Focus on the Foundations for Immune Health

Our immune system is very cleverly designed to deal with the exposure to pathogens (germs or anything capable of producing disease) that we encounter on a daily basis.  However, we need to supply our immune system the nutrients it needs, so that it can do its job properly. 

A diet full of refined sugar, vegetable oils and processed foods leads to an imbalanced gut microbiome (gut bacteria), inflammation and ultimately results in a weakened immune system.  If we feed our bodies crap, how can we expect our immune system to perform at its best?

Now is the perfect time to get back into the kitchen and cook some nutrient dense meals, while we are all spending more time at home.  A simple guide to creating a nutritious meal is to include a serve of protein, 1-3 vegetables and a healthy fat (avocado, coconut or olive oil, olives, nuts or seeds etc).  Eat the rainbow!  This means eating a whole range of different coloured foods, as different colours mean different nutrients.  Luckily despite the recent panic shopping, we have access to plentiful fresh produce.

Healthy digestion is essential for the absorption of nutrients from the food we eat and for optimal immune function.  Did you know that approximately 70-80% of our immune system is located in the gut?  So, we need to ensure that we are digesting our food properly and maintaining a healthy gut microbiome.

One of the easiest ways to improve digestion is to make sure we are relaxed while we eat.  Take a few deep breaths and really appreciate the food on your plate.  Another way to improve digestion is to chew your food properly.  Ideally, we should chew our food until it is liquid.  How often do we eat something on the fly as we rush to the next “to do” item, or eat in front of the TV or computer, instead of eating in relaxed manner and chewing our food properly?

Eating a wide range of vegetables is necessary to provide sufficient fibre to feed the good guys in our gut microbiome.  Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi and kombucha are also a great way to include some probiotic foods.  Drinking a daily cup of bone broth will also help to support gut health.

Specific nutrients to focus on include:

Vitamin A        Liver, cod liver oil, eggs, spinach, sweet potato, carrots
Vitamin C        Kiwi fruit, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, parsley
Vitamin D        Cod liver oil, fish, oysters, pastured lard
Selenium        Brazil nuts, eggs, kidney, liver, poultry skin, salmon, sardines, trout
Zinc                 Oysters, red meat, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds

Some other simple things we can do to support our immune function include:

1) Drinking adequate amounts of filtered water to help flush toxins out of the body. Determine your personal water requirement (in Litres) by dividing your weight (in Kilos) by 30. Remember to drink extra water for each diuretic beverage (tea, coffee, juice, alcohol) you consume. Minimising alcohol intake is also a good idea, sorry!

2) Regular moderate exercise keeps our lymphatic system flowing and also helps to reduce stress.

3) Other ways to manage stress include:

Using a meditation app;
Doing some slow deep breathing;
Write in a journal;
Gardening;
Acknowledging the good things in your life.  Focus on the positives instead of the negatives;
Painting, drawing, or even colouring in; and
Having a soak in a bath, whatever works for you.

4) Get out into the fresh air and soak up some Vitamin D.

5) Prioritise sleep, as this is when our bodies are programmed to heal detoxify.  Aim to get 8 hours sleep each night. 

Reference: NTA course materials

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