5 Habits to Prevent Sickness this Season
With the holiday's creeping in, you are more likely to indulge in behaviors that wreak havoc on your health. And it’s no coincidence that incidents of cold and flu increase just after Halloween with continuing speed and momentum straight through to the New Year (read: too much sugar). The increase in sugar consumption, lack of vitamin D and fresh air, compromised sleep and poor food choices make it difficult for your body to fight off invading illness.
There are so many wonderful foods, spices and herbs that you can include in your daily regimen, that will boost your immune system and optimize your body’s natural defense against bacteria and viruses that are circulating at this time of year (and all year long). Many seasonal foods are inherently immune boosting foods - intended to promote a healthy immune system, during a season when we are more likely to engage in indulgent behaviors and foods.
But, first. It's time to take a big look at your lifestyle.
Are you run down?
Are you constantly on-the-go, eating on-the-go, living on-the-go?
Are the majority of your days riddled with extreme stress?
Are you getting enough quality sleep?
The way you spend your days, the food you eat, the sleep you get (or don’t) have major impacts on your body’s ability to ward of viruses, bacteria and impending infections.
Diet
Your diet greatly influences your immune system's ability to do its job. If you are consuming a diet high in sugar and high in processed foods, your immune system will suffer. When you consume plant based foods, your immune system thrives - plant based foods are anti-inflammatory and loaded with vitamins and minerals.
Sleep
You can eat the "perfect diet" but without proper sleep, your body has to work exponentially harder to sustain health, regenerate cells, and manage stress. Proper sleep promotes healthy digestion and improves immune system health.
Stress
Stress puts pressure on your immune system, overtaxing the body's ability to ward off illness and heal. If you are overworked, overtired, and anxious, you will have a more difficult time preventing illness and healing when sick.
Movement
Movement is crucial for mental health, not for body image. Exercising is also crucial for detoxing your body of invading pathogens - when you sweat you utilize your detox pathways to remove viruses and bacteria from the body.
Gut Health
A healthy interaction between your immune system and the gut microbiota is crucial for the maintenance of our body's homeostasis and health. Imbalances in the gut microbiota may dysregulate immune responses and lead to the development of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune dysfunctions
The Immune System + The Gut
The intestinal wall of your gut acts as a barrier to foreign invaders, like bacteria and viruses. Your gut lining is home to millions (maybe even trillions) of good gut bacteria, that fight off bad bacteria and create homeostasis in the gut. The intestinal wall is also maintained by the immune system - a healthy intestinal barrier that keeps foreign invaders out. The integrity of this intestinal barrier is fundamental for human health - when the gut lining or wall of the intestines becomes damaged by exposure to free radicals and an influx of foreign invaders, the permeability of the gut leads to "leaky gut" syndrome, compromises your immune system health and results in chronic inflammation.
The short of it - a compromised gut lining causes major health issues. Leaky gut, candida overgrowth, autoimmune conditions and chronic illness are a result of poor diets that are high in inflammatory foods. The microbes (good bacteria) that live in your gut get their nutrients from your diet. Your diet has a direct correlation on the functioning of your immune system - when you feed your gut microbiota, and subsequently your immune system, a diet that is rich in vitamins and nutrients you promote gut homeostasis and a proper functioning immune system, not burdened by bad bacteria and toxin overload.
A modern Standard American Diet or a diet of the Western world is associated with a weakened immune system and characterized by the consumption of highly inflammatory heavy foods, including high levels of animal foods, animal derived saturated fats, sugars, processed foods, artificial ingredients, and salt - a diet that is low in plant derived fibers - which conversely, are positively associated with a healthy gut microbiome and optimally functioning immune system.
A plant based diet of whole real foods - vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains - can strengthen the immune system. Consuming a diet that is full of plant based foods, boosts T cells - which are so important to the immune system because they are responsible for eradicating cancer cells, scanning the body for foreign germs and pathogens, destroying infected cells, activating additional immune cells, and keeping a database for germs that they’ve encountered across decades. They are also important for immune responses that include allergic reactions, autoimmune diseases, and organ transplant rejection.
When you consume a predominantly plant forward approach to your plate, your intake of carotenoids and flavonoids increases. Why is this important? Increasing your intake of foods that contain carotenoids and flavonoids boosts your immune health and T cell health, because these antioxidants have antiviral, antibacterial properties and work systemically to protect the immune system.
Power Up with Plants
Foods that are inherently high in antioxidants are anti-inflammatory and subsequently, immune boosting foods too. Foods that are high in these antioxidants are colorful - spanning the shades of the rainbow. Include more of these plant foods on your plate this season:
- Blueberries
- Broccoli
- Beets
- Celery
- Citrus
- Garlic
- Kale
- Mushrooms
- Spinach
- Sweet Potato
- Spinach
No matter how you currently choose to feed yourself and your family, prioritizing nourishing and nutrient-dense foods will promote happier and healthier homes and well-beings. Focusing on foods, spices and herbs that are anti-inflammatory in nature and immune boosting in property, while simultaneously reducing stress, unhealthy behaviors and practices, and eliminating disease provoking foods, will reduce your risk of acquiring cold and flu viruses this season. Eating a plethora of plant foods will encourage physical strength, restful sleep, reduced anxiety and depression, healthy digestion, strong immune systems and ideal microbiomes. You don't have to sacrifice your health to enjoy yourself this holiday season.
written for Pure Health Living