Weâre getting right into it today, because itâs the holidays coming up, weâre busy, weâve got family coming, weâve got yearend duties and each one of us is that person that says - I can NOT get sick right now. And really, when do we ever say, you know what, I got some time, I can get sick right now. Anyways, truth be told - we donât wan to and CAN not get sick right now. So we are going through some TIP essentials to support your immune system for the holidays ahead. As always, feelgoodery is recorded in front of a live studio dog, Iâm Kyle Buchanan, I am so happy you are here. First sparkle coming up. Here. We. Go.
Hey friend, I hope the day is being good to you, and I hope youâre not currently sick in bed listening to this - but if you are, I hope youâre taking good care of yourself. And if you are NOT sick right now, and donât WANT to get sick, weâre going through some of my sort of go-tos when it comes to healthy immunity. Now of course, there is SO much we could talk about, but itâs a busy season for a lot of us and we donât have the time to sit through a 3 hour podcast. So letâs get into it, here are 5 of my top tips to support immunity for the holidays ahead.
Tip Number 1: Support the Gut
I canât stress how important this is. Itâs easy to discount our digestive system when thinking about immunity, but it really is the number one place to start. Your gut plays a pivotal role in fostering a robust immune system, with about 70% of it residing in the gut in something called gut associated lymphoid tissue, or âGALTâ. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18721321/)
The digestive system isn't just about breaking down food; it's a bustling hub where trillions of microorganisms, collectively known as the gut microbiota, thrive. Itâs these little microbes that have a huge impact on our immune function in so many ways; whether helping train our immune system (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4056765/), influencing the production of antibodies or helping to regulate inflammation. I canât stress how vital a healthy gut is for a healthy immune system, and itâs why digestive healing is a key pillar in my clinical practice.
How do we support our gut on a daily basis? Itâs a two factor approach - we want to limit the things that damage the gut (like stress, processed sugar, alcohol and excessive caffeine) and add in the things that promote optimal gut health and bacterial diversity . These foods include bone or veggie broth, mushrooms, omega 3, soluble fibres like chia and flax and fermented foods like sauerkraut, miso and kimchi.
Now during the holidays, itâs going to be harder to limit those things that damage the gut - so in which case, just maybe make a conscious effort to add in MORE things that help support the gut.
ONE thing you can do, if youâre looking for just one. Starting now, through the holidays, if you do okay with fermented foods, aim for about ÂŒ cup of fermented foods every day this winter and see if you notice digestive improvement!!
Tip 2: Keep on Top of Your Vitamin D
I know . . . Kyle talking about Vitamin D again!!??! But hereâs the thing - I couldn't in good conscience talk about immunity without including this pivotal immune-enhancing vitamin. A lot of us are STILL deficient in this, and as a deficiency can make you more susceptible to infections (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3166406) - itâs important that we keep bringing this up.
Tip Number 3: Include that Zinc!
Zinc is one of the unsung heroes of our immune system, pulling the strings behind the scenes to keep us safe from infection. Itâs this magical modulator that tinkers with almost every aspect of our immunity, and also helps to provide balance to our immune system. (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130207131344.htm).
So try to include zinc rich foods this winter - pumpkin seeds, poultry and oysters are some of my favourite sources. Supplementation can be beneficial sometimes, zinc citrate or zinc picolinate are my go-to forms of zinc. BUT, I am not a fan of long term zinc supplementation without the supervision of a health care practitioner, zinc on itâs own long term can displace copper in they body.
Tip Number 4: Embrace bad breath and love garlic.
Garlic is one of my favourite immune foods, and I know it gives you stank breath, which is why I just recommend the whole family get on board. Garlic is an age old remedy for a reason. And when it comes to immune health, garlic has been shown to both help prevent colds and flus, especially the risk of upper respiratory infections, as well as helping to reduce the severity of symptoms should you happen to get something. So in addition to Πcup goal of fermented foods per day, try to up the garlic intake on a daily basis this holiday season.
Now with garlic, I canât remember if Iâve mentioned this before. But you can super charge the health benefits of your garlic. So whole garlic contains a compound called alliin (Al-ee-in). When you crush or chew garlic, this compound gets turned into allicin (through the enzyme alliinase), which is responsible for a lot of itâs immune boosting properties.
SO - To get the most out of your garlic for immunity, chop up the garlic and then let the garlic sit out for ten minutes before you eat or cook it. This helps prevents the loss of those beneficial medicinal properties if you cook it.
The other food I consider my top, would be mushrooms of all forms. Mushrooms are wonderful for you, and help modulate your immune system, or bring balance to it. If itâs running a little low they can help give it a boost, or itâs a little high strung, it can help dial it down. Shiitakes are one of my favourites - a study showed increased immunity in people who ate a cooked shitake mushroom every day for four weeks. So including mushrooms (and a variety of them, doesnât always have to be shitake) is a great way to really boost your immunity.
Tip Number 5: Rest, Rest, Rest
Just like the Vitamin D, I couldnât look myself in the mirror if I didnât include rest in this article. Rest is essential to support overall immunity. In fact, poor sleep can make you more susceptible to catching something youâre exposed to (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2629403/). So as an immune-supportive, preventative measure, make sleep a priority.
Beyond that though - if you do happen to get sick, please please please - stop and sleep. We are all so incredibly hard on ourselves, and push ourselves too hard trying to help everyone else. But in order for your body to heal, and heal efficiently, rest is key.
Sleep is like the ultimate repair shop for your immune system. While you snooze, your body cranks up the production of infection-fighting antibodies and immune cells, gearing up to kick those germs to the curb. It's also the time when your body releases proteins that help with inflammation and stress. So - I know this wonât come as a shock - please make sleep a priority if you happen to catch something.
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That sound means its time for todays feelgood thing, little weird things that make us feel good. And to be on topic today. Todayâs felelgood thing is when you THINK youâre getting sick, so you go to bed a little early and then the next day, youâre NOT SICK. So you could NOT get sick right then, and you DIDNT get sick righ then. Your immune system guardian angels were on your side. Youre not stuffy, your not achey, one magic sleep and youâre ready to take on that holiday shopping list like a boss. GO YOU.
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Okay and with that my friend, weâll close this up because weâve got malls to shop, fermented foods to eat and we have to start responding to emails saying things like âyou know what, lets circle back to tihs in the new year, lets circle backâŠâ
I do want to note that itâs normal to get sick every now and then. Itâs part of being human and itâs not necessarily a sign that your immune system isnât doing its job, because it is!! Even when you're sick, your immune system is working to get you better. And there were probably countless times when you didnât get sick because your immune system was silently doing its job too. Itâs very easy to take it for granted . . .
So with that, this holiday season, maybe show your immune system some extra love each day. Support your gut with nourishing foods, keep on top of your Vitamin D - And when your immune system needs a helping hand, donât make it work any harder. Because, honestly, she tired. And Iâm sure would be grateful if you took some time to slow the hell down.
Have a wonderful day ahead, and I will see you next time on feelgoodery.
And now for the legal stuff. The information provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please always consult with your health care provider.