8 ways to boost your immune system!

As we're coming into cold and flu season now is definitely the time to do everything we can to strengthen our immune systems. Here are a few ways you can do this;

1. Wash your hands regularly for at least 20 seconds with warm water and soap, particularly after you get home from being out and about and before you prepare food and eat! Keep your hands well moisturized as well to keep skin intact as our skin is our immune systems "first line of defence" against pathogens.

2. Avoid touching your face unless it's straight after washing your hands. Viruses enter the body through our eyes, nose, mouth and ears.

3. Eat plenty of vitamin C rich foods including; guava, red capsicum, kiwi fruit, oranges, lemons, cabbage, broccoli, papaya, mangoes, brussels sprouts and leafy greens (Kouris 2011, p.13). Many nutrients play a role in immunity including vitamin C (Sarris & Wardle 2015, p. 160). There are many studies to support this including a recent one, whereby there was a demonstrated improvement in neutrophil functions (a white blood cell which has immune protective actions) post administration of vitamin C rich "SunGold" kiwi fruit tablets (Bozonet et al 2015).

I recommend getting micro nutrients through your diet, although you can take a supplement if there is a deficiency or a need too. For example, during cold and flu season I suggest taking a naturally sourced vitamin C, my favourite is "Lifestream natural vitamin C", or "Green nutritionals natural vitamin C". This is particularly important if you're under stress (as our adrenal glands require more vitamin C when we're stressed), if you're immunocompromised or travelling.

4. Beta carotene (which changes to vitamin A in the body) containing fruits and vegetables are also important as vitamin A has antiviral properties (Sarris & Wardle 2015, p. 160). Some of these include carrots, spinach, sweet potato, mango, pumpkin, capsicum, pea's, beans and avocado's (Kouris 2011, p.10). If you can, grow your own food! This really is the best way to get the most vitamins and minerals from your fruit and vegetables, as the moment they're harvested their nutrient content begins to decrease, so if they only have to travel from your garden to your fridge they'll be a lot more nutritious!

5. Cut down on sugar! Not only is sugar inflammatory, it also reduces the ability of our lymphocytes (another white blood cell) to fight pathogens such as viruses and bacteria.

6. Get 8 hours of sleep each night! Sleep deprivation causes a reduction in antibodies needed to fight infection, therefore making you more susceptible to getting sick from a virus after being exposed to it, and increasing the time it takes to recover from a virus (Sarris & Wardle 2015, 171). I recommend going to bed between 9-11pm if you can, as during these hours is when you get the most restorative sleep.

7. Keep alcohol to a minimum! Although it may be tempting to have alcohol during a stressful time, it's best to reduce your intake, and avoid binge drinking for the sake of your physical and mental health, and for your loved ones. Consider replacing alcohol with something else, for example a mug of hot chocolate and a phone conversation with a friend, watch a comedy, cook your favourite meal or take a walk outside. Most of our immune system lives in our gastrointestinal tract, and alcohol wipes out a lot of our healthy immune strengthening micro flora which resides there. Our liver has a number of roles in immunity including the production of antigen fighting cells, and alcohol reduces our liver's ability to do this, putting it under strain, therefore making you more susceptible to getting sick.

8. Keep stress to a minimum! There are many ways to do this, but start with getting enough sleep and cutting down on caffeine and sugar. The less caffeine you drink, the better you sleep and therefore the less caffeine you need! A recent study supported the link between stress-related disorders being associated with in increased risk of infections (Song et al 2019). Exercise is my personal favourite way to deal with stress and anxiety, along with comedies and hugs. I recommend finding an activity that you enjoy, ideally outside in nature, which is also known as "green exercise". It's as simple as putting on your sneakers and going for a brisk walk, run or cycle in the park. Hey, change it up too and include a weekly dance lesson or a team sport such as soccer or football if that's your thing. Aim for 45 minutes of moderate intensity (so that you're perspiring) exercise 4-5 times a week. If you have a serious medical condition, consult with an exercise physiologist. It's also a good idea to have vitamin C (500mg) post intensive exercise as human and animal studies suggest that this vitamin reduces circulating cortisol levels both after exercise, and during periods of psychological stress (Sarris & Wardle 2015, p.171).

Are you prone to frequent infections? Do you struggle with sugar cravings? Are you finding it difficult reducing alcohol or quitting cigarettes? Or are you suffering from stress and insomnia? I can help! Book an appointment with me if you would like some more advice and an individualized treatment plan.

Kouris A, 2011. Food sources of nutrients, Australia: Elsevier.

Sarris J, Wardle J, 2015. Clinical Naturopathy 2e An evidence based guide to practice, Australia: Elsevier.

Bozonet S, Carr A, Pullar J, Vissers M 2015. Enhanced Human Neutrophil Vitamin C Status, Chemotaxis and Oxidant Generation Following Dietary Supplementation with Vitamin C-Rich SunGold Kiwifruit, Open access journals 7 (4). Available at: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/7/4/2574/htm

Song H, Fall K, Fang F, Erlendsdottir H, Lu D, Mataix-Cols D et al. Stress related disorders and subsequent risk of life threatening infections: population based sibling controlled cohort study. BMJ 2019; 367: 15784