With the sharp incline in rates of sickness across the state and country, it’s time to think about the steps you can take to improve immune resilience within your family.
The decline in natural immunity due to the circumstances of the previous two winters, coupled with the relaxed restrictions is promising a very challenging winter for many people and families.
Below are some daily habits to adopt to boost immune resilience:
- Eat a diet rich in foods known to support immune function – garlic, artichoke, berries, oregano, thyme, carrot, sweet potato, pineapple, broccoli, radish, onions, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, mushrooms, ginger, bone broths, lemons and cauliflower. These foods contain nutrients known to modulate the immune response and boost immunity.
- Eat a diet rich in whole natural foods including green, orange, purple and yellow vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, high quality protein and fruit. Eating a balanced diet ensures you are exposed to a wide range of nutrients to support general health and wellbeing.
- Avoid processed foods, processed meats, saturated fats and trans fats. These foods contain substances that cause inflammation and oxidation which places additional pressure on the body and leaves you susceptible to infection.
- Avoid sugar including fruit juice, alcohol, sweets and soft drinks. Sugar impairs immune function by disrupting the body’s ability to envelope and destroy bacteria via white blood cell activity so sugar it best left out of the diet.
- Aim to consume 2L filtered water and herbal teas each day. Every cell of the human body relies on water. Including herbal teas such as echinacea, lemon + ginger and other immune blends increase your hydration whilst supplying you with additional nutrients for immune health.
- Reduce your stress by going for a walk or engaging in an activity each day for at least 25 minutes that helps to relax you – reading (not on your phone as phones are generally stimulating to the nervous system), taking a bath, meditation, mindfulness or spending time with the family pet. Stress depletes immune function by disrupting hormone production, initiating an inflammatory response, disrupting sleep patterns and causing gut absorption issues so it’s really important to manage your stress levels.
- Aim to include a 30 minute workout 4+ times per week where the heart rate is elevated. Regular exercise and movement support the function of all the body’s systems. If you are unwell, give your regular exercise regime a break and take extra time to rest to speed up your recovery.
- Ensure you have good sleep practices – avoid screens before bed, practice meditation, ensure the room temperature is comfortable overnight, avoid dietary and environmental stimulants. During sleep, our body undergoes concentrated restoration so having a regular sleep-wake cycle to facilitate these processes is essential.
- Arm yourself with high quality supplements before sickness strikes. If you feel the onset of sickness, ensure you are taking supplements to give yourself extra support. Nutrients including vitamins A, C & D, zinc, probiotics and NAC can help to reduce the severity and duration of sickness.
- See a Naturopath who can prescribe targeted herbal medicine and Practitioner Only supplements to prevent infection, target symptoms and shorten your recovery time.
If you are feeling like your immune defences need some support or would like to prepare for the season ahead, our Naturopath can provide an individually-tailored treatment plan to boost your immune resilience.
Contact Belle on 0405 128 213 or at belle@nbip.com.au for bookings or for more information.
