Ok, so the pandemic has put the topic of immunity front and center, but did you know that some everyday habits can impact your body’s ability to fight infection? In this blog I’m going to share 5 free, simple practices you can add to your daily routine to strengthen and regulate your immune response. Plus, one personal bonus tip for those of you who might have a dysregulated immune response and not even know it!

*These tips are recommended to practice in addition to adhering to public health pandemic guidelines. they are not in any way meant to replace advice from medical professionals.

Our immune systems are complex networks of immune cells, lymphoid tissue, and organs whose main job is to protect us from invading pathogens and abnormal cells. From the first-line defenders, like our skin and mucus membranes, to the highly specialized T and B cells that can "remember" and attack pathogens, the way we treat our bodies can significantly affect how robust our immune response is.

I chose these 5 factors to share with you because they are some of the most impactful AND you can actually do something about it! The best part, is that if you start incorporating these tips into your life, they will help more than your immune system. Read on and you’ll see why.

TIP #1: Lower your sugar intake

This may be one of the most important factors, because high-sugar intake dampens the immune response AND leads to health conditions, like diabetes, which decreases the bodies chance of fighting infection…a double whammy 1!

Research has shown that a diet high in sugar resulted in impaired white blood cells ability to effectively destroy viruses and bad bacteria2. Scary right?

We all know the usual suspects; sodas, energy drinks, ice cream and dessert…but if you've read any food labels lately, you've noticed high-fructose corn syrup is an ingredient in many foods, from crackers to salad dressing. But there’s more! It’s not just sugar you need to avoid. Simple sugars from potato chips and refined-flour products like white bread, crackers and pastsa are converted quickly to glucose. Even fruit juice can temporarily dampen the immune response, so large amounts should be avoided if you are feeling sick.

You might be saying, “Hey!, that’s all my favorite foods!” If that’s the case, start with small steps, replace ice cream with dark chocolate, potato chips for almonds, soda with mineral water, and swap out the white bread for whole-grain bread. And remember to check those food labels. Here are just a few types of sweeteners to avoid: corn sweetener, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, fruit juice concentrates, glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, invert sugar, lactose, maltose, malt syrup, raw sugar, sucrose, sugar syrup, cane crystals, cane sugar, crystalline fructose, evaporated cane juice, corn syrup solids, malt syrup.

Tip #2: Improve your stress response

Let's face it, stress is unavoidable these days, and unfortunately, when we are in stressful situations, our bodies are stimulated to react like we are being approached by a lion, that old “fight or flight” response that keeps us alive. (Hurry up evolution!)

While this was great back when we needed to flee from the lion, nowadays it wreaks havoc on other important systems-like our immunity. The stress response, by way of our HPA axis, floods the bloodstream with hormones that prepare the body for survival. Some of these hormones have been found to inhibit immune activity in the body, by driving immune cells away from our immune organs3.

So, what can we do about it? Since we aren’t likely to just up and leave our stressful lives, we need to find ways to reduce and manage that stress response so that the effect is less severe. Some of the best ways you can improve your stress response is breathing exercises, mindfulness practices and exercise, which have all been shown to be effective4. Of course, it is worth considering what your biggest sources of stress are - Is it the news, or a toxic friend? Your job or your own hurtful self-talk? Consider how to reduce the impact of these things in your life.

Tip #3: Exercise just the right amount

This is a tricky one because the research is clear; too much exercise suppresses the immune response, but some exercise is beneficial 5. This is one of those Goldilocks principles that is likely different for everyone.

You’ve probably felt it, that pain and fatigue after you’ve exerted yourself? Well, strenuous exercise is actually stresses the body and triggers those hormones that dampen the immune system. It can also increase inflammation and affect numerous mechanisms in the body that impair immune function.

However, some exercise is vital. For example, many of our immune cells fight infection in our lymph, this is the fluid that circulates around the body in the lymph system where our lymph nodes reside. This system requires muscle contraction to circulate, so if we just sit around, our lymph does too, which does not allow our white blood cells to do their job properly6. So what should we do? Well, we should definitely keep exercising! 30 minutes a day of moderate exercise is recommended for most adults, but do what feels right for you, just make sure you move! And if you are feeling sick, be gentle, take regular walks, stretch, do yoga or take a gentle swim. You might just want to avoid that marathon if you feel a cold coming on.

I am now offering immune-focused quick consults to get your immune response back on track. It includes a 20-minute consult, recommendations for practitioner-only supplements appropriate for you and a mini-recipe eBook packed with immune-supportive recipes….schedule your consult here, or check out more information on the services page. You deserve to be well!

TIP #4: Eat the rainbow!

Vegetables and fruit provide vitamins and minerals required for proper immune function. Plus, plant fiber feeds good bacteria in the gut, which has been found to play an important role in immune health 7.

This is particularly evident in populations that suffer malnutrition who also tend to be less resistant to infections (by the way, the modern western diet, high in refined carbohydrates and low in plant foods falls under this category)8!
My Antioxidant Herb Spread is great for the immune system, you can find the recipe **here**.

To be clear, all nutrients are required for proper immune function, but of particular importance are protein, iron, selenium, zinc, vitamin C, E, A, D and the B vitamins9. But not to worry, these are found in food! You don’t have to go out and buy a zillion supplements. Instead, try to eat one salad each day that includes something from each color group (red, orange, yellow, green, blue/purple and brown/white). This ensures a well-balanced variety of nutrients, since each color offers different vitamins and minerals. Tip: top your salad with 2 brazil nuts to get your daily recommended selenium intake, and don’t neglect that purple group, it is the least eaten but arguably the most beneficial for immune health10. Or better yet, download my immune support menu plan here.

TIP #5: Lower your alcohol intake

I know, I know, no one wants to hear this one. But it’s true, alcohol can impair the body’s ability to fight infection. Alcohol damages immune cells in the gut, alters the gut microbiome and interrupts communication between these microbes and the immune system 11.

Alcohol also damages the lining of the stomach, which can result in the immune system detecting undigested food in the bloodstream, causing a complex response that can dysregulate immune function and increase inflammation. Studies have also shown that alcohol disrupts and impairs the function of the upper and lower airways, increasing susceptibility to pneumonia, tuberculosis and other respiratory infections11.

Yikes! My advice? If you must drink, enjoy a glass of wine with dinner, or a beer with friends, but limit it to 2 per day and take at least 2 alcohol-free days per week. Trust me, your body will thank you for it.

Bonus Tip #6: Address immune-related symptoms

Raise your hand if you have or have had “hay fever”, mysterious hives, skin conditions, suspected food allergies, or gut issues.

**Did you know these can be signs of a dysfunctional immune response, which leaves the body vulnerable to infection?**

Like many of us, I’ve had symptoms like this and used to think I had to just live with it. Well, I don’t live with it anymore and you don’t have to either!

I didn’t discover I had a lactose intolerance until my 30s on a hike in the Nepal Himalayas. For years, my digestion had been getting worse (bloating, diarrhea, gas) and I would periodically get isolated mysterious hives. So, during this hike, I drank copious amounts of delicious masala milk tea every evening, and a few days in, I broke out in extremely irritating, itchy hives all over my body. I finally put two and two together and got tested when I returned home, and bingo, tests showed my immune system was reacting to lactose.

When I removed lactose from my diet, my symptoms started to improve. But I also needed to heal my gut and calm that overactive immune response, which took more time. Now I feel great! My hay fever and hives are gone, my digestion has vastly improved and I rarely catch a cold these days.

If you’ve suspected a food intolerance, allergies or have gut issues, trust me, getting to the cause of those conditions is key in order to begin the healing process and bring yourself back into balance.

Yours in health,
**Camille Hoffman**
Naturopath, Nutritionist & Medical Herbalist

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The views and nutrition, naturopathic and herbal recommendations expressed by Camille Hoffman and Hoffman Natural Health’s programs, website, publications and newsletters, do not constitute a practitioner-patient relationship, are not intended to be a substitute for conventional medical service and are for informational purposes only. The statements and content found in these programs, website, publications and newsletters have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The treatments described may have known and unknown side effects and health hazards. Each user is solely responsible for their own healthcare choices and decisions. Camille Hoffman advises the website user to discuss these ideas with a healthcare professional or physician before trying them. Camille Hoffman does not accept any responsibility for any positive or adverse effects a person claims to experience, directly or indirectly, from the ideas and contents of this website.

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Pedersen, B. K.-G. (2000). Exercise and the immune system: regulation, integration, and adaptation. Physiological reviews. doi:https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.2000.80.3.1055
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Elmadfa, I., & Meyer, A. L. (2019). The Role of the Status of Selected Micronutrients in Shaping the Immune Function. Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders-Drug Targets (Formerly Current Drug Targets-Immune, Endocrine & Metabolic Disorders), 19(8), 1100-1115. doi:https://doi.org/10.2174/1871530319666190529101816
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5 Things you can do to support your immune health, today.