Boosting Your Immune System In the Winter
In light of the upcoming winter months when we all tend to catch "a little something" and considering the COVID-19 situation, it's a great idea to make sure you're in good health. There is so much you can do to help your immune system, and it’s a multi-faceted approach. There is no one way to approach this issue, and we’ll outline some ways below that you can use to support yourself.
Tips for boosting your immune system:
Reduce the added sugars in your diet to decrease systemic inflammation and strengthen your immune system. Studies reveal that immune function (among many other systems) is reduced after consuming sugar. Are you addicted to sweets or sugary beverages? See this handout for recommendations. If you need more help with your diet, consider seeing our dietitian on staff.
Increase immune-boosting foods in your diet. Alone, they won’t work magic, of course! But if you can remove added/excessive sugars in your diet and increase these super foods, you’ll be in good shape. Ideas are in this handout. You don't have to do them all at once, just choose your favorites and eat more of them.
Supplements are very useful tools, especially since our food supply has been so deficient recently. Also, we likely don’t eat the balanced diet we should, which also reduces exposure to healthy micronutrients that build immune health. Consider these suggestions below, safe for all ages:
Vitamin C with bioflavanoids, about 1,000 mg daily
Vitamin D3/K2, 2,000 IU's daily. This is a good dose to start with to raise labs to 50-80 ng/mL which is a beneficial range compared to standard recommendations. We can test your labs in our office.
Omega 3 supplements, about 1,000 mg daily which helps reduce inflammation and improve immunity.
Get enough sleep.
Move your body- don't let winter or the COVID shutdown be your excuse to stop! Popsugar on YouTube has free workouts for you no matter your desired intensity/ability level is. No equipment needed!
Manage stress. You may not be able to remove the stressors, but you can manage your response with things like meditation/prayer/quiet, reading, finding your creative outlet, giving your self time, laughing at movies or shows you love. Rescue remedy or Calm are gentle, natural products you can find in our supplement store. Safe for kids and animals too!
Make Thanksgiving a little healthier
If you haven't already bought your Thanksgiving day meal ingredients, consider some of the following recipe ideas. Eating healthy doesn't mean food has to be flavorless and dull, it usually just requires a few changes that can make a huge difference in your health. Highly processed foods are full of inflammatory ingredients like corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, chemicals, vegetable oils and additives. Cooking a homemade meal from whole food ingredients is always going to be the best "rule of thumb" to stick to if you want to eat high quality and healthy.
Below is an example of a menu plan from our registered dietitian. These are healthy, whole food ideas and recipes you can try:
Turkey (or any meat) is a naturally carb-free option
Corn
Visiting our office & COVID
We want you to know that even though the pandemic is growing in Michigan, our office procedures are aimed at keeping you and our staff protected. It may feel like an unsafe time to visit a doctor's office, but we want you to keep in mind that our services are geared towards improving your health and nutrition status. These are the very things needed to keep your immune system as strong as possible to help you overcome any illness you should contract.
Visit our website at www.innmed.com to learn more about our services.
From all of us at Dr. Shah's office, Happy Thanksgiving