It’s that time again: shorter days, cooler temperatures and the beginning of the flu season. How do we survive and even thrive in this world that is teeming with microorganisms? The answer, in short, is our immune system. Composed of millions of cells circulating throughout the body, this system protects us by fighting off microscopic enemy invaders such as bacteria, viruses, toxins, fungus, and parasites. Keeping the immune system in top fighting form requires improvements in lifestyle and diet. And we can further enhance its functioning with the right dietary supplements.
Lifestyle Matters
When we are exposed to stress, our levels of a hormone called cortisol can become chronically elevated, suppressing immune activity. Therefore strong immune function depends on an effective stress-reduction program. Strategies such as exercise, yoga, and meditation have been shown to reduce both stressful feeling and to improve immunity. Adequate sleep is also essential for proper immune system function. Sleep-deprived individuals have decreased natural killer cell activity and decreased cellular immunity.
If you smoke, or overindulge in alcohol, your immune system is more likely to be impaired. The good news is that when smokers quit, their immune function improves dramatically and quickly. Within just one month of quitting, previous smokers demonstrate increased natural killer cell activity and elevations in antibody levels. Within two weeks of abstinence from alcohol, previously depressed cellular immunity improves. Within two months of sobriety, cellular immunity normalizes.
A Defensive Diet
Just like any of our bodily processes, our immune system relies upon good nutrition to function at its best. Creating a rainbow of color on your plate is one of the best ways to build a healthy immune system. By eating a wide variety of colorful fruits and vegetables, you are consuming a full spectrum of antioxidative flavonoids. In addition to flavonoids, fruits and vegetables contain important immune-enhancing vitamins and minerals. These nutrients include zinc, vitamin E, vitamin D, sterols, and carotenes such as vitamin A and lycopene. Eat zinc-rich pumpkin seeds and almonds; vitamin E-rich wheat germ, sunflower oil, and spinach; dietary plants sterols (such as unrefined oils, nuts, seeds, and grains); and free radical-scavenging carotenes found in dark green vegetables, carrots, yams, and tomatoes. Be sure to obtain daily safe sun exposure for adequate vitamin D, and eat vitamin D-rich foods, such as cold liver oil, sardines, salmon, mackerel, and tuna.
Fat is also an essential nutrient. Saturated fats and trans fats are unhealthful and should be avoided. Better choices are polysaturated and monounsaturated fats found in vegetables and nuts and their oils. Certain fats are considered essential fatty acids, (EFA’s). Fish, especially sardines, salmon, cod, and halibut, is an excellent source of omega-3’s (EPA and DHA). Omega-3 EFAs are critical to strong immune function.
No discussion of diet and immunity would be complete without mentioning sugar. Glucose, fructose, sucrose, and any other form of sugar impair lymphocyte activity, which is essential for immunity. The average person consumes 150 g of sucrose every day. This means that most people are suppressing their immune systems by consuming sugar. If we simply decrease our sugar intake, we would experience a major decrease in colds, flu and other infections.
In addition to the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that have been shown to elicit a positive immune response, there are some excellent immune-stimulating supplements and herbs that have become my favorites:
Coenzyme Q10: Also known as ubiquinone, CoQ10 is a potent antioxidant nutrient that enhances cellular production of energy and immune function. It supports antibody production, phagocytic activity, and is especially necessary during active infection.
Echinacea: Perhaps the most widely used herb for supporting immune function, echinacea stimulates the activity of macrophages (natural killer cells) and lymphocytes, and scavenges free radicals.
Garlic: Garlic has a strong antimicrobial activities against bacteria, viruses, fungal organisms, and parasites. Aged garlic extract increases B cells antibody production, as well as the activity of macrophages, T cells, and natural killer cells.
Probiotics: Beneficial bacteria in the intestines activate immune cells, increase natural killer cell activity and are necessary in our fight against disease-causing bacteria.
Elderberry Extract: Effective against flu viruses. It enhances immune system function as it builds the blood and cleanses the system. Relieves coughs and congestion and lowers fever.
Olive Leaf Extract: Fights all types of bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. It helps stave off colds and flu and is good for virtually any infectious disease.
Sovereign Silver: Probably the most universal natural antibiotic substance, it is tasteless and nontoxic. Many forms of bacteria, viruses and fungi utilize a specific enzyme for their metabolism. Silver acts as a catalyst to disable the enzyme. Importantly, the bacteria, fungi and viruses do not seem to develop an immunity to silver as they do to chemical antibiotic agents.
