Is Your Immune System Ready for Cold and Flu Season?

Circle of Wellness — Physical — Body
Is Your Immune System Ready for Cold and Flu Season?
Kim Edmundson, R.N.C.P., R.h.A.

As we say goodbye to summer and hello to fall and winter, we also enter into cold and flu season. Is your immune system ready? Keeping your immune system strong is your best defense against colds and flu.

There are many things that you can do to strengthen your immune system.

First, as you get back into your fall schedule, ensure that you are getting enough sleep. Your body repairs itself and detoxifies while you are sleeping, so getting enough sleep is essential.

Second, keep drinking water! It’s easy to drink more water in the summer when the weather is warmer and we get thirsty due to the heat. In the winter, we often forget to keep drinking water. Our body must stay hydrated for our cells to function properly.

Third, find positive ways of dealing with stress. When you are stressed, your immune system is also stressed, making you more prone to catching colds or getting the flu. Exercise is one way to help your body deal with stress.

Finally, cut back on sugar! Sugar decreases the functioning of the white blood cells and impairs your immune system for at least 30 minutes after consuming it.

Certain nutrients are immune system builders. It is important that you ingest these nutrients daily, whether through diet or supplementation. These include protein, Vitamins A, B6, B12, E, and C, folic acid, zinc, iron, copper, selenium and essential fatty acids, especially omega 3, which is found in fish, nuts and seeds.

If you do start to feel a cold or flu coming on, some immune system boosters to consider are Echinacea, cat’s claw, astragalus, ligusticum or reishi mushrooms, and garlic.

If you suffer from an auto-immune disease, focus only on immune system builders and avoid immune system boosters.

When you do get a full-blown cold or flu, be wary of over-the-counter remedies that suppress cold and flu symptoms. Your body produces symptoms as a way to detoxify and heal itself. You may end up having your cold or flu for much longer by using over-the-counter remedies to suppress your symptoms.

Warm water with fresh lemon and a teaspoon of honey works as a natural decongestant. Olive leaf extract, colloidal silver, oil of oregano, and garlic all have antiviral properties, and can be found at your local health food store. If you do end up taking antibiotics, ensure that you also supplement with acidophilus to replace the friendly bacteria that your body requires to function properly.

As the days get shorter, and we see the sun less, it’s important to remember vitamin D. Vitamin D is a hormone and vitamin activated in our body by the sun. Health Canada suggests that those of us who live in northern climates take a daily vitamin D supplement. For kids, cod liver oil is a great supplement to help build the immune system, and also contains vitamin D. Adults may wish to consider adding a vitamin D supplement and cod liver oil, or another good quality fish oil, to their daily routine.

And finally, when you do get sick, remember to stay home and rest; you will get better much more quickly!