Keep calm and bolster your immunity

Here are 5 strategies to elevate your health and care for your immune system.

1. Nutrition!

   Put good things into your body and expect more good to come out of it. This includes a healthy immune system.

Just how is nutrition tied to the immune system, you might wonder? 

• Healthy diversity is key. You want to feed the widest variety of gut bacteria possible, through a wide variety of real, whole foods. 
• Especially eat lots of plants – and lots of different types of plants. Plants tend to have good fiber, which is essential for gut health. 

When it comes to gut health, a robust healthy diversity is best. An ongoing non-profit project, the American Gut Project reports that the more plants you eat, the better – and the more diversity of the plants you eat, the better. In fact, they found increased levels of anti-inflammatory CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) in individuals who ate 30 or more different types of plants each week³. 

So what specific foods help feed a healthy gut and healthy immune system? Here’s a list:

• A wide variety of whole foods including fresh vegetables & fruit – brightly colored for antioxidant protection. Look for deep greens (kale, chard, spinach, collards), deep blues (blueberries, blackberries), bright purples (cabbage, radish), reds (bell pepper, raspberries, tomatoes), oranges (carrots, bell pepper), and all shades in between. Try something different like watermelon radish, turnips, parsnips, or kohlrabi when in season. 
• Cultured or Lacto-fermented foods, like sauerkraut and kimchi – or natto. Yogurt is great, so long as dairy is tolerated. 
• Healthy Fats: Omega-3s from coldwater fish (wild salmon, sardines) or fresh ground flax seeds. Monounsaturated oils like Extra virgin olive oil or Avocado oil.
• Sustainable meats like organic pastured chicken and limited amounts of organic pastured red meat like lamb or beef. Bone broth made from any of these provides exceptional nourishment and soothing for the gut. 
• Garlic* and Onions. Part of the allium family, alongside shallots, leeks, and scallions. Alliums contain organosulfur compounds that are immune-boosting and health-promoting, with benefits ranging from decreased inflammation and blood pressure to increased heart protection and potential cancer protection. As a rule of thumb, the more pungent the taste, the stronger the antioxidant protection. Press or mince whole raw garlic for use in salads, dressings, or avocado toast. Go for the bolder flavored red or yellow onions – or select smaller onions for a more powerful punch⁴. 

• Polyphenols in coffee, tea, and red wine – in moderation. Studies have shown that just 1 glass of red wine per week can help promote microbiome diversity^5,6. Of course, too much alcohol can wreak havoc on gut ecology – so if you’re not able to handle moderation, it may be best to avoid altogether.  

Other gut and immune ‘sabotage agents’ include refined sugars and refined carbohydrates, artificial sweeteners, trans fats, and oxidized fats. Avoid these like the plague. (pardon the pun)

2. Vitamin D status

The research here is compelling. Vitamin D is not only a bone-health facilitator but also a key immune function modulator. Of course, your body makes Vitamin D in the presence of sunlight, but most of us don’t get anywhere near the kind of sun exposure needed for healthy levels (nevermind the dermatological concerns). 

Vitamin D levels below 30 ng/mL put you in the danger zone – at risk for infections and autoimmunity⁷. Many functional medicine experts want you closer to 60-80 for “optimal” immunity.

Personally, I’ve been holding steady at 53 ng/mL for over 10 years and have consistently taken Vitamin D3 daily. I worked through the dosage with the help of a medical professional and recommend you do the same. Don’t start supplementing before you know your actual Vitamin D serum level – then you can work with your healthcare professional to determine what dosage might be right for you. Ask your physician for the 25-hydroxy (25-OHD) blood test for Vitamin D level. 

3. Stress Management

The Goldilocks principle applies here. We want just the right amount of stress – not too little and definitely not too much. Stress can make us more resilient and productive; but in excess, stress can tear down immunity. Key is to know and honor your threshold for stress. With a pandemic on the horizon, you may now want to take steps to dial back any stress you can control, and prioritize self-care. Take time to breathe deep, stretch, meditate, and unwind. The road ahead is always uncertain, though it seems even more so today.  

With stock market dives, election uncertainty, and fears around productivity and life as we know it changing – keep focused and calm. This is a moment in time, and we will get through it. Take the long view. 

4. Exercise  

Goldilocks makes another appearance with exercise. Did you know exercise literally is stress? It’s typically good stress, that energizes us and regulates a healthy metabolism. But too much stress (i.e. exercise), as mentioned above, is just that – too much. Take care you don’t overwork your body and deplete your immune system by pushing too hard for too long, too often.

5. Sleep

Lack of sleep also qualifies as stress. Ongoing impaired sleep disrupts hormones and can result in elevated cortisol, blood sugar, and risk for illness and disease. Aim for 7-8 hours a night. If helpful, establish a wind-down routine to help you settle into bed. Try to avoid electronics before bed and certainly while you’re in bed, as tempting as it may be to reach over and see ‘all you’ve missed’ at 3 am!