Immune Builder Basics
Immune Builder Basics
Here are the basics…
Eat your fruits and vegetables kids. All of them! Herbs, nuts and seeds, healthy grains, and healthy fats. There are just so many nutrients and benefits in these foods! Raw, steamed, boiled, plain, dipped or cooked up in casseroles. We really do not get enough of these. You already know this, so eat up. Sugar anything is something that should be highly limited and should be "treats" only. To really get that immune strong…Juice! Drink green smoothies! Hypernutrition is the key!!
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Food plays a big role in our health. Food acts as the raw materials and information that our bodies read in terms of nutrients and what it needs to maintain homeostasis. The wrong foods, therefore, can lead to obesity, inflammation, poor running organs and systems (like our immune system) and disease. I am very surprised to hear from clients that they go days without eating any fruits or vegetables! If this is you, this has to change. Now. Even if you are one that doesn’t like the taste of vegetables, there are ways to still get them added to your daily intake. In sandwiches or wraps, there are so many good lettuces out there to choose from. Start with ice burg, butter lettuce or living lettuces as these are not so bitter. Then, you can try romaine and spinach. Spring mix, for example, is very bitter so choose something a little easier to swallow. Top with tomato slices, onions, pickles…the options are endless. Pile it on! Chop up broccoli and cauliflower and add them to sauces, casseroles, noodle dishes and meatloaf. My kids always thought they were “spices”. Dice up celery and radishes and mix into tuna or chicken salad. Get creative. Besides, it’s fun to play with your food.
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Exercise and move every single day. Exercise is medically proven to boost our immune system. Movement helps to get our lymphatic system moving. This is the garbage removal system of our bodies. Being physical in this way is said to help flush out bacteria and waste from our lungs. This is said to reduce your chances of getting a cold, flu or other illnesses. All that heavy breathing isn’t for nothing! Exercise slows down the release of the stress hormone cortisol. It releases those feel-good endorphins, adrenaline, serotonin, and dopamine, that makes us feel happier and more energetic. Who doesn’t want to feel good? Our bodies were meant to move! So, get up and get groovin’! Another amazing way to sweat is sauna therapy! Any time I feel a sickness coming on, I sauna to knock it out!
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Take supplements. I don’t care what brand it is, just take them. The basics are vitamin D3, vitamin C, B Complex, and multivitamin and mineral supplement. These will do wonders. I will say, though, when you can get a whole food supplement made from all those good fruits, veggies, and herbs, you will see a much bigger difference. If you can make it non-gmo and organic on top of that too, even better! Besides the fact that our soil has become devoid of the nutrients it once had, our body can use the extra support right now. If you’re not feeling any different once you’ve started taking supplements, I recommend switching to a better brand that’s organic and/or non-gmo.
Vitamin D3 - My family and I take 5,000 to 10,000 IU’s of vitamin D3. During the summer months, when I am out in the sun often, I generally take 5,000 IU’s every other day or every other third day. I like to get it naturally from the sun. (The best time to absorb D3 is midday, when those hot UVA and UVB rays come out. All you need is 10 to 20 minutes!) I get my levels tested and I am always between 80 and 90…perfect levels, especially for someone living in the Midwest. Most people are generally low. The way I think of vitamin D is that D stands for disease. Vitamin D protects us from disease. It’s that simple. Vitamin D3 is a fat-soluble vitamin, so be sure to eat when taking this one. It needs foods to help metabolize it.
Vitamin C – I like to take liposomal vitamin C. Here’s why. Liposomal vitamin c is one of my favorite supplements. You must know that the human body cannot make or store vitamin c on its own. We must get it from natural foods or supplementation. Vitamin c is also water-soluble, meaning you don’t need to take this with food in order to metabolize it. A glass of water will do the trick. We know that it boosts the immune system, but it is also great for bone health as well as growth and development. Did you know that we cannot produce collagen without vitamin c? Now it makes more sense why skin care products push vitamin c. We also do not store this nutrient. We use it up or dispel the leftovers. The problem with many supplements is that our digestive system blocks us from getting access to most of this valuable nutrient. Liposomal vitamin c works on the same principle as IV vitamin c, in that it bypasses the digestive tract. It uses a technique that utilizes our fat cells (lipids) that makes it easily absorbed, delivering all that power to our cells that protects us from free radicals and gives our immune system perfect support. I think of vitamin C in other ways, too. Not just for immune. C reminds me of our eyes. We C (see) with our eyes. Vitamin C is an excellent nutrient for our eye health and protects our sight. Vitamin C does not stay n our bodies for very long, about 30 minutes only. Feel free to take this supplement often. I take anywhere between 1,000 to 10,000 mg per day.
Multivitamin and mineral – This guy basically covers a lot of ground. A good supplement will have lots of nutrients for you to read on the label. I like taking a multi because I get the added magnesium, zinc, calcium, and iron, of course all the other goodies, too. This way I’m not having to buy separate mag and zinc. We know that zinc deficiency is losing taste and smell, and magnesium is used for hundreds of processes in the body. Studies show there is a strong relationship with magnesium to our immune system. Most of us tend to be magnesium deficient as well. Because of this, I use my Magnesium Oil Spray daily. Transdermal therapy allows for complete absorption into the bloodstream.
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For myself, I take these plus supplements for my liver, digestion, zinc, and B vitamins.
Stay hydrated and drink more water. See my blog post on tips to staying hydrated and drinking more water here. Essentially, water is life and is required for said life. Here are five good ways water helps to boost our immune function. One. Water helps to flush out the hundreds of toxins and chemicals we come into contact with on the daily! Two. Water helps to lubricate and digest our food. It is said our immune system lives in our gut. Three. Water prevents illnesses and can even help to reverse illnesses as well. Our brain needs water to produce melatonin, thus helping to prevent insomnia. Four. Water oxygenates our blood. The cells of our body are filled with water. Water contains oxygen and when we are hydrated, our cells become hydrated and oxygenated. Five. Water assists in the production of lymph. Our lymph system is referred to as the garbage dump. When we are hydrated, water helps to move the waste to the lymph nodes to be destroyed.
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Find some calming down time and sleep. Put your phones, tablets, laptops and all those types of things away for a while every day. Don’t listen to the news. This may not seem like much or even necessary. However, this is super important because when we are constantly in that high anxiety or fear state of mind; that fight or flight mode from the constant stress of the situations we are in, will actually lower our immune response very quickly. We burn through magnesium very quickly. We know that our body repairs and grows while we sleep. This includes our immunity.
“Researchers have found that during nightly sleep, certain components of the immune system rev up. For example, there is an increased production of cytokines associated with inflammation. This activity appears to be driven both by sleep and by circadian rhythm, which is the body’s 24-hour internal clock. When someone is ill or injured, this inflammatory response may help with recovery, fortifying innate and adaptive immunity as the body works to repair wounds or fight off an infection.”
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Unfortunately, some of us find it very difficult to relax and wind down, or even to sleep through the night, myself included. Check out my blog post Senses Countdown to Restful Sleep. Many times, we have to retrain ourselves to get out of this fast-paced matrix. You can also use this downtime for prayer, visualization, journaling, meditation or just being present with our families and loved ones. And don’t forget to breathe. I love the very simple 4-7-8 breathing technique! Most importantly, find peace and smile.
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Remember, these are the basics. Always check in with your doctor if you have health concerns. These alone will increase the strength behind your immune system.
https://www.hhs.gov/fitness/eat-healthy/importance-of-good-nutrition/index.html
https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/how-does-food-impact-health
https://www.nature.com/articles/1601689
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/physical-health/how-sleep-affects-immunity
HONEY HILL NATURALS, LLC DISCLAIMER:
I am not a doctor, a chemist, nor a dermatologist and this is not medical advice. I am a certified Holistic Nutritionist and Health Coach, sharing my opinion of life experiences and what I was taught in the AFPA certification program, who wants to provide a more natural and healthy lifestyle for my family and others. The information contained on the Honey Hill Naturals, LLC, or blog websites, including but not limited to all workout plans, nutritional advice, and healthy lifestyle tips, is provided for informational purposes only, and is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by your doctor or other qualified health care practitioner. The information available on or through the Honey Hill Naturals newsletters, or (including, but not limited to, information that may be provided by writers, editors, healthcare and/or nutrition professionals employed by, or contracting with, Honey Hill Naturals, LLC, and / or their associates), is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease or prescribe medication. Information and statements regarding dietary supplements or ailments on any of the above sites or newsletters, may not have been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States of America.