Boosting your immune system

As we move through autumn and the start of virus season, I want to remind everyone there are many factors contributing to a vulnerable immune system.

No one likes getting sick and there are a lot of tools to help you bolster your defenses. Here are some suggestions:

• If you are prone to catching colds and flus, consider a regular schedule of acupuncture, if not every week, maybe every other. I have seen first-hand the how effective acupuncture is at boosting immunity, but it needs to be done with consistency.

• Regular infrared sauna sessions are also shown to improve immune system function by activating heat shock proteins and activating detoxification.

• Avoiding alcohol, sugar, processed foods and seed oils will improve gut health, detoxification and elimination. When the body is overwhelmed with inflammatory agents like those foods mentioned above, it has to work overtime to clear them, taking precious resources and depleting the immune system.

• Continue to get sun directly on your bare skin as long as the temperatures allow! Vitamin D deficiency is one of the main reasons people catch viruses.

• Sleep, rest, repeat. Get as much rest as you can. An over-stimulated nervous system will eventually crash leaving you vulnerable to every germ you come into contact with.

• Walks through the forest. Trees activate our body’s natural killer (NK) cells which are immune cells. In particular NK cells target cancer cells…but the entirety of the immune system benefits and is optimized.

• Exercise is a great tool for activating the lymphatic system…and if you don’t have time for a proper workout, consider dry brushing to activate lymph.

• There are many supplements that can support your body too!. Whether it’s vitamin D, oregano, NAC, zinc…there are plenty of ways you can better support you body to ward off acute illness.

It’s not really a coincidence that the rate of viral infections skyrockets around and after the holiday season. People tend to eat and drink more of the foods that are inflammatory, they haven’t seen the sun in a while, and they are short on sleep.

Recurrent colds, weak immunity & acupuncture

Optimal immunity is one of my zones of expertise. Everyone has a unique constitution. Some people are simply more hardy and robust than others; they have to “do” less to maintain optimal health.

For those with a weaker constitution, there is a smaller margin of “error” when it comes to behaviors and lifestyle. 

Regardless of your constitution, the number one factor for improving immunity is managing stress. Stress comes in many forms: there is emotional and psychological stress, physical stress, and environmental stress.

Lucky for you, acupuncture is one of the easiest therapies for optimizing the immune system by mitigating the deleterious effects of stress. In my clinic, regular acupuncture treatment has been shown to reduce the frequency and severity of acute illness and optimize immunity.

The sauna is another therapeutic tool that was shown in this study to improve immune system function; the catch is, a series of sessions is necessary. Saunas work to improve immunity by increasing leukocyte and monocytel levels to stimulate the immune system. They also produce heat shock proteins to activate immunity.

Whether you are recovering from a recent illness, or want to avert getting sick, I have the tools to support you at the Sunset Healing Collective.