Tips to BOOST Your Immune System This Winter!

Tired of the cold weather already?

Give your immune system the boost it needs to fight back this winter with these 5 tips:

1. Drink Green Tea with Lemon- Green tea has antioxidants and acts as an immunomodulator, helping your immune system fight any threats that may come its way!  (Green tea has many other health benefits as well so drink it all year long!)

1. Exercise- Moderate exercise can have a protective effect on the immune system, however strenuous exercise can result in immune dysfunction- if you do not regularly exercise intensely, then start slow! Make a goal to move your body a few days a week (include walking, yoga, stretching, lifting light to moderate weights)

1. Sleep, Sleep, Sleep- This is your body’s time to repair and renew, so ensure you are getting enough sleep. During sleep our immune system builds up its defense mechanisms that it uses during the day. Are you waking up feeling refreshed? Do you have energy throughout the day? If not you probably aren’t sleeping enough!
   1. note* you may not want to drink the green tea before going to bed as it contains caffeine which may make it more difficult to fall asleep!

1. Vitamin C- Vitamin C is an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties and has a major role to play in the immune system. Vitamin C has the ability to increase the strength of the immune system and protect against the effects of chronic inflammation.
   1. note* Dosing for individuals varies based on many other health circumstances

1. Vitamin D-  Vitamin D can come from three sources: foods, sunlight, and supplements. Very few foods (non-fortified), contain the proper form of vitamin D in adequate amounts (fatty fish-salmon, mackerel, sardines). Vitamin D is made in the skin from sun exposure, however this depends on the season, your skin pigmentation, and use of sunscreen and clothing. There are vitamin D receptors ian the immune system, and it acts as an important stimulant to help the body fight infections.
   1. note*- vitamin D is a FAT soluble vitamin which means it gets STORED in the tissue, not flushed out everyday, before taking vitamin D it is important to get your blood levels checked to ensure you are dosing appropriately (too low and you are wasting your money, too high and you are risking toxicity)

Yours in health,

Laura Pipher

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2855614/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3256323/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17826186

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24766384

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3738984/