During the cold season, when the risk of flu and other viruses increases, it’s essential to look after our health. In this article, you will discover what you can do to support the optimal functioning of your immune system.
The ‘immunity-boosting’ myth
The immune system cannot be ‘hardened’, only kept in optimal balance. Problems arise from either under-functioning or overactivity, as in autoimmune diseases. As we age, decreased immune activity makes us more vulnerable to viral and bacterial infections.
Hyperactive immune system
Autoimmune disease is a condition in which the immune system launches an aggressive immune response against normal structures in the body. Examples of such diseases are: rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, celiac disease, Graves-Basedow disease, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Sjögren’s syndrome, multiple sclerosis, Bechterew’s disease, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), vitiligo, ulcerative colitis, chronic fatigue syndrome, psoriasis, etc. Hyperactivity is usually treated with immunosuppressive drugs, and the inflammation associated with these diseases is treated with steroids or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. These can have side effects and hide many other risks. Among alternative medicine practitioners, increasing attention is being paid to the influence of the microbiome, gut flora, digestive tract function, allergies and food sensitivities in the development of disease.
A useful solution in such cases may be to support the healthy functioning of the digestive tract and intestinal flora:
- consumption of fermented foods, resistant starch
- herbal therapies (e.g. peppermint capsules)
- supporting gastric functions (betaine HCL, digestive enzymes)
- eliminating problem foods, allergens (gluten, lactose, egg white, soya) from the diet
- AIP, low-FODMAP, paleo/ketogenic diets
- the therapeutic use of medicinal mushrooms and micronutrients (I will write more about these in the next chapter).
Nutrition for a strong immune system
In the context of certain viruses, the question arises as to why older people are affected at a higher rate of serious complications and why young people are more protected, or, if infected, are asymptomatic or show mild symptoms. The answer lies at the cellular level. Ageing is associated with decreased cell function and then cell death.
What happens in these cases – what makes a cell get tired and then die?
The proper functioning of a cell, like any other biological process, depends on energy. Cells get their energy from their internal ‘power stations’ – the mitochondria. If a cell’s energy supply decreases, its functions decline and, if the available energy is not sufficient for minimal functioning, the cell dies. In each of our cells, hundreds or thousands of mitochondria produce the energy compound called ATP. This requires micro- and macronutrients. How is it possible that in the western world, characterised by obesity and overeating, our cells are starving? Firstly, many of our foods today contain only a fraction of the important nutrients they did 50 or 100 years ago. In addition, the consumption of so-called junk foods has increased, such as:
- sources of refined carbohydrates and gluten-containing carbohydrates. For example: pastries, beer, sweets, sweetened soft drinks, alcoholic beverages
- unfermented cow’s milk products (casein, lactose)
- legumes (lectin)
- trans fats (sunflower oil, palm oil, margarine).
Essential supplements for supporting immunity
Beyond nutrition, what micronutrients can support the proper functioning of our cells’ mitochondria? (see below, in brackets, the recommended daily allowance)
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- Vitamin D (10,000 IU); if you notice cold, flu or coronavirus symptoms, take 3×50,000 IU of vitamin D3 every 12 hours, then return to your usual dose.
- Magnesium (400mg of elemental magnesium – e.g. magnesium bisglycinate, lactate, ascorbate, malate, taurate)
- Vitamin K2 and K1 (100-200µg and 400-900µg)
- Vitamin A (10,000 IU – retinol, not carotene, at least as much as D3 in 1:1-4:1 ratio) / 10 dkg chicken liver: 15,000 IU, beef liver: 31,000 IU, turkey liver: 75,000 IU/
- Vitamin C (1-2 g every 1-2 hours; L-ascorbic acid or oral liposomal if possible, but plain is also good)
- B vitamin complex (avoid folic acid, cyanocobalamin, replace with methylfolate, hydroxocobalamin and methylcobalamin)
- Omega-3 ( blendedEPA , minimum 3000mg, TOTOX under 8)
- Vitamin E (400mg – as mixed tocopherols)
- Zinc and copper (15mg and 1mg – Zn picolinate, Zn glycinate and Zn methionine and organic form e.g. Cu gluconate)
- Selenium (200µg – methyl-l-selenocysteine)
- Iodine (minimum 225µg – potassium iodide and elemental iodine)
- Q10 (2-300mg)
- Acetyl-L-carnitine (1-2g)
- Taurine, creatine (3g)
- Cordyceps, Ganoderma, Shiitake, Almond Mushroom, Birch Mushroom
- Ginseng
- Resveratrol (50mg )
- Quercetin (100mg )
- Amino acids (arginine, citrulline, glycine, histidine, carnosine)
Medicinal mushrooms: a natural immune booster
Medicinal mushrooms are rich in essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals. The polysaccharides they contain support the immune system and protect against infection. They stimulate the activity of natural killer cells (NK cells) and phagocytes (macrophages). Consuming medicinal mushrooms in a curative way is the most effective way to increase the body’s defence capacity and alleviate many health problems.
If we don’t want to take supplements, we can take them:
Daily
- 100g clams/shrimps (taurine, Ω3, B12, selenium, zinc, copper, chromium, etc.)
- 100-200g game meat or cephalopods/molluscs (Mg) or 250-500g pumpkin (Mg, carotene)
- 2 egg yolks/in case of pregnancy/pregnancy 4-5 pieces/ (choline, B vitamins, folate, vitamin A)
- 50-100g green lettuce (nitrates, folate, carotenoids, Mg, K1)
- 150-300g carrots (carotene, nitrates) and other root vegetables such as beetroot, celery (nitrates)
- bone broth/bone soup/pork leg stew/pig’s trotter/leg stew/legume (lysine, glycine)
- berries or less sweet fruits: blackcurrants, gooseberries, wild apples, etc. (vitamin C)
- home-made fermented pickles using only water and salt
Weekly
- 200g ficat de vițel/vită (100g este suficient, dar atunci adăugați 200-300g ficat de rață/gâscă/pui/porc) (vitamina A (retinol), zinc, cupru, seleniu, colină, vitamine B, folat, K2 etc.)
- de 2-3 ori pe săptămână somon cu piele/macrou/sardine (Ω3, seleniu)
Once or twice a month
- Cod liver (Ω3, selenium, zinc, vitamin A)
Circadian rhythm: a key factor for immunity
In addition to nutrition and supplements, it is very important (if not more important) to maintain a proper circadian rhythm (22-6 quality sleep) and not to be in too much of a caloric deficit! Before going to bed, 200mg of magnesium bisglycinate, 5-20mg of melatonin or even high doses of CBD can help you get a balanced and restful sleep.
Sports and its benefits for immunity
Sport also plays a very important role in maintaining overall health and physical and mental balance. Regular movement not only improves well-being, but also helps to strengthen the immune system, maintain a healthy circadian rhythm and manage stress. Because of its importance, I will dedicate a separate blog post to detail the impact of sport on health and wellbeing.
Hygiene vs. microbiome: the right balance
Finally, and last but not least, we hope that it comes as no surprise to anyone that in order to avoid getting sick and minimise the spread of infections, the first and most important thing to do is to follow the rules of hygiene with particular care:
- careful hand washing
- covering the mouth during sneezing and coughing
- avoid touching the face and physical contact
- avoid overcrowding
- avoid enclosed spaces (air your home regularly)
There are situations that require the use of more aggressive disinfectants, but for the average person, frequent and thorough hand washing with soap and warm water for at least 30 seconds is sufficient. In between washes, it wouldn’t hurt to remember that on each such occasion, as well as eliminating potential pathogens, we also carry out a total attack on the beneficial bacteria living on our skin.
If we continue this practice for too long without paying similar attention to restoring the natural microflora, we will very quickly weaken our skin’s first line of defence, opening the way for pathogens through microlesions and stripped skin surfaces. The very thing we work hardest to protect against.
Conclusion
The immune system cannot be ‘boosted’, but it can be kept in balance with a healthy diet, the right supplements, an active lifestyle and a regular circadian rhythm. Follow these recommendations to reduce the risk of infections and keep your body healthy in any season!
