Immune Health for Fall

It's that time of year where there is a crisp-ness in the air, summer adventures are tucked into memory, and frosty mornings lead way to cozy evenings. As kids settle into their school routines and cold & flu season is in full force, here are some ways to ensure your immune system is in tip top shape:

Eat a variety of nutrient-dense whole, unprocessed foods

Whole, natural and unprocessed foods offer the highest concentration of nutrients that our bodies need to thrive. What's super cool, is that Mother Nature knows exactly what we need and when; the nutrients most essential to immune health are rich in foods harvested this time of year. Popular autumn delights such as apples, pumpkin, squash, root vegetables, poultry and fermented foods provide us with the precise antioxidants, phytonutrients and gut friendly bacteria that keep our immune cells happy and ready for battle. Foods that are heavily processed are not only lacking in nutrients - they can further deplete our bodies of stored nutrients, compromising the immune system. Eating a diet rich in seasonal whole foods provides the immune system with the right tools it needs to do its job.

Supplement with Vitamin D

Vitamin D plays a key role in immune cell function and metabolism. Although this vital nutrient can be found naturally in egg yolks, red meat and oily fish, it's a great idea to supplement with a high quality D vitamin - especially for those of us living in this temperate Northern climate.

Optimize gut health

Intestinal gut bacteria are essential to so many areas of our health, and immunity is no exception. As 70-80% of the immune system resides in the gut, there is a close symbiotic relationship between our immune system and the bacteria that reside there. Ensure your gut can join in the fight to keep you healthy by taking a daily probitoic supplement, or regularly consuming fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, and kefir.

Get enough zzz's

Does this even need to be said? Sleep is essential to overall health. When we sleep, our body is hard at work recovering, repairing, building, storing new information and metabolizing toxic waste. It comes as no surprise that sleep also is crucial to immune health. Ensure you are maintaining consistent sleep/wake patterns and optimizing sleep quality in order to keep your immune system at its peak.

Manage your stress

Stress is a prevalent contributing factor to the majority of ailments. Chronic stress can weaken immune defenses, making us more susceptible to seasonal illness. There are several ways to reduce stress levels and manage stress and in doing so, your immune system will thank you.

Herbal tonics

If you want to give your immune system an added boost, supplementing with certain herbal tonics can help. Formulas containing any variety of herbs including echinacea, astralagus, elderberry, siberian ginseng, holy basil and reishi or chaga mushrooms can provide an added boost to the immune system. Visit your local health food or supplement store, or try making your own fire cider.

In the end, no one can completely avoid seasonal illness. However, by implementing the above tips into your lifestyle and ensuring you are in optimal health, the length and severity of symptoms may be reduced, and you may even avoid certain strains altogether.

Stefanie, RHN

xo