How I’m Strengthening My Immune System
Happy Wednesday ladies. It’s all too easy to feel overwhelmed and powerless these days so I’m taking control of a few things that I can control. My immune system. I don’t think of myself as having an overly healthy one so I asked on my Facebook page, what others were doing.
There is no magic pill or potion you can take to boost your immune system but there are some popular best practices that many of us are using.
*Please note- I am not a doctor so please check with your own physician before changing your supplements or trying anything new. This is what lots of other ladies are doing to help boost their immunity.
Healthy Lifestyle
This is the biggee and includes-
- get plenty of exercise
- eat more fruits and veggies which are full of antioxidants
- eat fermented food to boost your intestinal flora or see the probiotic I recommend below
- stay hydrated – clean water is the best
- eat healthy oils like olive oil which is anti-inflammatory
- manage your stress levels with yoga, aerobics, mindful techniques like meditation or a gratitude journal
- getting enough sleep
- supplements to fill in for where your healthy diet may be lacking
Tumeric Turmeric
I’ve been taking Turmeric for inflammation for many years. I even take it for headaches. It turns out that many of you are too. 
Curcumin is the active ingredient in Turmeric which is a strong anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant. Many of us are taking it to boost our immune system right now, and I say, it can’t hurt. In fact, I’ve started sprinkling Turmeric into our eggs because it really has no taste and just makes them yellower.
Vitamin C
I take 1,000 mg each morning and if I feel like I’m coming down with something, I’ll add an additional 1,000 mg a few times a day. Vitamin C which is a terrific antioxidant and bolsters our health.
Zinc
Many people swear by zinc to lessen the severity and shorten their colds so it stands to reason that it could help bolster your immune system.
Oregano Oil
My husband has this in drop form but I find it too strong that way, so I take it in capsule form. Oregano Oil has been used medicinally for years and is reported to be antifungal, antibacterial, antiseptic, and immune-boosting.
Probiotic
A strong intestinal flora is well known to help strengthen your health and immune system. I take this one which says it “provides digestive and immune support to promote a healthy microbiome”. I’ve taken far more than my fair share of antibiotics over the years for chronic sinus infections so I find a daily probiotic very helpful.
Elderberry
Many of you swear by Elderberry and if the shelf at my local Whole Foods is any indication you are not alone. There are gummies, lozenges, syrup, capsules, tincture, you name it. You can also just eat the berries🙂
Garlic
It’s said that the alliin in garlic can boost the number of virus-fighting T-cells in your bloodstream which can help fight infection. I use a ton of fresh garlic in my cooking and know that many people also rely on garlic supplements to get enough. Here’s the thing, if you eat enough garlic people will be more than happy to stay 6 feet from you, which is a good thing these days.
What are you doing to strengthen your immune system these days?
If you liked this post I would love you to pin this to your Pinterest board.
Thanks for reading and remember to wear what makes you feel confident.
.
I don’t know if others mentioned this as I didn’t read all the posts, but Olive Leaf Extract is excellent for upper respiratory illnesses. I always take more than what is on the label (ex.: 2 in am, 1 at lunch, 2 at bedtime).
Always great to hear how other women are promoting their health. You can’t fulfill all of your nutritional needs from foods we consume daily. Certainly it is your choice to take supplements. I take several to help my body deal with an auto-immune disease.
A note about pet peeves…….don’t sweat the small stuff. 😊
Thanks for putting it so eloquently. 🙂
Overall we eat extremely healthy. We cook every night (even before the pandemic), eat a lot of salads, vegetables, and vegetable-based soups. I need to get on the turmeric wagon. I am 65 do not take any medications, take plant-based calcium, and vitamin d. I don’t take vitamin c unless I think I am coming down with something. If you eat 2 to 2 1/2 cups of fruit and or veggies a day that is the equivalent of 1000 milligrams of vitamin C. If you take over 1000 milligrams of C I believe you are peeing it out so to speak and can cause gastrointestinal distress. I should get more exercise, but I walk and garden! Great post!
I need more exercise too:)
I’m making sauerkraut as we speak, or rather, it is making itself. Turns out the ancestors knew a thing or two about gut health and immunity after all.
We are eating a lot of that these days. I should try making it too.
Vitamin D levels are 25 to 100 and a blood test to check your level is recommended. I take vitamin D-3 5,000 IU (soft gel) by NOW because my blood work showed my level was low. Doctors do recommend turmeric -support later healthy inflammation response. Drink water and get enough sleep. The book, The Sleep Revolution by Arianna Hiffington is a good book to read. I enjoy your blog!
Thanks, I loved that book too.
I don’t understand why anyone would take supplements rather than simple healthy lifestyle. Supplements could be snake oil for all we know. Not a regulated industry and choices made on flimsy evidence.
Be careful.
Okay, Mona Lisa in the mask is a hoot! I was supposed to be in France visiting the in-laws this summer. Sigh. I guess I’ll find the pictures I have online somewhere of the last family trip to Paris where I forced the grandchildren to the Louvre to see two things: Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo. I told them someday they would thank me. The worst part of this quarantine is no travel.
Hopefully, you will be able to travel soon. I know I’m looking forward to getting out of town.
So much to share on this subject as we ( my daughter and I ) both require much self care for our autoimmune conditions and have done considerable study and research to find ways to improve our health.
I appreciate your adapting your blog to reflect the mode of the day. I’m sure we can all relate somehow. I also appreciate your sharing your protocol. I agree with you on many of your products. A comment was made that supplements just create expensive urine and I absolutely agree with that… if you are taking an inferior product. Many products are worthless.
But soil overuse and other factors have depleted the nutritional content of our food supply and we really do need supplementation from a quality source. My opinion.
Probably the # 1 practice for immune health that we have found for our family is to avoid sugar, and also refined starches, (which convert to “sugar” in the blood).
Fact: Sugars inhibit immune activity for up to 6 hours after ingesting. So if one is consuming something sweet periodically all day, the immunity is going to be very weak.
For our personal health care we eat no sugars and only minimal fruit, mostly berries and lemon. And we do take supplements. Fortunately to have a resource for those which makes highly chelated, balanced minerals. The iron is exceptionally absorbable.
Stay safe and happy.
Thanks for sharing Penelope. I didn’t know that about sugar
I’m not a great fan of supplements. I eat well, lots of veg and berries. No red meat. I walk a lot and am generally very healthy. Taking all those supplements lead to very expensive pee 😜 in my opinion.
I have a regular regimen of multi vitamins and supplements that I’ve taken for years and it seems to be working for me. Occasionally, I have left off one item for a few months just to see if there’s any difference in how I feel. Besides a regular multivitamin, I have taken Glucosamine Chondroitin for decades and although the Dr tells me I have arthritis, I have no joint pain and can move easily. I take Echinacea and Vitamin C and I think those help me in fighting off colds. I even escaped the regular flu this past winter and both sons at home were very sick with it months ago. For the past 2 or 3 years, I’ve added a daily supplement that contains Biotin, Niacin, Calcium and a few other antioxidants to help with healthier hair and nails. These all seem to work for me. I take no other medication. Even my very rare asthma is under control and I’ve had no problems with that in over 2 years,
It sounds like your regime is working well. I wish I could say I’m not taking any medication;)
We do take a lot of supplements, and muscle test to make sure they are needed. But I’m ready to get out and be around some germs too. That’s another things to help our immune system.
XOOX
Jodie
I agree! It does help us build immunity
I think if you believe something helps you, just a positive thought when you take it can help you. People were hung up on vinegar when I was younger. If you think it can help you and it won’t hurt you, take it.
I usually go by my blood work and all my Dr tells me is “drink more water” at my checkups. I did get a red sore tongue and looked it up on Internet. I took b12 and folic acid for about a month and it stopped being sore. I dropped it off and concentrated on foods that have these in them. Plant based foods, no junk is basically my diet. 78 in June and still holding. : )
I agree. The placebo effect is alive and well for many of us, and that’s not a bad thing:)