Help Nourish Your Immune System

Immune systems are a funny thing hey? You will be feeling good, super healthy and vibrant and then out of no where …. BAM your sick… Sound familiar? It definitely happened like that to me.

A bit of a backstory here.. prior to moving from Vancouver to Alberta, I would rarely get sick. I can’t say its specifically from eating one type of food or taking one type of supplement but most likely from doing various things with my lifestyle. Prior to moving, I was drinking matcha daily, maintaining a diet of local, organic fresh foods, local chicken, fresh salmon as well as other foods high in omega 3’s, and fresh juices daily. I also had a much better sleep cycle. I think I got sick maybe twice over the span of 5 years? I thought I was in the clear or ever having a cold or flu (I know, ridiculous right!) Well… once I moved, it was a whole different story. I moved to a small city (temporarily) and everything changed. My diet changed due to certain foods not being the freshest or available as well as some not-so-good-for-your-immune-system foods were re-introduced because of where I was working at the time (foods which will remain anonymous ha-ha), weather changes ( more dry and cold up here!) and a different sleep cycle (I was working late into the night). I literally was sick on and off for 3-4 months straight. It was horrible. During those months, this is what happened:

• I got a wicked cough that wouldn’t go away. Actually though…. I sometimes felt like that disgusting person that no one wanted to be around or that person who coughs (covered, obviously) and everyone else quickly covers their whole face. I was THAT person.
• My hair became this weird texture… similar to hay, it was just  great..
• My skin became quite dry, again- loved it.
• I was constantly stuffed up.
• Fatigue is something I had become quite familiar with.

I needed to help my immune system and FAST. So, basically since I couldn’t change my work schedule and sleep cycle… I had to think of how to nourish my body and support it as much as I could. In doing so, my immune system was become much stronger and I haven’t been sick since I have made these changes. Note * taking these steps helped me  p e r s o n a l l y  but may not work for some other people * Here’s what I did:

Loaded up on Vitamin C.. through diet. I started focusing on eating vitamin C rich foods everyday. Some of my favorite vitamin C packed foods include: red bell peppers, papaya, kiwi, oranges and cantaloupe. It is unbelievable easy to get daily vitamin C through diet. My favorite thing is to make green smoothies or fruit bowls to ensure I get enough.

Eating healthy.  Although this one seems obvious, a lot of people don’t follow a great diet when they feel run down. I like to eat warming homemade soups and chilis, big & healthy veggie stir-fry’s and smoothies, large salads and “buddha bowls” as I like to call them. They usually include variations such as:

1. Brown rice, onions, tomatoes, carrots, black beans, cajun spices, cilantro, avocado, and a maple lime yogurt dressing. Chicken or tofu on top.

2. Brown rice, carrots, edamame, cucumbers, sliced cooked eggplant & broccoli, green onions, sesame seeds, homemade teriyaki sauce (made with braggs amino sauce)

3. Quinoa, massaged kale, chicken, sliced almonds, avocado, shredded beets, homemade sweet chili baked chickpeas, celery, edamame, red peppers, red onions, green peppers, cilantro- lime vinaigrette.

I also try to avoid all sugar (besides fruit- I like to have a few pieces of fruit throughout the day) because sugar can poorly feed your immune system and can make you more sick. Sugar also depletes your immune system. Try and fill up on fresh fruits and veggies, organic whole grains, organic meats (if you are able too) and if you are wanting to eat dairy, try eating it organic as well. I try to stay away from dairy as I find it helps my migraines and eczema stay away if I don’t eat it. If I am wanting some though, I do have organic goat cheese from time to time. This was a hard one for me as I absolutely LOVE cheese- all kinds. If I eat too much though, I get wicked migraines. Think blurred vision, nausea, and dizziness. It’s awful. So I stay away from it when I can. I’m finding that I am more likely now than ever to spend good $$ on high quality protein sources (esp animal sources). Shop around and look at all of your options, you can usually find better prices if you look harder and compare. Also, try visiting local farms- they tend to have really good prices since you are buying directly from them instead of a big chain grocery store.

Loaded up on antioxidants. Look for sources that will give you the most bang for your buck. Think organic homemade juices, organic smoothies, matcha shots (or full matcha drinks) and regular organic green tea. (Try to buy loose leaf rather than pre-packaged tea bags- the flavor is often stronger!). You can also add superfoods that pack a punch to your smoothies (and some juices) such as: spirulina powder, chlorella powder, bee pollen, a multi-greens powder, E3 live algae (frozen!) and berries like acai, gooseberries, mulberries and goji berries. Bone broth is also incredibly nourishing for you when your sick.

Medicinal Mushrooms. I love loading up on a blend by the brand Purica and it’s called Immune 7. You can also make fresh chaga tea in your slow-cooker and sip on it throughout the day. These types of mushrooms are so nourishing for your immune system.

Body brushing. Doing this daily stimulates your lymphatic system and can help support your immune system. BONUS: it also helps release toxins from the skin, reducing the stress on your liver, kidneys and colon- always good.

Exercise. Doing just a little bit daily can help your immune system. While I wouldn’t recommend exercising when your really sick because, lets be honest- your achy and your nose is runny, it’s uncomfortable for everyone. But, if you are able too, going for a nice brisk walk or doing a 30-45 minute session at the gym which can include light weights, pilates, yoga or strength training can be beneficial.

Infrared Sauna sessions. Seriously, these are the best- I love em. I would recommend going to a 45 minute session 1-2 times per week to start if you can. They are amazing for helping you sweat out toxins and they can greatly boost the immune system too. They can also be extremely relaxing and help you calm down your nerves (this is what I noticed!)

Lemon h2o in the AM. I actually used to dislike the way lemon water tasted up until a few months ago. Being a nutritionist, I am very aware of the benefits of doing this daily but for some reason, I couldn’t quite commit to it. After being sick on and off for a few months, I decided to try drinking warm lemon water in the morning as well as lemon water throughout the day. It has worked wonders for me! I will do a blog post on lemon water soon!

SLEEP. Lots of sleep. I cannot stress this one enough. Sleep is absolutely  c r u c i a l  for your health and immune system. When I started to sleep less and at weird times of the night, that is exactly when I became sick. Lack of sleep really messes with your immune system and weakens it greatly. Try to fall asleep around 9:30-10 pm so you can get those key hours between 10 pm- 2 pm (this is most peoples bodies recovering/ restoring hours). If you can’t sleep around those hours (to all my nurse and server friends- this ones for you)- you will need to support your body even more so through diet. SO, what I am doing is building my immune system with my points above even more than the regular person would, eating a very clean diet of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and good quality meats, napping when I get a chance too and not straining my body with daily drinking, late nights or fast food. If you can’t change your sleep schedule, you will just need to listen to your body and continuously support it through what you’re eating and through lifestyle.

I hope these are helpful tips for anyone looking to help nourish their immune systems. They sure helped me!

xo Marcy