Immune health is a hot topic at this time of year, but maintaining immune system balance is vital for feeling our best all year round. An overactive immune response – which occurs in autoimmune conditions, like coeliac disease or lupus – is where the immune system mistakenly identifies healthy cells as a threat and attacks them, causing issues like chronic inflammation, pain and tissue damage. On the other hand, an under-active response fails to attack the issue at hand, which can make you more susceptible to common illnesses, like colds and the flu.
Here are six ways to support a resilience and balanced immune system for the holidays and beyond.
Eat more fermented foods
The gut contains around 70 to 80 per cent of our immune cells, so supporting the microbiome is crucial. Fermented foods contain probiotic bacteria that feed the microbiome – when we have a diverse microbiome, there is less inflammation and our intestinal barrier is stronger and more resilient, helping to prevent harmful pathogens getting in. Some of my favourite ferments are kefir, kimchi, kombucha, tempeh and miso. A study at Stanford School of Medicine found that patients who consumed a diet rich in fermented foods for a 10-week period experienced boosted microbiome diversity and improved immune responses.
Do daily digital detoxes
Sufficient sleep and relaxation are so important for our immune balance. One key disruptor to both of these is late night exposure to screens. Blue light emitted from screens suppresses melatonin production, making it harder for people to fall asleep, then have a restful slumber when they do. When sleep is disrupted, cortisol levels rise, which can also impair our immune function, so the impact of prolonged screen time should not be underestimated. Whether it’s not being able to switch off from work emails or scrolling through social media endlessly (we’ve all been there), it all stimulates the nervous system and impacts relaxation and sleep quality. Try a daily digital detox, logging off two hours before bed and waiting an hour before logging on in the morning.
Get your vitamin D in
You can’t really mention immune health without bringing up the importance of vitamin D. The sun is a great source of vitamin D, but since most of us aren’t getting enough exposure this time of year, we are at risk of becoming deficient, which in turn can impact our immune response. The easiest way to increase your intake is to supplement, but sunbathing your mushrooms is also a fun route. Offering an array of health benefits, certain types of mushie, such as shiitake and lion’s mane, are great for the immune system. By simply turning your mushrooms upside down, gills facing up, and placing them on a windowsill in direct sunlight, you can significantly increase their vitamin D content.
Explore the power of adaptogens
Adaptogens are a group of plants and herbs that support the body’s response to stress and improve resilience – essentially they help us adapt to stressors in our environment. Our stress hormone, cortisol, can interfere with how efficiently the immune system functions, so consuming adaptogens can be a great help. Holy basil, or tulsi, is one of these herbs; eugenol, the active compound found in tulsi, has been linked to immune support and helps reduce inflammation. Another popular adaptogen is reishi mushroom. They can be taken as herbal supplements or in tea. When steeping the tea, try adding two tea bags and leave for five minutes to extract as many of the desired components as possible.
Healing bone broths
Bone broths are brilliant to help nourish gut health. When the bones are simmered on low heat for a long time, they begin to break down into amino acids, like glycine and glutamine, which have immunomodulatory effects and play an important role in maintaining the integrity of the gut lining. When the gut lining is robust, it creates a barrier to pathogens entering the body. It’s very easy to consume a broth in your day to day – consume a bowl or cup on its own, or use it in ramen, soups, stews, curries, and so on.
