FLU SEASON IS UPON US. If you are someone who gets sick frequently or wants to prevent an irritating cold from getting in the way of your fall plans, this post is for you.
The immune system is complex and bio-individual, but there are some simple approaches everyone can take to support it. When your immune system’s working efficiently, it’s ready to do what it does best: recognize, identify, and fight disease-causing bacteria, parasites, fungi, and viruses to protect you from illness. When your immune system isn’t functioning well, it can make you more prone to sicknesses, infections, and diseases, many of which the body can’t recover from quickly.
The key to treating sickness is prevention. In this post, I will explain how to build an unstoppable immune system but also holistic approaches to battling a bug at first onset and symptomatic relief.
Disclaimer: Not medical advice.
Holistic immune support
Feed your microbiome
Three-quarters of your immune system lies in your GI tract. Nutrient-dense foods with a variety of vitamins and minerals help your body fight disease by stimulating immune cell activity. And a diet high in refined sugar and low in fruits and vegetables can disrupt healthy intestinal microorganisms, resulting in chronic inflammation of the gut because of the low antibody activity.
"Over the last 60 years, there has been a steady loss of biodiversity in our gut membrane's bacterial ecosystem, and a large part of this is due to factory farming, processed foods, and widespread antibiotic use. But the most potent of the common causes of the damage to the gut wall in our diet is glyphosate."
- Ben Greenfield. Boundless.
Love your gut by eating:
Seasonal and organic when able
Colorful fruits and vegetables
Bone broth
Fermented foods
Sauerkraut, kimchi, coconut yogurt, kefir, natto, miso, pickles, and kombucha
Mushrooms
Maitake, cordyceps, turkey tail, and chaga mushroom
Bee products
Raw honey, bee pollen, royal jelly, and propolis (can be found at Beekeeper's Naturals).
Supplement
The number one treatment for a cold is prevention. Consider supplementing the following to maintain a solid immune system:
Quercetin (250-500 mg)
Zinc (20-30 mg)
Vitamin C (1,000-2,000 mg)
Vitamin D (3,000-5,000 IU)
Oregano oil (1-2 drops diluted in water with a bit of stevia)
Slow down
While studies have shown that regular exercise can enhance the body’s immune responses, honoring your body’s need for rest when illness occurs or you’re feeling “off” can be the best medicine. Sleep and rest produce cytokines (inflammation-fighting proteins in cells) and T cells (a type of white blood cell that protects against infection and may fight cancer), both of which play critical roles in the body’s immune response.
Meditation
Evidence suggests that meditation can reduce blood pressure, improve anxiety symptoms, help with sleep, and relieve stress. Meditation may also help with immune system support. Preliminary research focused on the effects of mindfulness meditation on the immune system showed that it can increase the number of CD-4 cells (which help the immune system send signals to other cells to destroy infection), increase the activity of telomerase (an important enzyme that helps protect the length of telomeres, or the ends of chromosomes, which can help slow or reverse cell aging), and reduce markers of disease-producing inflammation.
Honor your emotions
Social connection has been shown to lower blood pressure, improve cardiovascular health, and improve the immune system. Research has shown a decrease in T cell function in those suffering from depression. (T cells are an important part of the immune system, helping determine immune response to antigens.) And feelings of optimism, gratitude, and kindness can have an impact on the immune system, turning immune system genes away from inflammatory responses.
Additionally, stress actually depletes vitamin C levels in the body. Taking measures to reduce the stress in your life will increase your body's resistance to infection and disease.
Hug a tree
Getting outside exposes you to different types of bacteria, improving microbial diversity. Being in nature can also help reduce anxiety and stress, which benefits your immune system. Other findings indicate that a walk in the woods increased natural “killer” cells found in the immune system by 50%. These cells play a key role in fighting viruses and tumors. Connect with nature by simply going outside, visiting a local park, bird-watching, or gardening.
Protect lymph flow
A congested lymph system can lead to the accumulation of waste, debris, dead blood cells, pathogens, toxins, and cancer cells. You can enhance lymph flow by:
Rebounding (jumping up and down, shaking it out, vibration)
Chiropractic care
Sweating
Dry skin brushing
Hydration
Quality sleep
Massage
Loose clothing
Don't be afraid of germs
Some germs are pretty serious, like, MRSA, rabies, measles, rotavirus, anthrax, and Ebola, but at the same time, exposure to a wide range of germs will help you develop strong immune systems and avoid allergies and autoimmune problems- especially as children. Epidemiologists have found that individuals living with larger families are less prone to illness, probably because they were exposed to more germs through their siblings.
Let your children touch and taste things
Avoid excessive hand sanitizers
Avoid antibiotics when necessary
Visit farms and have pets
Eat a variety of cultured foods
Play in the dirt
Don't shower every day
Don't do excessive loads of laundry
Holistic healing strategies
How to kill a cold
Here are a couple of things you should do as soon as you feel a sickness coming on:
Sleep it off
Take naps
Melatonin
10-50 mg at bedtime
High dose garlic
9,000 mg twice a day
May cause stomach upset, use as tolerated
Lemon ginger tea
Boil ginger root and squeeze fresh lemons in
Oil of oregano
10 drops in a glass of water, in the am and at night
Zinc acetate
8.5 mg lozenge every 2 waking hours
Light fasting
"Placing excessive burden on your digestive processes diverts energy and resources that might otherwise be devoted to better quality immune function… …avoiding sugar and starch in particular, here is critical. A high glycemic meal can decimate your leukocytic index (your primary immune response) for 2-4+ hours following it. Glucose also further attracts undesirable free radical activity (glycation), is acidifying to the system (favoring pathogens) and increases insulin production (taking away from your internal repair, immune and maintenance processes)." - Nora Gedgaudas
Heal the GI tract with light soups and bone broth
Tamiflu
Not holistic, but I know desperate times can call for desperate measures
More information on the above:
Symptomatic relief
Sore throat
Elderberry syrup
Elderberry is known to increase cytokine production, which helps the body’s immune and inflammation responses. It is also soothing to the throat when in syrup form.
Make your own:
4 cups water
2 cups organic dried elderberries
1 tsp organic cinnamon
1 tsp fresh grated ginger root
Raw local honey
Bee products
Manuka honey has antifungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial, properties and soothes the throat. Ingest a spoonful on its own or in a cup of tea.
Decoction Tea
A combination of slippery elm bark, marshmallow root, and licorice root softens and soothes mucous membranes from the throat to the intestines, flushes the lymph system, and allows good bacteria to flourish. The tea ingredients are usually sold separately, you can get them at an apothecary.
Cough
Thieves Oil
Cleans the air of microbes and molds via diffusion. Respiratory benefits from bronchitis, asthma, and COPD when inhaled or taken orally. Antimicrobial effects against microorganisms while also supporting the microbiome.
Thyme tea
Thyme is a expectorant, spasmolytic, and bronchodilator.
Licorice root
Known for prevention of influenza, relieves cough and sore throat, protects against leaky gut, reduces adrenal fatigue, relieves pain, and nourishes tissues.
Fever/chills
Don't be too quick to take Tylenol or ibuprofen before knowing this: A fever is a natural response to the body fighting an infection.
In fact, a fever allows the body to recover more quickly. A high temperature triggers the body’s production of infection-fighting white blood cells, which inhibits the growth of viruses and bacteria. If you lower the fever, you may be affecting the body’s ability to respond to that infection. However, I am not saying fevers can't be serious. Fevers over 104 degrees, or a fever that lasts > 3 days should seek medical attention.
Below are natural approaches to remedy a fever:
Take a warm bath with apple cider vinegar
There is an old wife's tail about apple cider vinegar "drawing out a fever" and people still swear by it. Put one cup in a warm bath or soak washcloths in diluted ACV and place them on the forehead or stomach. Avoid cold baths or ice packs for they can shock the body and raise it's internal thermostat even more.
Calcium
When you have a fever, the body pulls calcium into the blood from the bone so it can use it to help fight the infection. This can be why you feel achy. One study showed that calcium and vitamin D can even work with a fever to make it more effective and reduce illness duration. Calcium is best absorbed from food.
Foods high in calcium: Almonds, kelp, sesame seeds, chia seeds, yogurt, cheese, beans, lentils, sardines, collard greens, kale, spinach
Bone broth
Also rich in calcium, bone broth contains gelatin, amino acids, and cartilage, which are all rich in selenium and iron. When absorbed, these nutrients support immune cells responsible for fighting infection. Not to mention bone broth contains many more nutrients that are anti-inflammatory and support the gut microbiome.
Herbs/Spices
For homemade, fever-fighting teas, consider these herbs and spices:
Gentian Root
An anti-inflammatory and fever remedy that's great for sinus infections.
Ginger
Warms the body, breaks down toxins, cleanses the lymphatic system, relieves nausea, alleviates pain and inflammation, very nutritive.
Calendula
Inhibits viruses, bacteria, and inflammation, and treats infections, burns, cuts, and wounds.
Echinacea
Known to have modulating effects on innate immune response as well as adaptive immune function. Inhibits bacteria and viruses from penetrating healthy cells.
References
Dessinger, H. (2022, August 25). 7 ways to treat a fever naturally. Mommypotamus. Retrieved September 10, 2022, from https://mommypotamus.com/natural-remedies-for-a-fever/
Greenfield, B. (2020). Boundless upgrade your brain, optimize your body & defy aging. Victory Belt Publishing Inc.
Greenfield, B. (2021, March 3). First aid supplies: Natural, herbal remedies to keep in your first aid bag. Ben Greenfield Life - Fitness, Diet, Fat Loss and Performance Advice. Retrieved September 10, 2022, from https://bengreenfieldlife.com/article/lifestyle-articles/first-aid-supplies/
Institute for Integrative Nutrition. (2022). Holistic Immune Support. PDF.
Institute for Integrative Nutrition. (2022). Nutrition for Immunity. PDF.
Yorumlar