Healthy Immunity

Written by: Dr Gayle Maguire, BSc, ND

This time of year has many people feeling the effects of various colds and wondering what more they could be doing.  Here are some key things I discuss with my patients:

1.      Do you know what things decrease your immune system?

Caffeine might feel needed for the overtired parent who is fighting a cold while staying up half the night with sick kiddos, but studies are not consistent in their consensus with respect to caffeine and immunity[i].  Look for less caffeinated options, or talk to your healthcare provider about vitamins and herbal remedies that can build your stamina or energy levels.  Be cautious in overusing natural remedies, as as they are not without side effects or interactions, and may not be right for you.  Refined sugars[ii] are believed to significantly reduce your white blood cell counts for many hours after consumption.  Keep your dietary sugars low, and reach for the rainbow when eating – a variety of colours on your plate (think vegetables) often covers many different vitamins and minerals to support overall health.

2.      Do you understand what your immune system needs to work best?

Vitamin C and Echinacea have been popular natural supports for the immune system for a long time.  My lesser-known favourite, zinc, has finally come to the spotlight more since the pandemic, however this can be overused and compete for other metals in our bodies, so breaks are recommended.

One key area I still find myself educating patients on is the need for adequate protein in our diets.  Protein is needed in order to build our immune cells, so ensure your diet contains enough.  I find many North American breakfast, and even lunch, options can be low in protein.  It can be great inspiration to look at traditional breakfasts in other countries, or to find creative ways to sneak nuts and seeds into meals and snacks.  A personal favourite is pumpkin seeds, which happen to contain a good amount of zinc, in addition to the protein, and fiber for your gut.

Research[iii] is building in the area of probiotics, or gut bacteria/microflora, and their role in immunity.  Some estimates suggest that up to 70% of our immune system is connected to our gut bacteria.  I find I work a lot with this area in my very little patients, as well as my senior patients.  Often, those concerned of weak immunity also have digestive symptoms like constipation or heartburn, and once we improve these areas, they find they don’t succumb to every illness as they once did.

3.      Do you give your body the best chance of fighting

Our bodies are designed to protect us, and I believe we can better their odds by a few key lifestyle adjustments, especially when we find ourselves run-down and frequently ill.  Ensure adequate sleep, movement, and stress management.  This may look different for different people, such as walking, acupuncture, hydrotherapy, or meditation.  There is a growing body of evidence that traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture can help anxiety and depression, and many of my patients experience that.

Essential oils can be a pleasant addition to your wellness plan, but worth noting that I never recommend consuming them by mouth, and diffusion into the air can be very irritating to lung.  This is especially more likely in small children[iv], so care should be taken for occasional use.  Instead of a strong oil, I generally reach for the herb, such as thyme for my cooking, for its ability to loosen mucous.

I always recommend regular check-ups and bloodwork with your family doctor or naturopathic doctor to ensure we have the full picture.  Every individual body ultimately seems to have things that help or hinder its immune system.  In that way, it’s no surprise to see what works well for you, may not work well for your loved one, a child, a pregnant woman, or a chemotherapy patient, so let's work together to figure out what your body needs!

If you are looking for support for you immune system book in with Dr. Gayle Maguire, B.Sc, ND at AST Willow Park.

*For this blog is for educational purposes only, please consult your healthcare provider for information and assessment that is best for you.

[i] Acikalin B, Sanlier N.  Coffee and its effects on the immune system.  Trends in Food Science & Technology 114, 625-632, 2021.
[ii] Fang H, Anhe FF, Schertzer JD.  Dietary sugar lowers immunity and microbiota that protect against metabolic disease.  Cell Metab. 2022.
[iii] Galdeano CM, Cazorla SI, Dumit JML, Velez E, Perdigon G.  Beneficial effects of probiotic consumption on the immune system.  Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism 74 (2), 115-124, 2019.
[iv] Aromatherapy for Children: What’s Safe and What’s Not.  Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, www.chop.edu, March 7,2022

Healthy Immunity

Supporting Your Immune System - The Connection Between Your Brain and Gut

By: Dr. Fiona Lovely, DC

Recently, a panel of AST experts joined forces to discuss the important topic of immunity. I had the pleasure of sharing the connections between the brain and the gut and below are just a few of my takeaways.

The human immune system is made up (in part) by the 4.4lbs of organisms (100 trillion of them!) which make up the human microflora, or microbiome and cells of the lining of the gut. The health and stability of the microbiome is what you are establishing and feeding when you take your daily probiotic. Think of it like a garden to be cultivated. They are bacteria, parasites, fungi, virus living within us and helping to regulate the system. They even contribute to our DNA, our genetic makeup and our ability to adapt to any environment. Poor diet, stress, chronic disease and antibiotic therapy will diminish or eliminate the bugs of our gut. You must re-seed the garden after antibiotics and it must be inoculated with a high quality probiotic supplement ongoing. I am often asked why it is important to eat organic - remember this, the pesticides, fungicides, etc that are sprayed on our produce are not fruit and vegetable selective! They will kill off your microbiome too.

The health of these systems, the microbiome, your organ reserves and health and your voluntary inputs (nutrition, stress management, exercise, etc.) make up the terrain that dictates how healthy you are. Terrain is the term used to describe the inner environment of a human being.  The health of the terrain explains why some get sick and some do not.

What can you do to help the health of your gut?

Let’s look at stress. When you are experiencing stress, your defences diminish because the brain is sending resources to the stress response system. We are living through one of the most intensely stressful times in our history, so if you are feeling stress, you aren’t alone. Stress is our current way of life, it isn’t going away anytime soon, you cannot control it. But what you can control is your response to something stressful. Are there calming thoughts you can have when something stressful comes up? Can you pause to meditate or incorporate meditation into your daily routine?

Take a closer look at all of the different things that you are consuming daily. News? Negative people? Toxic relationships or stinking thinking? Are you a complainer? Do you engage in drama? All of these things encourage you to have both negative thinking and a survival response. When you are surviving, your blood flow shunts from the extremities to the core organs resulting in your immune system taking a back seat to critical functions.

Here are three things you can start doing today to help with gut health and thus, immunity too:

Healthy mind = healthy brain = healthy gut = healthy immunity = health.

*This blog is not intended to officially establish a physician-patient relationship, to replace the services of a trained physician, naturopathic doctor, physical therapist or chiropractor or otherwise to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  

Tips for Supporting Your Immune System

[vc_row][vc_column width="1/1"][vc_column_text]By Kira Greasley, CHNC

In the world of health, an understanding of the association between your gut health and the immune system is being widely studied. The health of the body depends on the health of the Gastrointestinal Tract, which is a long tube made up of layers of muscle lined by cells and glands embedded in a mucous lining that begins in the mouth and ends in the anus. Basically, everything we consume passes through our body by ingestion and moves along the GI Tract or ‘gut’ through digestion and absorption. Within the gut are many different strands of bacteria, some are good, and some are bad. According to A. Venketeshwer Rao, MSc, PhD, “It’s the predominance of the beneficial bacteria referred to as the probiotic bacteria, such as bifidobacteria and lactic acid bacteria, that ensure good health and prevent diseases of the gut and other organs in the body.” The importance of good gut health is being linked to more and more health issues so it's an important topic to focus your attention on, and one that you have the to power take control of.

The Inside Facts

Things You Can Do To Support that “Gut Feeling”

  1. Kick out those refined sugars and processed foods, they have no nutritional value for all those gut bugs, and sugar suppresses your immune function and helps to feed inflammation.
  2. Eat plenty of organic greens, organic fruits and organic vegetables. The more colourful the food on your plate is, the more vitamins and minerals you are providing to your body.
  3. Get good quality protein! Protein is necessary to build and maintain all components of your immune system. Omega 3 fatty acids found in wild-caught cold water fish are important modulators of inflammation and immune responses in your immune systems.
  4. Stay hydrated. Adding items like organic lemons, fresh mint or organic cucumbers, can assist your body in flushing out toxins.
  5. Keep moving. Movement keeps your immune (lymphatic) system from getting clogged up. Think of movement as your human liquid Drano!
  6. Take time to chill. There are some great meditation apps out there today like Calm, Breethe, and Headspace to name a few. Taking as little as 10 minutes a day to focus on your breathing has been scientifically shown to slow down our stress response and improve system responses such as immunity.
  7. Be sure to get your Z’s. Your body repairs itself at night. Without proper sleep, this process gets hindered, leaving you susceptible to illnesses. Also worth mentioning is the importance of your thoughts on the sleep process. Science shows that your body ruminates while you sleep on what your last thought of the day was, so make it a positive one!

Nutrients to Support a Healthy Immune System

Even if your diet consists of healthy foods, you will likely still need to supplement. Here is a great list of basic supplements to help support your immune system.

During these difficult times, it is important to do everything possible to keep yourself healthy both physically and mentally so incorporate some of these changes today!

Follow the links to learn more about Kira Greasley, Certified Holistic Nutritional Consultant and her available Nutritional Consulting Packages.

*This blog is not intended to officially establish a physician-patient relationship, to replace the services of a trained physician, naturopathic doctor, physical therapist or chiropractor or otherwise to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]