5 WAYS TO NATURALLY BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM

Top 5 Ways to Naturally Boost Your Immune System

The flu season is already upon us. In the past, government agencies and pharmaceutical companies will be imploring citizens to come forward for the annual flu shot. But there is a lot of controversy over the efficacy of these vaccines. If the flu vaccine can’t protect us, our best bet is to fortify our body's immune system to fight off any infection when the flu season is in full swing. The irony of it all is that people tend to be extremely careless about their health during the fall/winter months, unnecessarily exposing themselves to opportunistic infections. Unhealthy food choices, poor hygiene, and lack of exercise increase the level of vulnerability to flu during the season. To ensure your body can protect itself against the flu, here are five top ways to boost your immune system.

Eat a Nutritious and Healthy Diet

Your body requires a well-balanced, nutrient-rich diet to stand any chance of fighting off infections such as influenza during the winter months. Like your body needs food for energy and vitality, it also requires essential micronutrients to build immunity. Unfortunately, the standard American diet is deficient in these type of foods. It gets worse with the many festivals and holidays that come with ample opportunities for indulging in sweets, candies, chocolate bars and many other foods that are not good for the body. Vitamins play an essential role in the immune system of the body, and the best sources of vitamins are fruits and vegetables, making it necessary to increase the consumption of these foods during flu season.

Consume More Garlic 

Garlic is rich in three powerful immune boosting compounds known as allicin, ajoene, and thiosulfinates. This super spice has been used for millennia for healing the body and many other medicinal uses. Garlic can be added to a wide range of dishes from vegetables, steaks, seafood, chicken and many others. To derive the full benefits, throw it into the pan without chopping and allow to sit for some time before cooking. Allowing it to sit for a few minutes makes its immune-boosting powers even more potent.

Add Supplements

One of the best ways to keep your immune system healthy is to add some specific supplements during the flu season.  My favorites are zicam, Immuplex by Standard Process, Probiotics, and bone broth.  Zicam is a product that you can find in the pharmacy.  It contains zinc which has a great benefit in blocking the transmission of a virus.  Zinc attaches to your cells at the same place as virus would so it blocks the virus from getting stronger.  Immuplex by Standard Process has zinc in it as well as Vitamin C and other minerals that help the body combat the flu.  Probiotics help to keep your gut healthy.  The gut is said to be the second brain as well as houses a large amount of your immune system.  Your gut cells help produce a lot of your immune cells so a healthy gut means a stronger immune system.  Bone broth made from organic free range chickens or cows is full of many minerals that your body needs while trying to fight off an invader. 

Sleep Well

Adequate sleep is vital for a strong immune system. Research shows that sleep deprivation weakens the immune system, making us more vulnerable to infections during the flu season. Researchers now know that the sleep cycle and immune system are related, and any imbalance in the sleep pattern impacts the immune system negatively. When we sleep, the body produces and releases disease-fighting substances such as hormones and other biochemicals that protect the body from diseases and infections. This process cannot take place if we do not get adequate sleep, jeopardizing the immune system and exposing us to sickness. Your body needs a minimum of seven hours of sound sleep every night for optimal function. 

Spine Checkup

The brain, spine, and their extensive neural network control every inch of our body from the tiniest cell to the most sophisticated organs. The spine is the ultra-high-speed gateway for the transmission of messages to and from every other part of the body. If any of the 24 movable vertebrae that form the spine are misaligned, it places excessive stress on the nerves and disrupts communication between the brain and the body. A stressed nervous system undermines the immune system as the former controls the latter. However, chiropractic can correct any vertebral misalignment. Studies show that chiropractic adjustments can boost immune function by up to 200 percent.

Plus, every time you receive a chiropractic adjustment you immune system gets stimulated through the nervous system.  So if you want to protect yourself and your family from the flu this season start adding some of these 5 tips into your daily practices and don’t forget to come in for your maintenance adjustments. If you want to make an appointment for you or a loved one please call (908) 221-0808 or visit our website at somersethillschiropractic.com .

Yours in health,

Dr. Brian Wallace