5 Tips to Support Your Immune System

As we are in the middle of cold & flu season, it’s important to take extra steps to support the immune system. Help your immune system defend you against infection and avoid autoimmune problems by keeping it balanced with these five tips:

• Eat foods that enhance your immune system:

• Curcumin (in turmeric) improves autoimmune conditions and regulates your immune system

• Ginger and garlic fight microbes and reduce inflammation

• Fermented foods (like kimchi and sauerkraut) build your immune system and fight microbes. 

  2. Get plenty of sleep to support your immune system:

• Less than six hours a night increases inflammation, suppresses your immune system, and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes.

  3. Reduce Stress:

• Make sure to reduce stress as much as possible, since in high amounts it's incredibly toxic to your body.

• Relax with deep breathing, take hot baths, meditate, and eliminate unnecessary stressors.

  4. Cut out sugar, starchy carbs, and processed foods:

• They feed pathogenic microbes to suppress your immune function for as long as five hours after consumption. While I know we are in the midst of the holiday season, one tip you can try is to only consume those things at special dinners or events. The rest of the time, stick to these rules.

   5. Use the right supplements

•  Most people will benefit from:

•  Vitamin D, which modulates the immune system (and we're often deficient in it)

• Vitamin C, which can help prevent infections

• Zinc helps support immune function

• Probiotic that contain Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and Saccharomyces which support your immune system.