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Boost Ur Immune System Thread_
Eat as many antioxidant and flavonoid-rich foods as possible, such as: cranberries, cherries, blueberries, citrus, leafy greens (kale, spinach, chard), red cabbage, beets, yams, carrots. The richer the color, the more potent the fruit or vegetable.
Eat as many antioxidant and flavonoid-rich foods as possible, such as: cranberries, cherries, blueberries, citrus, leafy greens (kale, spinach, chard), red cabbage, beets, yams, carrots. The richer the color, the more potent the fruit or vegetable.
Reduce systemic inflammation. This is a process of both addition and subtraction.
Inflammatory foods include: peanut butter, nightshades (tomatoes, eggplant, peppers), soy, and wheat for many people.
Anti-inflammatory foods include ginger, tumeric, and black pepper.
Inflammatory foods include: peanut butter, nightshades (tomatoes, eggplant, peppers), soy, and wheat for many people.
Anti-inflammatory foods include ginger, tumeric, and black pepper.
Coffee and black tea are both inflammatory. Green tea, thanks to its high antioxidant content, is anti-inflammatory.
The anti-inflammatory effects of tumeric and black pepper are much more potent when the two are consumed at the same time.
Tumeric tea/golden milk is a fun, delicious way to have both at once. I make mine with water and a dash of honey. https://www.elizabethrider.com/how-to-make-golden-milk-recipe/
Tumeric tea/golden milk is a fun, delicious way to have both at once. I make mine with water and a dash of honey. https://www.elizabethrider.com/how-to-make-golden-milk-recipe/
Specific supplements which have been shown to increase immune function and reduce systemic inflammation include: tart cherry extract, astralagus, and cordyceps*.
The first is a powerful antioxidant, the second and third support appropriate immune system responses.
*not vegan
The first is a powerful antioxidant, the second and third support appropriate immune system responses.
*not vegan
Reduce anxiety and activate your parasympathetic (rest, digest, repair) nervous system by stimulating your vagus nerve.
Talking, singing, humming, chanting, laughing, gargling, deep and slow breathing, meditation, exercise, cold exposure (water, air), massage.
Talking, singing, humming, chanting, laughing, gargling, deep and slow breathing, meditation, exercise, cold exposure (water, air), massage.
Probiotics. Most of the immune system resides in the gut in the form of beneficial bacteria. Adding a high-quality probiotic supplement gives a boost, with the added benefit of further stimulating the vagus nerve. The more strains, the better. Refrigerated ones are best.
Even better are fermented foods with natural probiotics. Look for unpasteurized, or with "live and active cultures."
Yogurt, kefir, cultured butter and cottage cheese, kimchi, sauerkraut, apple cider vinegar "with the mother," tofu, tempeh, miso, kombucha, fermented veggies.
Yogurt, kefir, cultured butter and cottage cheese, kimchi, sauerkraut, apple cider vinegar "with the mother," tofu, tempeh, miso, kombucha, fermented veggies.
Reduce stress as much as possible. Stress causes systemic inflammation, drains energy, and decreases resiliency to additional stresses from injuries and infections.
Take a multivitamin. Micronutrient deficiencies reduce our ability to heal and ward off infections.
Especially: vit D, vit C, zinc, magnesium, and selenium.
Note: vit D is absorbed much more readily when taken with calcium; calcium is not absorbed well when taken with iron.
Especially: vit D, vit C, zinc, magnesium, and selenium.
Note: vit D is absorbed much more readily when taken with calcium; calcium is not absorbed well when taken with iron.
When I feel I may be getting sick (sniffles, throat feeling funny, or generally feeling "run down"), I make a tonic of:
1/2 cup water or juice
970mg liquid red ginseng extract
1,000mg liquid echinacea and goldenseal extract
.5 tsp marshmallow root powder
.5 tsp rosehip powder
1/2 cup water or juice
970mg liquid red ginseng extract
1,000mg liquid echinacea and goldenseal extract
.5 tsp marshmallow root powder
.5 tsp rosehip powder
Ginseng, echinacea, and goldenseal all help boost immune function.
Marshmallow root increases mucous production, so if we do have an unfriendly bacterial/viral infection, the little invaders are more like to get stuck in defensive goo.
Marshmallow root increases mucous production, so if we do have an unfriendly bacterial/viral infection, the little invaders are more like to get stuck in defensive goo.
Rosehips are high in vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant which helps protect our cells from oxidative damage (basically, rusting: we rust because we're made of metals and water, and oxygen + water + metals = rust).
Protecting our cells frees up energy to fight infections.
Protecting our cells frees up energy to fight infections.
