How to Boost Your Immune System and Protect Yourself from Covid & Flu Bugs.

Hi friends. Just when we thought we were out of the woods…

“US Extends COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Declaration” — Reuters, October 14, 2022

“The COVID emergency may be over — but when will the pandemic end? …the virus continues to rapidly mutate, with more than 300 Omicron subvariants currently being tracked by the WHO worldwide.”

CBC News · Posted: Oct 15, 2022

The week before those statements were issued, I got COVID-19. The truth is, I wasn’t doing all the things to boost my immune system that I could have, because I had let my guard down. Now, it’s been more than a week with a sore throat that felt like daggers which led to laryngitis, listlessness, sneezing, coughing, foggy brain, and general malaise. You get the idea. Not fun.

I don’t want COVID (or the flu or just your average cold) to happen to you. So here’s a wish-I-would-have-done-this-for-myself blog for you (and a great way to give your immune system a boost at the bottom)…

How to use your microbiome to protect you from Covid

Your microbiome (the lively world of bacteria in your gut) is your best defense against viruses. Your microbiome actually governs your immune system. In order to have the healthiest gut possible, you need to feed it food full of healthy bacteria. You can do that by eating these fermented foods:

• Yogurt and Kefir – See my recipe below for easy to make kefir berry smoothie
• Cultured vegetables such as sauerkraut, kimchi, fermented pickles

The rest of your body matters too. Your body’s pH makes it a place viruses want to hang around or not. What kind of place do viruses like? Acidic bodies. 

How to adjust your body’s pH to protect you from Covid:

How do you know if you are acidic or alkaline? You can take a simple urine test using pH strips to find out your alkalinity.

What causes an acidic pH? High carb diet, stress, lack of sleep, sugar, alcohol, caffeine, animal products, grains, sugar, nuts and seeds. 

Here’s how to correct an acidic pH:

Mix 1 tsp Apple cider vinegar in 12 oz water and drink…this immediately puts your body in an alkaline state and will arrest a virus before it takes hold.

What you eat affects the pH of your body, and therefore your immune system. Here are foods to avoid, due to their acidic nature, if you’re fighting a cold or flu bug: 

• Avoid animal protein
• Avoid bone broth (although great for healing the gut, it is acidic)
• Avoid legumes, except miso soup which is fermented and alkaline
• Avoid grains, including rice, quinoa, and millet
• Avoid nuts and seeds
• Avoid chia and hemp hearts
• Avoid beets, unless fermented

Foods to Support Immune Function

But there are some foods that can be great support for your immune system:

• Sea vegetables (kelp, nori, kombu, arami)
• Dried shiitake mushrooms 
• Raw food – it’s cooling, which helps with inflammation (avoid raw cruciferous veggies like cauliflower or broccoli, though) 
• Yogurt and kefir are not only good for your gut, they are cooling foods to help reduce inflammation
• Green foods like chlorella and spirulina. Both are very alkalizing and a good source of protein. (Chlorella is warming, spirulina is cooling.)
• Green tea (anti-inflammatory)

Key Nutrients to Support Immune Function

Okay, now you’ve got a good idea of what foods to eat or avoid. What else can you do to boost your immune system? There are many supplements (vitamins, herbs, minerals, mushrooms and berries) that have been proven to support the body in various ways. Here is the hit list of supplements that build immunity:

VITAMIN C – A water-soluble vitamin essential for the normal growth and repair of connective tissue, important for a well-functioning immune system, helps fight infection.

• Food Sources: oranges, guavas, bell peppers, kiwi, broccoli, tomatoes, kale and snow peas

VITAMIN D (Vit D3/K2 preferred)- essential for strong, healthy  bones and teeth, promotes calcium absorption and enhances immune function.

• Food sources of Vitamin D: sunlight, fatty fish such as salmon or mackerel, egg yolk, butter, and liver
• Food sources of Vitamin K: green leafy vegetables, kale, spinach, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage
  

ZINC – A key micronutrient that is essential for our immune system; it affects how our cells respond to infections, and can help keep inflammation under control. It also inhibits viral replication.

Food sources of Zinc: oysters, beef, poultry, eggs, nuts, and seeds. 

QUERCETIN – An antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory enzyme modulator that also supports respiration.

• Food sources of Quercitin: onions, apples, berries, grapes, tea, and tomatoes, as well as different seeds and nuts.

ELDERBERRY – A rich source of antioxidants reported to be effective in treating the common cold, flu, constipation, hay fever, and sinus infections. It fights harmful bacteria, reduces illness duration, and improves symptoms.

• Food sources: elderberry powder, tea

SIBERIAN GINSENG – An adaptogenic (stress-relieving) herb, known to resist illness and microbes, and support the liver. 

NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine) – A powerful antioxidant with many potential health benefits. It may help prevent the flu, and with mood disorders, sleep, infections, and inflammation, and may protect the lungs, gut, brain, liver, and kidneys. 

PROBIOTICS – supplementation and food sources (kefir, yogurt, kimchi, cultured vegetables)

It’s important to talk to your doctor before adding any supplement to your health strategies.

Common Sense Health Tips for Winter

And then there are just the common sense, general tips for health that we should all follow, especially in the winter:

• Stay well hydrated. 
• Keep your throat moist. 
• Stay warm. Turn the heat up in your home. Heat , such as infra-red sauna or Biomat, will also help kill the virus.
• Connect with nature every day.
• Move your body every day. Breathe fresh air. 

Now for the tip to boost your immune system (oh do I wish I had done this a few weeks ago!): A detox is a great way to begin boosting immunity to prepare for the flu and cold (and continued COVID) season. I have a 10-day Body Reset Detox program that revitalizes your microbiome, balances your pH, and nourishes your immune system. It’s only $29 and you can start today. Add some supplements to the program, and you’ve got a recipe for a healthy season ahead.

Speaking of recipes, here’s a delicious kefir berry smoothie that will fortify your microbiome and boost your immune system.