Happy Friday! Today I want to discuss ways in which we can elevate our immunity. Stress is one of the main causes of a hindered immune system, which is why we will incorporate strategies to shift out of the fight or flight state and into a relaxation response.
Fortunately, none of this week’s strategies will take too much time to implement and you will notice the positive impact right away. You have the power to build the best immune system, and in turn, feel energized and resilient on a daily basis.
Here are a few easy ways to quickly strengthen the immune system and improve overall well being. Try integrating any of the following starting today:
Nix the Grains and Processed Foods: Cut out or lower consumption of grains, foods in a package, sweeteners, and processed oils (corn, canola, sunflower,soybean, cottonseed, safflower,grapeseed). These create oxidative stress in the body and lower mitochondrial function (powerhouse of the cells).
Increase Consumption of Healthy Fats, Polyphenols and Fermented Foods: Enjoy wild caught fish, avocado, olives/olive oil, blueberries, raspberries, sauerkraut, all types of green vegetables. The powerful properties in these foods greatly lower inflammation and heal the gut flora (70% of immunity is made in our gut lining).
Lower Blood Sugar and Insulin Levels: Cut out processed foods and sugar. Add in any of the following on a daily basis:
Cinnamon- helps control blood sugar
Reishi- lowers blood sugar levels by downregulating alpha-glucosidase which breaks down scratches into sugar
Berberine- slows breakdown of carbs
Matcha- helps stabilize blood sugar
Apple cider vinegar- lowers blood sugar and improves insulin sensitivity
High fiber veggies- improves insulin sensitivity
Breathe Through Your Nose: Deep breathing can shift the body from a stress response to a calm, focused state. By taking it one step further and breathing through your nose instead of the mouth, there will be a greater effect on the body and the brain. Nose breathing results in 10-20 percent higher oxygen uptake, and removes germs and bacteria from the air. Nose breathing sends nitric oxide to your lungs which helps dilates airways in the lungs and blood vessels, increasing immune defense.
For those who want to go a little deeper on immune strategies and the research to support, here are a few additional ways to improve your health on every level.
Aim for 30 minutes of exercise per day. This can be any movement you enjoy. Feel free to switch up the type of workouts, but be sure to get in the 30 minutes daily. There are a number of proven reasons why this is essential to your health and happiness:
Exercise Improves Immunity: During exercise the body produces cytokine proteins, which are key in regulating inflammation. Studies conducted by UC San Diego found an aerobic exercise session of 20-minutes resulted in a 5% decrease of inflammatory proteins in the blood stream and a significant increase in beneficial hormones such as epinephrine and norepinephrine.
Exercise Improves Learning and Cognitive Function: Exercise stimulates brain cell production and increases brain derived neurotrophic factor. This protein in the brain helps to create new neural pathways, essential for information retention and analytical thought.
Exercise Improves Brain Plasticity: The brain capacity to adapt to ever-changing conditions depends on the ability of neurons to modify the strength and composition of their connections in response to both external and internal stimuli. Both endurance and resistance exercises release myokines into the circulation, which improves neural efficiency of the brain. Essentially, any type of exercise allows the brain to improve its capacity for thinking and adapting.
Exercise Lowers Stress: During physical activity, the body’s stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline lower and the production of endorphins are raised. A variety of studies conducted by the American College of Sports Medicineindicates that being physically active improves the way the body handles stress because of changes in the hormone responses, and that exercise affects neurotransmitters in the brain such as dopamine and serotonin that affect mood and behaviors.