Would You Rather: Boost Your Immune System or Support it?

I am sure you have seen posts about “boosting your immune system,” especially over the past few months, but do you really want to “boost” your immune system or would you rather “support” everyday all day? 

Immune Function:

The immune system is an incredible network of cells that is hard-wired into your central nervous system that can be affected by your external environment or internally due to your genetics.  

The immune system acts as the first line of defense when contact is made with a virus. When you are exposed to someone who has a virus, your body technically goes to ‘battle’ for you. Your white blood cells, play the role of a bouncer trying to get rid of the intruders, sometimes they win the battle and other times they get tired, this is when you usually come down with an illness. When this happens, it does not mean your white blood cells give up, it just means they are working with limited resources. Sometimes this could be because they are not getting the nutrients they need on a daily basis to stay strong.

Fact: white blood cells are made from bone marrow.

What is an Overreactive Immune System?

An overreactive immune system is a condition in which your immune system mistakenly recognizes itself as a threat. When this happens your body tries to attack its own organs, tissues and cells thinking it is trying to protect itself. This is also called an autoimmune disease. 

Roughly 4% of the population is affected by 1 of the 80 different autoimmune diseases. Women are 3 times more likely to develop an autoimmune disease versus men according to National Stem Cell Foundation. With the most common autoimmune disease being Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.

For the other 96% of the population..

…there are several other external environmental factors that influence your immune system. Your immune system builds its own resistance or antibodies to combat viruses by contact with other germs. Germs can be good to help build up an immune system but sometimes they can knock you on your tush. Biggest key here is being aware of your hygiene.  You cannot control what other people do but you can control what you do.

Life Scenario: Imagine have been out running errands all day, your last stop is Target and you find yourself needing a cart because you keep grabbing more things. You go get a cart unknowing that the occupant before you had a small child who kept licking the handle while mom was not looking and there were several occasions where mom wiped the child’s runny nose with her finger then went back to holding the cart. You grab this specific cart, not knowing. You bypass the sanitizing wipes because you are busy, THEN, you have an itch on your nose… you go to itch your nose, ahhh it feels so good. Little do you know all those germs that are once on the cart handle are now crawling into your little nose. Say mom or child from before have a little virus, here come your bouncers to try to kick that virus out! Maybe they succeed, maybe you get a few sniffles or maybe you are kicked right on your butt for a week. 

Okay… maybe I took that a little far… but… you get the jist right?? You cannot track everyone’s where abouts BUT you can be cautious of yours and your surroundings. 

So how can you help support your immune system, keeping it from going out of whack, while giving it what it needs. Here are a few common sense habits and nutrition habits that could benefit you. 

Wash Your Dirty Little Paws

• For at least 30 seconds with hot water soappy water. 
  • Sing to yourself: Happy Birthday (every day is a celebration), Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, or If You’re Happy and You Know It
• Do this when you get home, after you use the bathroom, before you make meals or help make meals, get to a friends or family members house, sneeze in your hand…
• All the time! 
• The more things we touch, the more germs we pick up. We need to expose ourselves to these germs to build up an immunity, but I do not recommend going around licking doorknobs to build you’re your immune system.

Sleep

• Friends, sleep is SO important!! There is so much going on in your little bodies when you sleep! SleepFoundation.org, is a good site if you want to learn more. 
• Paving the way for more effective sleep? 
  • Stick to a sleep schedule, even on the weekends
  • Exercise daily
  • Evaluate your bedroom environment: is it cool, are there sounds, are there lights? How can you eliminate the sounds and lights and cool down the room?  
  • Make sure your mattress and pillow are comfortable, what about your bedding? When was the last time you washed your bedding? A clean bed always feels good! 
• You can assess your sleep with this sleep diary.
• While you are sleeping your levels of cortisol decrease, then increase throughout the night to help you be alert in the morning. 
• Sleeps helps balance our appetites by regulating two hormones that play a role in hunger and fullness, called ghrelin and leptin. So if you are sleep deprived, you may feel the need to eat more because these are out of whack. 
• When sleep deprived, your body is not as able to fight off invaders indicating a greater risk of coming down with an illness
• If you have other underlying issues with sleep or none of these environmental suggestions are working for you, I would recommend contacting a Sleep Specialist. 

Take the time to slow down enjoy the ride, and give your body what it deserves!

Take care of yourself as you do you your children.

Read that sentence again & let it settle in. 

FOOD and Micronutrients!! 

Protein

Helps build antibodies and cells for the immune system.

Lean Protein Sources: fish, chicken, turkey, 93% ground lean beef or turkey, beans, soy, and low-fat dairy items

Healthy Fats

Omega-3 fatty acids are the telephone line between the immune system and the body. Anti-inflammatory properties of Omega- 3 fatty acids can help in the defense line of the immune system.

Food Sources: salmon, tuna, sardines, chia seeds, avocado, olive oil, walnuts, or fish oils that have a EPA/DHA equivalencies close to the “Total Fish Oil” amounts.   

Vitamin C – protects the body from infections by stimulating antibodies aka activating the troops to protect against invaders. Vitamin C, is essential, which means it cannot be made in the body, therefore it needs to be consumed in foods or supplements.

Sources of Vitamin C

• Strawberries
• Citrus fruits (Lemons, Oranges, Grapefruits) 
• Fortified Orange Juice
• Red Bell Peppers
• Spinach
• Emergen-C Supplements, during desperate times

Vitamin A – is an antioxidant that helps decrease inflammation in the body, used to help strength and regulate the immune system, keeping your mouth, stomach, intestines, and respiratory system healthy protecting against possible infections. 

Zinc – is used in your body to help create various proteins, DNA and genetic material for all cells. Helping the immune system fight off invading bacteria and viruses, helps heal wounds, and is very important for your taste and smell. 

Be Cautious. There is too much of a good thing. There is an upper limit for what humans should be consuming in regards to zinc. See table below for upper limits brought to you by the NIH. Recommended amounts are at least half the amounts listed below.

*Upper Limit – maximum amount of dose advised.

Probiotics and Prebiotics (healthy gut, healthy immune system) – your gut contains roughly 1,000 trillion bacteria that weighs roughly two pounds. Think about that for a minute….Compare that to two pounds of potatoes or onions, that is a lot of weight for just bacteria in your body. Then think of the fact that roughly 70% of your immune system is located in your gut!! Isn’t that incredible? 

Probiotics = good bacteria = cultured foods such as Greek Yogurt, Kefir, Kimchi, Kombucha 

Prebiotics = are the fibers that feed the probiotics. Foods such as fruits and vegetables, nuts & seeds (flaxseeds), oats, lentils, brown rice, Sourdough bread and potatoes.  

Finally…. WATER!

Hydration is so important to help move nutrients throughout the body, get rid of waste and help keep your muscles spongy (or…. not dehydrated like little dried fruits).

Overall…

….eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables, get your whole grains, take care of that gut, get good sleep and don’t go licking door knobs!

If you support your immune system 365 days a year, your immune system will thank you for giving it what it needs all time, not just during times of crisis.

In the off chance you aren’t getting all your micronutrients from foods, you can take a multivitamin and maybe a calcium supplement. Caution though, you really only need 100% of the daily values indicated on the label for a majority of vitamin and minerals. Supplements that offer a 1000% of your daily values are not necessarily needed. Most often those addition nutrients just get peed out and you’re literally flushing dollars down the toilet (that what the bright colored urine are those additional water-soluble nutrients being peed out because your body cannot absorb them).

Long story short, you are in charge of your life! Make the most of it and just be aware.

XO,

Sami