Protect yourself against flu with these immune-boosting strategies.
Eat your greens
Especially if they’re organic, fruit and vegetables are loaded with a variety of antioxidants, phytonutrients and enzymes which help to strengthen the immune system. Dr Geraldine Mitton, a member of Shape’s advisory board, says, “The key is to eat a variety of colours.” Yellow fruits and vegetables, such as mangos, pawpaw, carrots and pumpkin, contain carotenoids, which increase the number of infection-fighting cells and helper T-cells. Broccoli is another of nature’s super-foods. It contains a powerful phytochemical which helps the body detoxify
Stock up on vitamin C
Vitamin C is a champion immune boosting antioxidant. It increases resistance to infection and can decrease the incidence, severity and duration of colds and fl u. It occurs in many fruits and vegetables, such as oranges, kiwi fruit and berries. However, clinical nutritionist Sally-Ann Creed says it’s unlikely that you could get enough from your diet and, as the body can’t manufacture vitamin C, she recommends taking a supplement of 2 000mg a day.
Get more boost from your bounce
Jumping on a mini-trampoline, known as rebounding, is a great form of exercise with the additional benefit of stimulating your lymphatic system, a key aspect of your body’s immune defence. The American Institute of Reboundology claims that rhythmic bouncing causes the lymphatic system’s one-way valves to open and close simultaneously, increasing lymph flow as much as 15 times. Any form of exercise (try to get at least 30 minutes a day) helps your body get rid of toxins.
Drink water
Water is involved in almost every bodily process. It not only carries waste material from your body, but is the transport mechanism of nutrients, which are essential to the support of a healthy immune system. Particularly during winter, we tend to drink less water, so make an effort to consume 30ml per kilogram of your body weight daily.
Get 8 hours sleep
Your body undergoes all sorts of healing processes while you sleep, which it cannot perform while awake. In his book Sleep Smart (Rollerbird Press), Dr Christiaan Geldenhuys says: “While we consume energy and fight injuries and infections when we move around during the day, the immune system is maintained at night when we sleep.” And remember, an hour before 12 is worth two after 12, so get to bed early!
Have a cold shower
Kneipp therapy involves the use of alternating warm and cold water. After having a warm shower, turn on the cold water for at least a minute. This will stimulate circulation and boost immune function. Studies with medical students in Germany who took cold showers daily for three months showed that the incidence of colds and fl u was significantly reduced, says Dr Mitton.
Take fluvic acid
This little-known all-rounder is a type of humic acid, formed from the decomposition of plants. Found in water sources, peat and soil, it boosts the immune system by activating the production of defensive T-cells. Dr Philip Sherwin, a naturopath, homeopath and mineral therapist, says it also has the ability to eliminate viruses and bacteria and to replace essential vitamins, minerals, amino acids and enzymes.
Eat alkaline foods
Vegetables, almonds, fruit (in moderation), wheat grass, barley grass and spirulina produce an alkaline environment when digested. Dr Sherwin says our tissue pH should be slightly alkaline (about 7.5pH) and when this drops, the body’s electrical system is compromised and the energy cannot be “communicated” between the cells, resulting in a build-up of toxic wastes and malfunctioning of the immune system. “Acid” foods include alcohol, coffee and tea, red meat, dairy products and refined foods.
Destress
While short-term stress (the fight-or-flight response) enhances immune function, prompting the body to prepare itself for infections resulting from bites or scrapes, sustained stress is a serious immune suppressant. In Herbal Remedies (Tafelberg), Dr Arien van der Merwe says, in addition to being more susceptible to viral infection, you’ll also be more sensitive to environmental toxins and pollution. So find ways to manage your stress: breathe deeply, try a relaxation or visualisation technique or go for a walk.
Eat warm foods
In Chinese medicine, our bodies are regarded as a microcosm of the environment (the macrocosm). Naturopath, Ayurvedic and Chinese Medicine specialist Dr Arthur Setzer says, during winter, our bodies reflect the cold, damp weather with an increase in mucous, which creates a terrain for infections. Eating warm foods and drinking heat-generating teas – such as ginger and cinnamon – help to maintain the body’s immune function.
Soak in an aromatic bath
Due to their antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties, a wide variety of essential oils are reputed to strengthen the immune system. As an alternative to the well-known combination of lavender and tea tree oil, aromatherapist Sharon Petzer recommends that you mix three drops each of ravensara, rosemary and bergamot to 10ml of carrier oil and add it to a warm bath. Relax in the water for 10-15 minutes to allow the oils to do their work. Remember, essential oils should be used with caution if you’re pregnant.
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