The Immune System is our body’s natural defense; it protects against viruses, bacteria, cancer and degenerative diseases.  When immunity is poor, frequent colds and flu, low grade fevers, recurring infections, and general fatigue is common.  The best way to stave off illness (and that blasted swine flu!) is to strengthen immunity with better diet and lifestyle choices.

We can optimize immune function by following a few simple guidelines.  First and foremost, it is imperative to eliminate excess sugar.  This is a no-brainer.  Sugar can suppress immune function for up to four hours or longer.  Many of us are unwittingly eating sugar in excess and we don’t even know it!  Some covert sugar sources includes brown sugar, corn syrup, crystalline fructose, dextrose, glucose, granulated cane juice, high fructose corn syrup, fructose, fruit juice, honey, lactose, malt and maltose, maltodextrin, maple syrup,  molasses, rice syrup, sucrose, turbinado sugar and other dubious disguises.  Highly refined and packaged foods contain many of these hidden sugars.  This doesn’t mean you won’t ever be able to eat any sweets again.  Au contraire!  Once you know where and what the sugar substances are you can moderate your intake and keep sugar at a minimum in the diet.

Pesticides and chemicals wreak havoc on the endocrine and immune systems, so it would be wise to eat “green and clean.”  An immune supporting diet includes organic, seasonal and naturally raised vegetable and animal foods; whole grains, beans, vegetables, fruits, animal protein, sea vegetables, nuts and seeds, and fats.  Choosing more whole foods and less highly refined foods (flour products, denatured foods, chemicalized and pre-packaged foods) would be ideal.  Whole foods are rich in the vitamins and minerals the immune system needs to thrive.
Both the immune and endocrine system requires fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, K and B12 to function optimally.  Fats that help us absorb these vital nutrients include grass-fed butter and other saturated animal fats (fish, meat, poultry, and eggs) (1).  Saturated fat is imperative to good health, but we only need small quantities to reap the benefits. 

Foods rich in minerals, especially zinc, enhance immunity.  Zinc promotes wound healing, is needed for prevention of fat oxidation, maintaining vitamin E levels, and aids absorption of vitamin A (2).  Good sources of zinc include eggs, fish, kelp, shellfish, red meat, poultry and pumpkin seeds. 

The quantity of our food is just as important (if not more so) as the quality of our food.  Do NOT overeat – even good quality foods become a burden if the body is overfilled.  Smaller meals, chewed well, are easier to digest and assimilate.  Chewing increases T-cells by releasing hormones from the parotid gland that stimulates the thymus (part of the immune system) into action (3) .  Trust me… chew your food or the bacteria and viruses in your body will begin chewing on you! 

Exercise, an often overlooked component of immune health, improves circulation and keeps the lymphatic system flowing smoothly.  Sweating promotes the discharge of toxins and waste from the body.  Do NOT stop the sweating process with anti-perspirants.  This is a dangerous and unhealthy daily ritual that many of us do.  Anti-perspriants congest the body’s natural elimination system contributing to a host of illnesses and burdening the immune system.  Think about it this way… would you intentionally stop the urination and defecation process?  Absolutely not!  Sweating is not only our body’s cooling system, it’s another way our body discharges waste.  I am not advising you to stop wearing a refreshing, pleasant smelling deodorant.  If you do… well… you may have a cleaner running system, but friends and family may not want to go out and play with you, Stinky. 

An interesting fact that is gaining more attention; numerous studies indicate low levels of vitamin D contribute to higher rates of flu (4).  The best source of this vitamin comes from the sun.  A simple daily walk (year round) can increase vitamin D levels and decrease risk for flu and colds.

Stress reduction is essential to improving immunity.  Take some time out of your busy schedule to relax with yoga, meditation, reading, and/or get a massage (my personal favorite).  And, if you are tired and overworked snuggle up under the covers and rest for goshsakes!  Sleep rejuvenates the body as a whole. 

Don’t wait until your immune system breaks down before incorporating some of these easy ideas.  You can create a stronger immune system and a lifetime of wellness beginning right now with some of these delicious immune enhancing recipes:

Herbed Chicken Stock
Shitake and Maitake Infused Rice
Ginger Chicken with Aromatic Vegetables
Roasted Autumn Beets
Creamy Squash Pudding with Maple Crusted Pumpkin Seeds

Sources

1) http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/09/22/7-Reasons-to-Eat-More-Saturated-Fat.aspx

2) Prescription For Nutritional Healing, Phyllis A. Balch, CNC, Avery Publishing, 2006

3) Natural Immunity – Insights on Diet and Aids, Noboru B. Muramoto, George Ohsawa Macrobiotic Foundation, 1988, pp.141-152

4) http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/51913.php