ARE YOU SICK AND TIRED OF BEING SICK AND TIRED?
Every year, over 39 million Americans will get sick from the flu, according to the CDC and more will face common colds and other viral illnesses.
These cases are the kinds of illnesses your body will fight off, so a strong immune system will lead to fewer sick days.
HOW DOES YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM WORK?
Your immune system is what fights off threats caused by bad viruses and bacteria, while protecting the important cells and good bacteria in your body.
The immune system has to determine the difference between your own system and outside invaders.
According to John Hopkins Medicine: “The immune system protects your child’s body from outside invaders, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and toxins (chemicals produced by microbes). It is made up of different organs, cells, and proteins that work together.”
The immune system is composed of innate parts you were born with, as well as adaptive parts that occur with exposure to germs, bacteria and other microbes.
Many colds and flus cannot be treated with antibiotics, so you are dependent on your immune system to ward off many common sicknesses.
A COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEM INCREASES RISK FOR COVID-19
The current pandemic has really brought a major spotlight to the immune system and the importance of being healthy.
You wanted to avoid sick days before, but now, one sick day could lead to days or weeks of self-quarantine. COVID-19 has a two-week isolation period.
Even if you have a more run-of-the-mill virus, getting tested takes time and results could take days.
During that period, you have to self-isolate to ensure you aren’t spreading a virus.
One of the biggest threats to the immune system is suppression that occurs due to poor eating.
This has led to increased risk with viruses, like COVID-19. According to Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, dean of Freidman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University:
“The characteristics of what doctors call the metabolic syndrome—excess fat around the middle, hypertension, high blood sugar, high triglycerides and a poor cholesterol profile—suppress the immune system and increase the risk of infections, pneumonia and cancers. They’re all associated with low-grade, body-wide inflammation and Covid kills by causing an overwhelming inflammatory response that disables the body’s ability to fight off pathogens.”
HOW DO YOU BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM?
A healthy and fully functioning immune system is important for fending off common colds and viruses.
Certain illnesses don’t impact some as severely as others.
Often, those in the best shape and eating well experience less severe symptoms compared to someone who gets the same illness but isn’t as healthy of a routine.
This is because an adult with a healthy routine is less likely to have additional risk factors impeding their immune system, like obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
The average American diet is not supporting a strong immune system. According to the CDC:
• Fewer than 1 in 10 US adults and adolescents eat enough fruits and vegetables.
• US diets are high in added sugars, sodium, and saturated fats. Processed foods and sugary drinks add unneeded sodium, saturated fats, and sugar to many diets, increasing the risk of chronic diseases.
• Current guidelines recommend getting less than 2,300 mg a day, but Americans consume more than 3,400 mg a day on average. Over 70% of the sodium that Americans eat comes from packaged, processed, store-bought, and restaurant foods.
The best way to allow your immune system to function at its very best is to stick with a balanced diet and moderate to high level of activity.
Movement and good nutrition will fuel your body and keep your systems in good working order.
Certain foods can help boost immunity by providing that balanced diet.
HOW DO YOU BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM?
A healthy and fully functioning immune system is important for fending off common colds and viruses.
Certain illnesses don’t impact some as severely as others.
Often, those in the best shape and eating well experience less severe symptoms compared to someone who gets the same illness but isn’t as healthy of a routine.
This is because an adult with a healthy routine is less likely to have additional risk factors impeding their immune system, like obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
The average American diet is not supporting a strong immune system. According to the CDC:
• Fewer than 1 in 10 US adults and adolescents eat enough fruits and vegetables.
• US diets are high in added sugars, sodium, and saturated fats. Processed foods and sugary drinks add unneeded sodium, saturated fats, and sugar to many diets, increasing the risk of chronic diseases.
• Current guidelines recommend getting less than 2,300 mg a day, but Americans consume more than 3,400 mg a day on average. Over 70% of the sodium that Americans eat comes from packaged, processed, store-bought, and restaurant foods.
The best way to allow your immune system to function at its very best is to stick with a balanced diet and moderate to high level of activity.
Movement and good nutrition will fuel your body and keep your systems in good working order.
Certain foods can help boost immunity by providing that balanced diet.
WHAT FOODS BOOST IMMUNITY?
The New York Times recently reported, “The metabolic well-being of many Americans is now further endangered by currently advised limits on shopping trips, an increased reliance on canned and packaged foods high in fat, sugar and salt, and emotional distress that prompts some people to turn to nutritionally questionable ‘comfort foods.’”
This is not a matter of speed-building your immune system, but of creating a lifestyle that supports a balanced approach to nutrition.
Buy Raw Foods: The best foods are as close to whole foods as possible, since processing often removes important nutrients and adds in unhealthy ones. Canned corn, for example, contains 351mg of sodium while canned green beans could be over 500mg. If you were to buy the same vegetables raw vegetables and cook them yourself, they would likely stay under 10mg of sodium. So, you don’t have to eat all your foods raw, but you should try to cook as many from scratch as possible.
Increase Your Veggies: Vegetables are the best sources of nutrients and fiber, while remaining low sources of sodium and sugar. To improve your overall health, increase the number of vegetables you eat with each meal, while decreasing the servings of bread, pasta and starchy foods your body will convert to sugar. Dark, leafy green vegetables are typically some of the most nutrient-rich foods you can eat, so pack in the spinach, kale and broccoli!
Turn to Berries: If you love fruit, eat more berries! Those little bursts of flavor are high in fiber and nutrients, but lower than many fruits in sugar. Berries are a great alternative to desserts or snacks if the craving hits.
Supplement Your Diet: It can be hard to get in all the vitamins and minerals your body needs. A quality meal supplement, like our Detox Organics Daily Superfoods Shakes, can help you get the boost you need fast. We specifically designed these shakes to contain the nutrients your body needs, pulled from 25 key superfoods. In just 30 seconds, you can have a delicious, filling shake that is great for fueling your body and boosting your immune system.
Certain foods are certainly higher in antioxidants, key vitamins and important probiotics that will help your body.
Anti-inflammatory foods can also help your body’s immune response.
If you are looking for a list of foods that you can implement into your diet for high levels of nutrients and immunity boosting properties, then you will want to check these out:
• Elderberry: Often turned into syrup, these berries are loaded in antioxidants and may fight inflammation.
• Acai Berry: Most often mixed into smoothies or granola, these berries are filled with anthocyanins and antioxidants.
• Spinach: There are many nutrients in spinach, including folate, vitamin C and other antioxidants.
• Wheat Germ: Less processed than flour, pasta or bread, the wheat germ is part of the wheat seed and rich in zinc, antioxidants and vitamin B.
• Oysters: Loaded with zinc, oysters can help create white blood cells that are part of a healthy immune response.
• Broccoli: Full of fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C and gluthathione, broccoli is an immune boosting basic that can be eaten raw or cooked.
• Greek Yogurt: Low in fat and sugar, Greek yogurt will provide key probiotics that aid in digestion and vitamin D that supports a healthy immune system.
• Tea: White, green and black tea all contain polyphenols and flavonoids that will help destroy free radicals in your body. Use quality, locally sourced honey if you need a sweetener because it is more nutrient rich and contains antioxidants.
Ready to get started on a healthier lifestyle?
Read more about a healthy diet and order Detox Organics to help support your healthy lifestyle changes with fast nutrition and dietary supplements.
