Support your Immunity, Naturally!
Some of you may know that ~70 percent of the immune system is housed in the gut, so making sure our digestive system is in tip-top shape can be key to addressing many of our bodily woes. If you have gut issues, you should absolutely start with the gut to increase immunity.
Outside of diet, there are some supplements and superfoods that can be beneficial to support your immune system. This newsletter is a bit longer in length, if you don't have time now to read it, I suggest coming back at a later time!
Vitamin D - although this is called a “vitamin” it actually behaves as a hormone in your body. Vitamin D is critical for your health and your immune system, supporting cell growth, calcium levels, immune function and more. Upwards of 50% of adults are Vitamin D deficient, and I can guarantee those who live in cold climates that experience winter are likely D deficient. I recommend working with a primary care doctor to get blood taken to determine if regular Vitamin D supplementation should be a part of your routine. Most of us are aware that we get most of our usable Vitamin D from sunshine, but this may be difficult due to weather variability, sunscreen, day jobs, and protective clothing. To use D as an immunity tool, you can titrate dosage if you are starting to feel sick and use 10,000 IU for 3 days, 5,000 IU for 3 days then dropping back down to your normal daily dose of 2,000 or 3,000 IU. Vitamin D is fat soluble so take this when eating fats (oils, nuts, egg yolks) or it will not be absorbed. I also recommend finding a Vitamin D with K2 to increase absorption.
Bee propolis: propolis is a powerhouse for immunity, loaded with antioxidants and healing properties. Beekeepers spray is amazing for sore throats, or as a way to boost immunity. I take this before I fly, when I feel a cold coming on and for general support.
Immunity tinctures and multivitamins: these are great ways to deliver therapeutic boosters to your immune system. I recommend the rapid immune boost tincture and wellness formula supplements, both can be purchased from your local health store, Whole Foods, or Amazon.
Vitamin C: it’s great to have a quality vitamin C supplement on hand. Vitamin C helps encourage the production of white blood cells known as lymphocytes and phagocytes, which help protect the body against infection. Daily adult maximum dosage is 3000 mg so be careful to avoid taking more as this can trigger nausea, loose stool, and an upset stomach. Another type of vitamin C I recommend is lypo-spheric vitamin C. I recommend a daily dosage of 1g (1000mg) a day for general support. You can eat your vitamin C through organic fruits (citrus, strawberries) and organic veggies (red peppers, broccoli, cabbage or fermented sauerkraut and kimchi).
Zinc: Zinc is a powerful immune tool, especially at the onset of a cold! Zinc is crucial for normal development and function of cells mediating innate immunity, neutrophils, and NK (natural killer) cells. All of the immune cells that attack foreign invaders rely on Zinc to support their work. You can utilize 40-50mg of zinc daily to support your immune system.
NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine): NAC is valued primarily for its role in antioxidant production. Along with two other amino acids — glutamine and glycine — NAC is needed to make and replenish glutathione. Glutathione is one of the body’s most important antioxidants, which helps neutralize free radicals that can damage cells and tissues in your body. In two studies (linked to HIV immuno therapy), supplementing with NAC resulted in a significant increase in immune function — with an almost complete restoration of natural killer cells (needed to fight foreign invaders). In addition, NAC plays an important role in your body’s detoxification process which helps remove toxins and foreign substances, critical for immunity and overall health.
Avoid sugar: Although there are many things we can add to our routine to support immunity, I would be remiss to ignore the damaging effects sugar has on the body and immune system. It’s as simple as this, studies have shown spikes in sugar intake suppress your immune system. When your immune system is compromised, you are more likely to get sick. If you eat a lot of foods and beverages high in sugar or refined carbohydrates, which the body processes as sugar, you may be reducing your body's ability to ward off disease. If you notice your diet is full of sugar, spend one day tracking your sugar in grams and work to cut this each week by a few grams. For example, if you consume 50g one week, aim for 45g then 40g and so on. A sustainable sugar intake is around 25-30g / day.
Sleep: Sleep is critical for immunity. Without sufficient sleep, your body makes fewer cytokines, a type of protein that targets infection and inflammation, effectively creating an immune response. Cytokines are both produced and released during sleep, causing a double whammy if you skimp on shut-eye. We need seven to eight hours of sleep each night to boost the immune system.
*To note - all dosages listed above are for adults.
I hope the above products and suggestions can provide an added boost of health and happiness to your daily routine! Make sure to send this to your friends and family so they can take care of their immune system too.
Until next time,
Morgan
