You can’t turn on the tv or your computer these days without hearing about the pandemic and climbing rates of infection. Pair that with the cold and flu season, and we have a recipe for a lot of sick people. But, maybe it doesn’t have to be that way. It turns out, your body is well designed to fight infection and keep you healthy. While vaccinations, good hygiene and social distancing are effective, there is a lot we can do to rev up our internal defenses.
Immune Health 101
The human immune system is the body’s defense system against bacteria, viruses and other pathogens. We have three types of immunity:
Innate: non-specific, your first line of defense
Adaptive: specific, you “earn” this over time with exposure and vaccines
Passive: temporary, ex. mom to baby
You enjoy some passive immunity in the womb and shortly after birth. Beyond that, the body is equipped with innate immunity - your natural defense system of white blood cells to identify and eradicate harmful pathogens. Finally, adaptive immunity is what we earn over time through exposure and regular vaccines.
Immunity and the Gut
Our digestive tract, the bacteria within it and the nervous and lymphatic tissue in and around it are collectively known as the human gut. It houses around 70% of the body’s immune system. Because of this, a well functioning gut is required for good health, especially immunity.
A diet that supports gut health while providing essential nutrients the immune system relies on is one way we can support our body’s natural immunity.
Eating for Immunity
Before we get into diet and immunity, let’s remember not to fall prey to shiny object syndrome. No one singular food will create an optimal immune response. A pattern of healthy living will provide the ultimate defense and support for the body’s immune system. I love my plant analogies and immune health is no different. When nurturing a healthy immune system you are tending the soil, not watering one leaf.
With that being said, I want to focus on 5 key nutrients to include and one thing you definitely want to avoid.
Back Away from the Pumpkin Spice Latte
Let’s get the bad out of the way first - sugar. Sugar puts the immune system to sleep quite literally. Both human and animal studies show that sugar weakens innate immunity (*,*,*,*) so your body isn’t able to fight off infection as well.
Most people get their added sugar from beverages so that is a perfect place to start. Consider what you are drinking during the day and make a shift to unsweetened beverages:
Coffee & coffee cream
Flavored water
Juice
Soda
Energy drinks
Tea
Pile your Plate with Fiber and Protein
Fiber is a form of carbohydrate found in vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds. It fuels good bacteria and promotes regularity. Fiber is the foundation of a gut-healthy diet. Most adults should aim for a minimum of 25g each day. For reference, an apple contains 5g of fiber and a bowl of oatmeal around 4g. It’s not hard to reach this target if you’re eating whole, minimally processed foods.
Protein is also essential for gut health because the digestive tract is lined with smooth, involuntary muscle. Smooth muscle contracts without you having to think about it, this is how food is digested and waste products (including bad bacteria) are ushered out of the body. Protein ensures this muscle is well maintained. Good sources include beans, poultry, eggs, bone broth, tofu and quinoa.
An Oyster a Day Keeps the Doctor Away
Ok well not really but now that I got your attention, there are a few vitamins and minerals that play an essential role in immunity and zinc is one of them. Any ideas what you might eat for 673% of your daily value for zinc? Oysters, 3 oz to be exact. But, if you don’t like oysters you might try cashews, pumpkin seeds, chickpeas or beef.
Zinc is required for the healthy development of cells that mediate immunity as well as how they behave (killing damaged cells). It also preserves natural tissue barriers like the mucous membranes of the lungs and digestive tract.
Vitamin C is another micronutrient superstar that supports immunity. Vitamin c encourages the production of white blood cells and functions as an antioxidant, protecting cells from damage. Lucky for us, vitamin C is pretty widely available in fruits and vegetables. Good food sources include:
Citrus fruits
Pineapple
Spinach
Parsley
Strawberries
Red Peppers
Finally, the last nutrient of focus is vitamin D. Also known as the sunshine vitamin, vitamin D reduces infections, inflammation and damaged cell growth and replication. Unfortunately, most people are deficient because it is not found in many foods, mainly milk, eggs and fatty fish. As a result, we are designed to make vitamin D with exposure to sunlight. But, with real concerns for skin cancer and less time spent outdoors, sun exposure isn’t usually adequate to produce what we need for optimal serum levels.
A supplement is reasonable for most adults, around 1000 – 2000 IU each day. For a more individualized dosage, ask your doctor for a serum vitamin d3 test to see how you measure up.
Don’t Ignore Sleep and Stress Management
We’ve all been there, run-down, busy, stressed and then you get sick on top of everything you have going on! It isn’t a coincidence, it’s science! Food is important but sleep and stress can’t be ignored either. Inadequate sleep and elevated stress hormones reduce the immune response and make it more likely you’ll get sick.
Research shows that spending time screen-free during the day can help both stress levels and sleep. Just 20 minutes out in nature lowers stress hormones (*).
So remember the garden analogy, you aren’t tending to one leaf, you are nurturing the soil. This requires a good diet paired with other healthy lifestyle habits like adequate rest and relaxation. Put it together with the other common-sense strategies like masks, social distancing and hand hygiene and you’ve got a winning strategy to optimize your immune system and minimize the likelihood you’ll get sick.
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