Keeping yourself healthy has never been more important. 2020 is definitely the year that we need to protect ourselves as much as possible, so how can you add in extra measures to ensure that you are shoring up your immune system?
Stress, poor diet, lack of sleep and over-exercising can all be additional burdens on our immune systems. Additionally, gut health is incredibly important to our immune function, given that the cells which help us fight bacteria and viruses are located in our gut mucosa. Vitamin D levels too play an enormous role and catching colds and flu maybe be symptomatic of an underlying deficiency.
Some easy steps to good immunity
1) Add, at the very least, 5 portions of seasonal fresh fruit and vegetables a day. Sprouts, broccoli and kale are all surprising sources of good levels of vitamin C. Vitamin C is a strong anti-oxidant, meaning that it protects our cells & supports the immune system.
Did you know that vitamin C is water soluble, meaning that you excrete it in your urine throughout the day. For that reason it needs to be eaten throughout the day - every day – not just when did you feel a cold coming on.
2) Add at least 3 portions of probiotic foods a week. Natural live yoghurt, kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut or kombucha, and if you are dairy free, coconut kefir or live coconut yoghurt are all good sources.
A good balance of beneficial gut flora can support your immune system.
3) Add prebiotic fibre to your diet daily. Prebiotic foods are those which feed the good bacteria, encouraging a good healthy gut. Onions, garlic, bananas, leeks, asparagus, cabbage and lentils all have good levels of prebiotic fibre.
4) Add spices – ginger, garlic and turmeric all have anti-inflammatory properties which can aid your body in its fight against infection.
5) Get your vitamin D levels checked. Chances are that as we leave summer behind your levels of vitamin D levels will plummet. Making sure that your vitamin D level is tip-top will significantly support your immune response. Low levels potentially make you far more susceptible to contracting colds, flu, and other respiratory infections.
Exactly why adults absorb and process vitamin D so differently is still somewhat of a mystery, so the only way to know if your vitamin D level is therapeutic and nontoxic is by having your blood tested. A simple £32.50 test can tell you if you need to supplement and at what level.
Contact Marianne@cotswoldnutrition.com or book in via the clinic www.chhc.co.uk or https://cotswoldnutrition.as.me/freehealthchat for a free chat to find out how to support your immune system better or for more testing information.