Healthy Ways To Strengthen Your Immune System To Fight Pathogens

Boosting our immune system is such an important topic in these times.   Coach Paul weighs in from Australia

Healthy Ways To Strengthen Your Immune System To Fight Pathogens

The immune system is a hot topic at present. Unknown pathogens create fear so understanding our immune system better can reduce fear. Our immunity is controlled by the most complex system in our body & little is known about how they function. An aspect of their complexity are the vast interconnections e.g. numerous different types of cells & proteins respond to many different inputs. Scientific research to date has no definitive understanding of how our immune system fully functions.

An average human has 37 Trillion cells. They are continually monitored & creating new cells is an ongoing process. Our bodies continuously seek a state of homeostasis which is stability to maintain a constant internal environment regardless of conditions outside our body. Our immune systems perform high-level defence from disease causing microorganisms. Our bodies constantly produce antibodies to fight disease. The antibodies bind onto the viral threat to mark them as enemies & the appropriate white blood cells for the job engulf them & destroy them.

The best option is to support our immune system by establishing a variety of healthy living strategies, actions, foods & micronutrients (vitamins) that we know promote, strengthen & maintain a healthy effective immune system.

Healthy Living Strategies That Promote & Maintain A Strong Immune System

• A key to reduce risk of infection is washing your hands in warm water with soap for 20 sec regularly.
• Good sleep hygiene. Adults require 8 hrs quality sleep.
• Stay with the food brands your body knows. If you want to change do it 1 at a time a week apart.
• Eat balanced mixed nutrition i.e. Quality fruit, vegetables, fish, meat, seafood, dairy & nuts.
• Mild Exercise – 3-5 times week 20 to 30 mins. Walk normal pace is great. Stimulates Immune System.
• Reduce stress. Look to alleviate or reduce the stressors that impact you.
• Maintain a healthy weight or the healthiest that you can. Focus on small steps that are achievable.
• Avoid alcohol or smoking. Work towards this by reducing daily alcohol intake or cigarettes smoked.
• Stay well hydrated. Drink 2 Litres of water per day.
• Go outside & get as much sunlight as you can.
• Vitamin C – This is one of the immune system boosters that’s needed & works.
• Vitamin B6 – This is vital to supporting biochemical reactions in our immune systems.
• Vitamin E – Is a powerful antioxidant that helps our bodies to fight off infection.
• Vitamin D – Essential for healthy system. Stimulates peptide production which fight off viruses, bacteria.
• Vitamin A – Keeps the mucosal linings in our nose & lungs robust to defend against infection.
• Oranges, Watermelon, Apricots, Mangoes, Grapefruit, Lemon, Limes, Papaya, All Berries, Kiwi, Lemons
• Red Capsicum (bell peppers), Broccoli, Spinach, Carrot, Mushrooms, Spinach, Broccoli, Onions
• Poultry, Shellfish, Eggs, Meat, Quality Protein from any source including bars & powders
• Yogurt- live & active cultures, Probiotics, Any Nuts & Seeds, Avocados, Macadamia, Coconut & Clove Oil
• Turmeric, Cinnamon, Ginger, Garlic, Black Pepper, Cayenne Pepper, Oregano, Rosemary, Thyme
• Matcha A True Super Food for every system including Immune. Most Nutrient-Rich Green Tea available.
• Medicinal Mushrooms (shiitake & maitake), Eleuthero, Asian or American Ginseng & Astragalus
• Essential Amino Acids, White or Dark Honey, Liquorice in any form

Our Guest Blogger is Paul Barry from Brisbane Australia where he works as a coach & consultant in High Performance Sport. He can be contacted by email. pbelitecoach@gmail.com