4 Tips for a Strong Immune System and a Flu-Free Winter
It’s currently that time of the year again: the one where the weather outside is cold and everyone seems to be complaining about the same sore throat and cough. That’s right; flu season has already come back for a visit, and it seems to be knocking at everyone’s door. Luckily, however, you DO NOT have to get the flu! With a strong immune system, your body can fight off nearly anything, so today, we are going to dive deep into immune system 101: how NOT to get sick. Follow along, implement these suggestions, and all winter long, you’ll be flu-free and healthier than ever!
Step #1: Eat clean for optimal gut health
Did you know that over 70% of your immune system is housed in your gut? Your gut is the overarching term for your digestive tract that hosts billions of bacteria known as your microbiome, and the health of your microbiome is directly linked to your entire body’s wellness. One reason for this is that the vast majority of your immune system sits within your gut and is therefore affected by every single food choice you make. So, when you eat clean and create a healthy internal environment that facilitates a thriving microbiome, you are far less likely to get sick.
Tip #1: Load up on your fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are full of micronutrients such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, polyphenols, phytochemicals, and fiber that all fight off disease. Micronutrients themselves are medicine, so all year round but especially during flu season, eat the foods that contain the most of them: fruits and vegetables.
Tip #2: Eat the entire rainbow of colors. Every color “specializes” in certain micronutrients and health benefits, so in order to get the full range of health benefits, eat the whole rainbow! Think green kale, purple cabbage, red tomatoes, orange persimmons, blueberries, white cauliflower, etc.
HOW you eat is just as important as WHAT you eat
Tip #1: Allow your body time free from digestion so that it can best cleanse and detoxify your body. Your body typically digests food for about 3-5 hours after you’ve eaten (in the stomach itself), so eating every 2 hours means that your gut never gets to rest from digesting. This means 2 things: 1) your body is using so much energy digesting food that it may not have a lot of energy leftover to fight off an antigen and 2) your body (mainly your liver) won’t have time to detoxify since it can only do so when it isn’t digesting your food. Eat well at each meal, and then give your gut a rest.
Tip #2: Sit down in a peaceful state when you’re eating. When you are eating standing up or eating quickly on the-go, your body struggles to properly digest what you’ve just eaten, especially when you are eating while stressed. When you are stressed, your body sends its energy to the areas of the body that would be vital if you were, let’s say, running from a bear; this means that the ham sandwich you just ate for lunch can wait to digest while you run for your life (fight or flight). So, make it a priority to eat in a calm environment with a calm mind at every meal, and your digestion will be better than ever.
Step #2: Get plenty of sleep.
During sleep, our bodies repair, heal, fight off infection, detoxify, consolidate information, and so much more, so it is essential to get enough sleep. Most research suggests that anything less than 7-9 hours of sleep is considered deprivation for an adult. The exact number of hours required for each individual depends on a whole host of factors, such as age, gender, level of activity, state of health, quality of sleep, and more. However, scientific literature tends to agree that 7-9 hours of sleep is the suggested, optimal amount for an adult.
How can you get better sleep?
Tip #1: If you struggle to sleep well, try out a soothing nighttime routine that prepares your body and mind for sleep. Try limiting screen time for at least an hour before bed, light a candle, dim the lights, read a book, attempt a meditation, write in your gratitude journal, and do anything else that makes you feel at ease. When we don’t give ourselves that time to unwind before bed, it feels like trying to put an energetic, cranky kid to sleep. It takes our bodies and minds a little bit of relaxation to then effortlessly fall into sweet slumber. Grant yourself that time.
Step #3: Move your body daily.
Moderate exercise helps to promote a strong immune system. While overly intense and rigorous exercise has been shown in research to temporarily suppress the immune system, moderate exercise presents the opposite scenario.
How does moderate exercise increase my immunity?
Tip #1: Exercise increases your body’s circulation, thus assisting the substances and cells of your immune system to move freely throughout your body and do their job.
Tip #2: Exercise may help to flush bacteria out of the lungs and airways, reducing your chance of getting a cold, flu, or similar illness.
Tip #3: Moderate exercise can actually reduce the number of stress hormones circulating throughout your body (unlike overly rigorous exercise), keeping your immune system strong and alert.
Step #4: Stress less
Stress suppresses the immune system’s ability to fight off antigens. This is great for someone who is looking for the flu, but if you want to stay healthy all winter long, “hakuna matata” should be your motto!
Why is stress bad for my immune system?
Tip #1: As we learned before, stress sends signals to our body to send energy to “vital” parts of our body (as if we are running from a bear) and thus disregard digestion. Since the majority of our immune system is housed in the gut and stress hinders the proper functioning of our gut, our immunity suffers.
Tip #2: The stress hormone, corticosteroid, lowers the number of lymphocytes circulating throughout our body, directly impeding optimal function of the immune system.
Tip #3: When we are under stress, we may turn to unhealthy habits to help us cope, and it’s these unhealthy habits, such as smoking, drinking, and binge eating, that further mess with our immune system’s ability to fight off antigens.