INCREASING IMMUNITY

Very excited to see my first article in the June edition of the Sherborne Times.

Full version of the text was as follows:

“The recent cold snap appears to have clung on mercilessly leaving many people struggling to shake off cold and flu bugs that have invaded their immune systems. Viruses love cold weather and humidity which is why so many of us get sick in the winter months. On average adults get 2 colds per year and children 3-4 times that.

To function properly, an immune system must detect a wide variety of agents known as pathogens and distinguish them from the organism’s own healthy tissue. It usually does a great job of defending against germs and microorganisms every day and works hard to fight off the invaders. However, there are around 200 viruses that cause colds and just three that cause flu so our body has a tough time of keeping up.

Our immunity may be compromised by any number of underlying health conditions and lifestyle factors such as poor diet and nutrition, lack of exercise, excessive alcohol, smoking and lack of sleep We don’t often know how strong our immune system is until we get sick. However, we do know that prevention is better than cure.

Dr Chatterjee (NHS GP and BBC’s Doctor in the House) believes lifestyle and nutrition are the keys to good health, he promotes the 4 pillars of good health:  Eat well, Move well, Sleep well and Relax well. Sounds simple doesn’t it? But I wonder how many of us are actively taking care of ourselves in these areas?  How much fresh air and exercise do you get a day? Do you understand the importance of relaxation to allow your body’s immune system to repair and regenerate?

At the first sign of an attack on our immune system, there are many things we can do to support it. Quick supplements include Echinacea (Neals Yard Remedies) and Collodial Silver (‘Biosilver’ by Metabolics), as well as simple dietary changes such as increasing our intake of Vitamin C and eating more fresh fruit and vegetables, particularly leafy greens such as spinach or kale, will help.

Natural techniques include rubbing the spleen’s neuro-lymphatic points which are on the side of our body in the middle of the ribs (bra line is an easier way of finding it) and thymus tap (gentle tapping in a waltzing rhythm around the top of your sternum).

Try to reduce your intake of caffeine, alcohol and sugar as these are viewed as stressors and disrupt your immune system’s response to the virus. I know we all reach for comfort food when we feel low, but try a hot mug of Elderberry tea (Elderberry syrup, ginger and lemon) or superfood brownies with Organic Greens Complex to perk you up.

Supplements are incredible beneficial but do remember that they do just that – supplement your health, so those lifestyle choices above are important. We all know Vitamin C and zinc help strengthen our immune systems, but are you also aware of the important of increasing antioxidants? They are the good guys who support a healthy immune response and clean cells of pollutants and free radicals.  Iron, selenium and Vitamin D are also vital.

It can be confusing knowing which supplements you need and disciplines such as Kinesiology can muscle test to find the most effective nutritional support for your body, as well as checking for any underlying symptoms. Everyone is different.  The most important thing is finding something, be it lifestyle, dietary or nutritional, that works for you and helps you feel better.”