4 Natural Ways to Support Your Immune System
There are natural ways to build a strong immune system. You can’t eat four oranges at breakfast and expect to be protected that day against catching a cold.
Hand Washing
This might seem like a no-brainer—once we’re reminded of it, that is. Germs can get into the body through our eyes, nose, and mouth and make us sick (1). One key thing we can try to do is make a conscious effort not to touch our face, but we all know that can be difficult. So, while most of us wash our hands at the normally expected times (ie, in the bathroom), we tend to forget to do it at times when it doesn’t come as naturally. To support optimal health, we should wash our hands after:
• touching objects (e.g., cell phones, door handles)• shaking hands
• caring for someone ill
• touching an animal
• sneezing or coughing
*If you have little ones, remember this list applies to them too!
Sleep
Sleep is underrated. In fact, it’s not uncommon for people to brag about functioning without sleep. However, lack of sleep is more detrimental than we’d like to believe. According to the experts at Mayo Clinic(2), “Studies show that people who don’t get quality sleep or enough sleep are more likely to get sick after being exposed to a virus, such as a common cold virus. Lack of sleep can also affect how fast you recover if you do get sick.”
The recommended amount of sleep varies for different age ranges. For adults ages 18–64, it’s 7-9 hours. For children ages 1-17, the average is 10 hours, plus naps for little ones. Getting a good night’s sleep depends on a few factors, including diet, stress and physical surroundings.
Micronutrients
We all know that having a balanced diet is “good for you,” but following through on staying consistent with eating one can be difficult, as we all know. It’s easy to end up with a lack of balance in our food intake, often heavier on the side of nutrient-poor carbohydrates. By adding more fruits and vegetables into our diet, we get the benefit of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals from our food) that support our immune function and help it stay strong, like, vitamin A, vitamin D, B vitamins, and zinc. Incorporate these foods into your diet (make a soup using these ingredients) this winter and get a head start on a strong immune system to decrease illness.
- sweet potato, pumpkin, carrots, spinach, kale and collards (vitamin A)
- salmon, trout, eggs (vitamin D)
- beans, eggs, dark leafy greens (brocolli, kale, spinach, asparagus), nuts/seeds(B vitamins)
- wheat germ, pumpkin/sesame/hemp seeds, nuts, wild rice, tempeh, lentils, chicken (zinc)
Elderberry
Sambucol, an extract of black elderberry, has been shown to reduce the duration of the flu (3). It’s a good thing to have on hand and take as soon as symptoms start to show up. You can find it at the local drug store and even Walmart. It comes in syrup or tabs. It tastes good and the cost is reasonable—a far better option than missing work and feeling terrible for a couple of weeks!
