8 Steps That I Take To Boost My Immune System from a Holistic Professional
Our body’s natural defense against dis-ease and infection is the immune system. This system identifies and stops bacteria, viruses, parasites, tumor cells and other microorganisms that would otherwise be harmful to your body.
There are a lot of different things involved in a healthy immune system including white blood cell lymphocytes which are your search and destroy army; bone marrow that is your generator creating these white blood cells; thymus that is your school teacher showing these white blood cells what things belong in our body and what do not; lymphatic vessels which are like your bus and interstate, moving the cleansing lymph and white blood cells. These are just a few; there are even more critical components like the spleen, appendix, tonsils, and lymph nodes which all are filters and store white blood cells. It is in these places the WBC’s hang out and talk to each other, like a coffee shop, sharing information about infections.
Isn’t that cool? I know right! All of this is going on all of the time and we don’t have to consciously do anything to have it work, however I DO tap on my thymus daily to help keep it stimulated. As we get older, the thymus will shrink. If you want to tap your thymus, just tap your fingertips on your breast bone. Maybe Tarzan was helping his immune system when he beat his chest with his Hans.
So let’s get to the nitty gritty of how I support my immune system.
Step 1
Ditch the sugar. This is a hard one for me and my biggest struggle.
Consuming 75 grams of simple sugar (not starch) showed a decrease in the immune system to fight off bacteria according to this study. https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article-abstract/26/11/1180/4732762
How much is 75 grams? A can of soda, a muffin, and a non-fat yogurt are all typically 40-47 grams per serving. Another study showed that fructose - like what is in high-fructose corn syrup is even more dangerous to your immune system and is typically how they sweeten beverages. Read your labels and you will find it everywhere including bread….seriously….bread?
Natural sugars in their food form are different because they metabolize slower when eaten in their original form.
For example, eating an apple with the peeling, raw, provides you with the fiber naturally found in the apple and that slows down how fast the sugar can absorb into your system.
Step 2
Move your body to get the lymphatic system moving.
It is critical that your lymph fluid move about so you can detoxify and your white blood cells can communicate with each other.
Take a 30 minute walk. I sometimes don’t do well with this one either but I find that if I do it right away in the morning, it will happen but not if I put it off until later.
Step 3
Get plenty of sleep. Typically an adult needs 7-9 hours. Walking can help you sleep better at night too.
I am almost always asleep by 10pm and if I am not, I want to be.
Step 4
I take Vitamin C Supplements. These are food sourced supplements.
Most vitamin C currently manufactured is synthetic, coming from China. I call these ‘fake’ vitamins. The synthetic form of any vitamin can be worse then not taking any at all because they go into the receptor sites for the vitamin but they don’t have important co-factors present, that would be in the food form, and they lodge themselves in the receptors and when you do actually get vitamin C from food, it can’t be utilized because your receptors are blocked.
Step 5
I take zinc with enzymes. This supplement provides 30mg of zinc in a base of enzymes so it actually absorbs.
Step 6
I use an antioxidant drink that helps reduce the oxidative stress on my body. Oxidative stress can cause my blood to be ‘sticky’ which also makes it harder to push and makes me feel sluggish. This drink provides me with tons of minerals and energy to get through the day. As a side benefit, I have very little discomfort in my joints and back as compared to when I did not use it.
Step 7
I also take a capsule that has essential oils in it: clove, cinnamon, lemon, eucalyptus radiata, rosemary, oregano, etc. This helps create an environment that critters don’t want to be in.
Step 8
Eat fresh garlic every day. An easy way that I have found to do this is to grind up whole lemons (peel and all) and raw garlic cloves and blend it in the blender. Put it in my fridge in a glass jar and have a few tablespoons each day. Sometimes I will add a little ginger as well. What I love most about this is it is inexpensive and garlic is one of the best super foods there is.
Well there you have some of my secrets to helping maintain a healthy immune system. I hope it has been beneficial for you. If you would like to know about a way to get the lymphatic support of running 5 miles without leaving your house just click the "Contact Me" button above to let me know you want it and I will send it out.
The Root Cause Blog Post by Dana Christisen.
Dana Christisen is a Traditional Naturopath in Perryville, Missouri.
She has been in this field since 2006 and is continually keeping up with her education. Currently she is enrolled in a PhD program for Original Medicine.
Dana will guide you through a plan - answering all questions - adjusting protocols as needed and helping you learn how to listen to and nourish your body so that your body has what is necessary to balance and heal itself.
What Dana does NOT do: Diagnose Disease, Treat Disease, Heal, Cure, or Prescribe Medications for Disease. If you have a medically diagnosed disease, you should consult with a medically licensed professional for treatment.
