Support your immunity naturally

In light of the current public health scare, we are all looking for ways to stay healthy and protect ourselves and our loved ones. True health is a long-term investment, it requires constant attention and commitment, but sometimes it takes an extreme situation to motivate us to really take a look at our eating habits and prioritise our health and well-being. We have been gifted this opportunity to really tune in and build self-awareness around how we are taking care of ourselves – let’s use this time wisely to reflect on how we can support our immune function alongside the other systems of the body, to keep us strong and prevent a future health crisis.

There is no magic pill that will sustain our immunity or our wider health. Health is dynamic, something we must constantly nurture and engage in. Each body system is a complex design made up of lots of individual parts, all which work together to protect us from infection and disease. Our entire system relies on nutrient-dense whole foods to function well. Receptivity to infections is often not due to the infection itself but the body’s inability to fight it because of nutrient deficiencies and an acidic environment created from consuming too much sugar and processed foods, so we need to focus on improving the quality of our diet. A wholefood plant-based diet, including a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables, lots of fibre, healthy fats and fermented foods, with the additional support of supplements, can strengthen the body’s immune system right at the core and create an environment conducive for our health to thrive.

It may not always be easy, but when we tune into eating in this way, our relationship with food and our health can become one of the most beautiful relationships of our lives – one that binds us deeply with each other and nature.

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Top nutrition tips for supporting the immune system

  • Alkalise the body: this means increasing the number of whole plant foods in your diet and removing sugar and processed foods as much as possible. Choose a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables, particularly those high in vitamin C (oranges, lemons, broccoli, tomatoes, leafy greens, kiwis, red peppers) and vitamin A (carrots, sweet potato, squashes, leafy greens). Most supermarkets still have an abundant supply of these foods!

  • Add garlic, ginger, onions, chilli, turmeric and other spices to your meals. These all have antimicrobial properties. See below for a recipe for my immune boosting tonic.

  • The majority of our immune cells live in our gut. Alongside a colourful varied diet we can support gut health by eating fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, apple cider vinegar, miso, tempeh, unsweetened yogurt, kefir and kombucha. These are also great in a time of food shortage as they keep well – kimchi is so easy and cheap to make yourself and could be a nice little self-isolation project!

  • Drink plenty of fluids, especially warmer fluids which are more easily accessed by the cells. Herbal teas like ginger and turmeric tea are great. Avoid concentrated fruit juices and sweetened beverages as the sugar content is harmful for the immune system.

  • Cook with coconut oil, which contains lauric acid, known to have antiviral properties.

  • Include plenty of whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds for healthy fatty acids and zinc, which plays a vital role in the immune system.

  • Consider supplementing with additional vitamin C, vitamin D3, zinc and probiotics.

It’s a really great time to reconnect with cooking from scratch and nourish a healthy relationship with food. As we limit eating out in public places, we can much more easily reduce those foods that are harmful for our health. Alongside nutrition - immune function can be improved by spending time in nature, regular mindful movement, prioritising sleep and managing stress levels. Remember to stay connected to loved ones and prioritise self-care during this vulnerable time.

A powerful immune-boosting tonic

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Juice 1 orange
Juice 1/2 lemon
1 inch fresh turmeric root
1 inch fresh ginger root
2 cloves garlic
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Coconut oil (optional)

The combination of high vitamin C and anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties make this tonic an immune boosting powerhouse! I drink this most mornings on an empty stomach, adding a little hot water and coconut oil to help with absorption. It stimulates digestion and promotes detoxification, as well as aiding in stimulating blood circulation and helping to reduce pain and inflammation. Garlic is the ultimate infection-fighter, it literally eats bad bacteria and viruses! But these benefits are destroyed when garlic is heated, so disguising it in this tonic is a great way to consume it raw.

If you have a juicer, you can juice everything together and then add the cayenne and coconut oil. Or alternatively add everything to a blender.

Stay happy and healthy!

With love
Bex

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