5 Natural Ways to Boost Your Immune System
Since March, we've been maneuvering our ways through a fear-mongered global pandemic. Not once has the media/news outlets encouraged us to keep the immune and respiratory systems strong, stress levels low, maintain exercise and increase direct sunlight. Instead, we're advised to stay fearful, isolated, and dependent.
My priority is to foster an approach that lives between a state of panic and indifference — mindfulness. Staying mindful of our health and remaining cautious and calm is how we stay protected, accountable, and in control of ourselves.
Health and wellness are rooted within. Proper nourishment, hydration, gut + mental health, living intentionally, and prioritizing time in nature, rest, and hygiene are all drivers for an overall healthy body, soul, and mind. So, as a means of supporting ourselves wholistically, here are some wellness and immunity tips for practicing:
1. Sunlight & Vitamin D
Sunlight = Vitamin D, but the benefits of sunlight extend far past Vitamin D alone. Statistically, people who live in places with little sunlight have higher risks for many chronic conditions. Sunlight is crucial to the nuclei in the brain stem, responsible for circadian rhythms, and regulates immune function.
Contrary to popular belief, sunlight (D3) and Vitamin D are not the same. Sunlight has far more benefits on the immune system than independent Vitamin D production, but they are intertwined, being as though Vitamin D cannot be produced by oral supplementation. A substantial amount of direct sunlight is required to receive the benefits of bioavailable D3. Spending just 30 minutes - 1 hour in nature/outdoors will significantly increase your immunity, promote restful sleep and proper melanin synthesis.
2. Exercise
Acute exercise is an immune system adjuvant that improves defense activity and metabolic health. Physical activity lowers stress hormones, helps flush bacteria out of the lungs, enhances antibody circulation, and increases body temperature (similar to the concept of how fevers fight infections). Maintaining a moderately energetic lifestyle can change your quality of life significantly. The best way to see results is to commit to a reasonable program that works best for your lifestyle. Bicycling with your friends or children, taking daily walks, jogging every other morning, or going to the gym consistently are all ways that you could be mindful of doing more and hopefully encouraging the people around you to do the same for themselves.
3. Diet & Supplements
Diet plays a crucial role in the body's immunity. Consuming chemicals, unnatural, and processed foods hijack the body's natural responses and often results in auto-immune reactions. A few things to consider are reducing foods such as alcohol, nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes, bell peppers, eggplant), refined sugars and carbohydrates, and processed foods. Consider increasing immune-boosting foods such as berries (dark, especially), citrus, and low sugar fruits, dark + leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, almonds, cacao (high in protein, fiber, and magnesium), legumes, nuts, seeds, healthy oils such as avocado, olive, coconut, hemp, and spices like ginger, turmeric, cayenne, oregano, and basil. Can't forget onions and garlic - nature's best remedies for colds and cases of flu.
Gut health will always have a seat at the table because much of the immune system is found in the digestive system. Choosing probiotic-rich foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir (if you consume dairy), and other fermented foods can help promote optimal gut health and, in turn, a supported immune system. Focus on boosting your Vitamin C, Magnesium, + D3 intake. They are cofactors of one another, and both are required for absorption & bioavailability. D3 is also essential in managing the respiratory system in the elderly because iron can't be absorbed without it, and they already have issues utilizing oxygen.
Magnesium is exceptionally vital and needed for more than three hundred biochemical reactions in the body. It helps maintain normal nerve and muscle function and supports a healthy immune system, strong heart, and bone density. It also helps adjust blood glucose levels and aids in the production of energy and protein.
Zinc is almost as essential as magnesium in its wide range of functions. It helps maintain the immune responses by cutting in and tells your immune system to take a break to prevent overworking and out-of-control inflammation.
Vitamin C, a potent antioxidant, contributes to immune defense by supporting various functions of both the innate and adaptive immune systems.
Vitamin D (think of yourself as a plant during photosynthesis —because we pretty much are plants on a cellular level) is a hormone vitamin that essentially helps cells maintain their energetic and survival homeostasis, balancing the stress and damage response. As mentioned above, stress disables the immune system and eats magnesium and other nutrients that support the immune system response.
Black seed oil is another fantastic antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory oil with a wide range of affinities that aren't limited to its effects on respiratory diseases and immunity, mood, and anxiety support.
4. Plant-life: Herbs and Essential Oils
Plants offer life and medicinal properties in various ways that aren't limited to teas, tinctures, oils, salves, syrups, and poultices. Below are six herbs that I suggest often having to prevent/shorten colds and help support the immune, respiratory, and nervous systems (after proper research and checking in with your health care professional). A few of these herbs are included in my Immunity Boost and Anxiety Relief organic herbal tea blends. If interested, you can peruse my tea collection here.
Astragalus- One of the best preventative herbs. Unlike plants that are best used at the first sign of illness, Astragalus root works best as a preventative measure, helping to fend off bacteria and viruses before they make you sick. This happens through its ability to improve the functions of white blood cells and antibodies.
Elder - A famously known herb that's commonly appreciated for treating colds and cases of flu. The berries contain antioxidants, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties that are beneficial to the immune system.
Reishi Mushroom - One of the most excellent tonics. It helps fight infections and supports + protects the immune system while promoting lung, liver, heart, kidney, and blood health and longevity. It also plays a role in nourishing the nervous system and reducing stress.
Ginger - Best known for its affinity for the digestive system and improving blood circulation. It's a potent antiviral and antibacterial and contains compounds that destroy many viruses that cause the common cold, making it equally beneficial to the immune system.
Tulsi/Holy Basil - A highly revered adaptogenic and nourishing herb that increases the efficiency of immunity and destroys colds, coughs, flu, bronchitis. Stress plays a huge factor in a weakened immune system, so this herb's adaptogenic properties are beneficial.
Oat Straw - A wonderfully nourishing herb that's a great source of nutrients, B vitamins, vitamin A, zinc, calcium, magnesium, and iron. It's also an adaptogenic herb that delivers attention to the nervous system, relieving stress, anxiety, and depression.
Essential oils are highly concentrated aromatic oils extracted from flowers, leaves, grasses, fruits, roots, and trees and used for their many different healing qualities. These oils have been around for centuries, back when the ancient Egyptians would use them to create cosmetic and medicinal concoctions. Essential oils can kill germs in the air, reduce cold/virus symptoms, and shorten the life of a virus by boosting the immune system. A few antiviral, immune, and respiratory-supporting essential oils to keep in your pantry at home are:
Lavender, Tea Tree, Sweet Orange, Peppermint, Lemon, Frankincense, Eucalyptus, Blue Tansy, Majoram, Bergamot, Cinnamon Leaf.
A well-curated and effective blend will work wonders in fighting respiratory viruses and killing bacteria and fungus’ alike. Daily, my family and I take our herbal teas and diffuse various essential oils, daily. Some of our favorite blends include the e/o’s mentioned above. Get familiar and have fun with creating your blends. The energy you put into it matters.
This particular post is in regards to aromatherapy. Take note that essential oils are not intended for internal ingestion, and if used on the skin, please dilute with a carrier oil.
No matter the specifics, viruses, poor health, and a pandemic can instill fear and divide tribes/communities. I hope this guide finds its way into your heart and home and serves you the comfort, confidence, and healing that it does my family. The best things we can do are prioritize our health, heal, stay connected with our loved ones, be in tune with ourselves, and lean into the love and support around us.
Be blessed and be well. You are not alone. 🌞
Big Love,
Tyler