The Season is Upon Us!
Cold/Flu Prevention Steps to Strengthen Your Immune System Now
Unfortunately, some don’t think about this season until a nasty bug hits them and most don’t realize the ability to naturally boost your immune system. Eighty percent (80%) of our immune system lives in the gut…… So?????
So, consider the following: 1. If you are regularly eating a diet of “foods” that lack enzymes: highly heated foods (breads, bagels, pastries,) processed foods (chips, frozen foods), pasteurized dairy – This puts extra work on your digestive system to breakdown these foods, stealing energy away from your immune system.
2. If you are eating foods filled with chemicals: artificial-chemical derived sugars, MSG, GMO, pesticides, hydrogenated oils (typically highly heated seed oils even organic: canola, sunflower, safflower, soy) These “foods” become toxic to the body rather then provide nutrients (vitamins, minerals, amino acids, essential fats, proteins etc). The body innately goes into attack mode when toxins enter it, when chemical filled foods come into the system, they turn ON your immune system. – If the immune system is constantly turned ON to get rid of toxins coming from your “food” its going run out of steam and not have enough energy to attack and destroy pathogenic bugs during the higher cold/flu season.
3. The Sugar Bomb: fructose, cane sugar, corn syrup, honey, dates, maple syrup, and even too much fruit. Sugar is not just in your dessert! Its found in almost any processed food: fruit juices, fuel drinks, soft drinks, a 20 oz bottle of Vitamin Water contains 33 grams, pastry, doughnut, jelly, and how about Oscar Mayer Lunchables, just one box of crackers with processed turkey and American cheese contains 36 grams. – Sugar pretty much puts a burden on your whole body such as: (check out Dr. Mercola’s article below) which explains it raises blood pressure, burdens the kidneys, contributes to insulin resistance and weight gain, is even showing to create mutation in pre-cancerous cells. All of this means once again your immune system is in attack mode rather then getting its rest time for when its really needed to attack the cold and flu bugs.
Hmmm did this just wipe out your diet? I hope not, but if so then your first step might be to make some diet adjustments by substituting with items below: Increase: veggies in your salads, soups, juicing, and even cultured Replace: other beverages with filtered water Trade-out: doughnuts/pastries for oatmeal (soaked over night), pasture raised eggs (poached, soft boil), smoothies with minimal fruit or low glycemic fruit Increase: home cooked meals in place of eating out, you have much more control of what goes into your foods Eat In Season foods: when foods are picked at the right season they have the most abundant of nutrients
A final thought…. STRESS is also a big common denominator to wearing down your immune system. Being the holiday seasons is also on its way and tends to be a high season of stress, the next blog will give some tips to bringing some peace in midst of a frenzy.
To Great Health & Fitness! Tracy Coe, CPT-PMA, cQRA Wellness & Nutrition Practitioner
Tracy Coe is a certified QRA wellness and nutrition practitioner who’s passion is to support the community in educating and providing professional documented and researched options of whole foods, cleansing, and toxicity prevention to support short/long term health and wellness and vitality for the individual and family. For more information email pilates@coe-dynamics.com or call 424.903.3104