
- Vitamin A – orange foods, liver, animal products, grassfed butter
- Vitamin D – SUNLIGHT
- Zinc – oysters, pumpkin seeds
- Selenium – brazil nuts
- Onions, garlic
- Mushrooms
- Bone broth
- Make it at home
- Buy it frozen from the store (Bonafide and FlavorChef brands)
- There is a reason why “mom’s chicken soup” made you feel better – there is a synergism between the ingredients that actually help your immune system function more efficiently (they’ve done studies on this!)
Common mistakes people make in trying to stay healthy and how to avoid them:
- Extremes – this goes with supplements or diet. Extremes won’t get you anywhere, and often deprive you of other nutrients
- Not rotating your diet, do not eat the same thing every single day
- Waiting until it’s too late to do something
- Not doing anything to prevent sickness
Top 5 tips on how to stay “cold-free” this season
- Do not touch your face!
- Wash your hands, immediately when you get home
- Avoid sugar, sugar suppresses your white cell response for up to 6 hours after ingestion
- Eat a vegetable rich diet – gives you all the vitamins and minerals that you need on a daily basis so you can fight the bad guys and not be susceptible
- Decrease stress = take some time for yourself – give your immune system a break
Lastly, do not get the flu shot. It is completely ineffective, and contains toxins, like thimerosol, which is a type of mercury, and all mercury is toxic.
[This post is no substitute for medical advice]. As always, please consult your doctor to determine what diet and supplements are going to be both safe and effective for you to take!
Published by