What’s going on, my health conscious people! Can you believe that it’s October already?! The leaves are falling, the temperature is dropping, and flu/allergy season have made their guest appearances. That’s why, in this month’s blog, we’re talking about immunity!
Everyone wants to be that person that never gets sick. You know…the person at work who somehow skips out on the office “bug” that travels from desk to desk, or the person who doesn’t come down with a cold or flu even when their entire family falls victim. Not to mention, as we transition from our warm summer days into the flu, common cold, and allergy season, along with COVID-19 still a threat, we all want to make sure that our immune system is ready for any and everything that may come our way.
Furthermore, our diet and lifestyle can affect how well our immune system can protect us from harmful substances, germs, viruses, and chronic illness. The idea of being able to do certain activities or eat something specific to support our immune system sounds very enticing. That’s why we came up with our Immune System Support Program which will provide you with all inclusive meal plans, recipe collections, and resources you need to support your immune system!
What Is the Immune System?
Our immune system is an all-encompassing system made up of certain cells, organs, and two essential systems, namely- the circulatory and lymphatic systems. The immune system is responsible for keeping us healthy and defending our body when foreign invaders like bacteria make it beyond our first line of defense (i.e. skin, sweat, tears, saliva, mucous, earwax, and stomach acid). Together, they work in perfect synergy to fight, repel, and prevent any disease-causing microorganisms or foreign invaders from building up in our bodies in a way that would cause us harm. That’s why it is important for the components of our immune system to stay healthy and balanced; if any of them are imbalanced, stressed, or damaged, our body will trigger an immune system response and attack!
Lifestyle Habits That May Be Weakening Your Immune System
Our immune system, like the rest of our body, has the intelligence to heal itself. However, there are a number of lifestyle habits that can disrupt or hinder its natural ability to self-heal.
These lifestyle habits include:
- An inadequate diet
- Poor stress management
- Sleep deprivation
- Not drinking enough water
- Over or under exercising
- Overconsumption of caffeine
*For an in-depth look at the lifestyle habits that may be weakening your immune system, subscribe to our Immune System Support Program to learn more.
Can Supplements Support Our immunity?
Short answer: Yes. However, as mentioned in our Vitamin D Blog, supplements and vitamins should not be seen as a replacement for a good diet, but as insurance. In other words, while supplements and vitamins can help fill in the gaps of our diet, the best and primary way to get the essential vitamins and minerals that our body needs is to get them directly from the food we eat.
Holistic Self-Care Suggestions to Bolster Immunity
As a Holistic Nutritionist, I am typically of the opinion to always start with more gentle and less invasive ways to treat any disease or imbalances to your body. So if an herb, food, or lifestyle change can drastically improve your overall health, then why not try that first?
Here are some suggestions:
- Eat well. Consider a whole foods, plant-based diet
- Reduce Stress
- Sleep and rest more
- Sweat it out (through balanced exercise or a sauna/Turkish bath)
- Take Yoga or Pilates
- Drastically reduce your intake of sugar
- Detox. Try out our Detox: Liquids and Salads meal plan
- Laugh more!
- Consider supplementing
- Vitamins: A, C, D, & E (Perfect natural sources include berries and dark leafy greens)
- Minerals: Zinc and magnesium (Perfect natural sources include pumpkin seeds)
Try Our Turmeric Mango Smoothie
Nutritional Highlights:
-Turmeric is a member of the ginger family, which has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
-Mango is high in antioxidants and may help to improve digestive, hair, and skin health.
-Flax Seeds are high in omega-3 fatty acids and are a high-quality plant protein, rich in dietary fiber.
In her words: “Today and Everyday, I Choose Me!”
-Our “Today, I Choose Me” T-shirt was inspired by the act of self-love, self-awareness, and self-care. So, thanks “KLT” for your support and always choosing you! We wish you the best during your PhD program this semester. You got this!
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As always, thank you for your support!