Each winter seems to bring with it a raft of bugs and the dreaded seasonal coughs, colds and sore throats.
It can be frustrating if it feels like you’re always coming down with something or barely recovering before being hit with the next bug. Even more frustrating is feeling that despite doing all the ‘right’ things- eating a balanced diet, exercising and making sure you have enough sleep, you seem unable to shake recurring coughs and colds. When immunity is low there are a few things to consider.
Certain foods or physical states can impact the immune system, triggering inflammation and increasing the risk of infection.
These are some of the things which can impact immunity:
Alcohol: probably not a surprise, but heavy drinking weakens the immune system and makes it both easier to get ill and harder to recover from illness.
Sugar: sugar spikes have been shown to trigger inflammatory processes in the body. So if you are having a lot of sugar and having it often, you could be in an inflammatory state more often. Inflammation isn’t always negative, it is needed to fight infection and repair injuries, but being in an inflammatory state for long periods will deplete immune defences.
Inadequate nutrition: lacking or having an increased need for dietary nutrients which are essential for the immune system to function, can also impact immunity. These include protein, vitamin C, zinc and B vitamins. People following a very strict diet or who eat a lot of processed foods are more likely to fall short of vitamins, minerals, good fats and protein.
Inflammatory foods: some of the more common reaction-causing foods include dairy, gluten, nuts and eggs. For some people inflammatory foods are not an issue, while others are very sensitive to inflammatory foods. The list is inflammatory foods is long though and will vary from person to person. The typical ‘Western diet’, which is often high in sugar and refined carbohydrates can also alter the mmune response.
Dehydration: dehydration is linked to immunosuppression. Water is needed for the numerous chemical reactions in the body and is also required to flush out unwanted materials and toxins from the body. Exercise: ‘exercise’ encompasses all types of movement, but essentially moderate intensity exercise creates an anti-inflammatory state. Regular exercise also protects against bacterial and viral infections, enhancing immune responses to pathogens.
It is important to allow enough rest between exercising though, as excessive high-intensity exercise can impair immunity and increase susceptibility to colds.
Cortisol: this is your stress hormone, but it is needed for all sorts of processes such as getting you up in the morning. While we want a good spike of cortisol to get us going in the morning; high cortisol in the body over long periods can lead to impaired immunity, feeling tired and wired, slower wound healing and hormonal imbalance.
So what can I do? 1. Consider your
alcohol and
sugar intake and where possible cut down.
2. Prioritise
sleep as sleep deprivation increases cortisol and inflammation. When cortisol is high, the immune system is suppressed.
3.
Exercise (allowing for rest in between): exercise lowers levels of stress hormones and improves immune function.
4. Drink enough
water: to help the body flush out toxins. Although between 1.5-2L is advised, this does vary, so checking your urine (which should be a light straw colour/ pale yellow) can be a useful guide.
5. Include
anti-inflammatory foods: omega-3 is particularly good and can be found in oily fish, chia seeds and flaxseeds. Other anti-inflammatory foods include ginger, garlic, turmeric and green tea all contain compounds with potential anti-inflammatory effects.
6.
Slow down: the effects of stress and high cortisol are well documented. Find time for yourself, even if it’s simply taking a few deep breaths. Mindfulness, another technique used by many, has been shown to reduce inflammation.
7.
When you’re ill, rest up: although tempting to ‘push through’ when feeling ill, it’s important to rest and importantly sleep. While sleeping, your body releases cytokines, proteins which help fight infections; a lack of sleep can reduce cytokine levels.
8.
Eat a whole food diet: this is more likely to include the key nutrients that will keep you feeling well.
Key nutrients for immunity - Vitamin C: vitamin C is well know for its immune-boosting properties. Citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, kiwi and dark green leafy vegetables are excellent sources of vitamin C.
- Vitamin D: adequate levels of vitamin D is essential for a robust immune response. This is harder during the winter months when there is less sunlight. As a very general rule of thumb, vitamin D can be made in your body when your shadow is shorter than you. Sunlight is the best natural source of vitamin D, but vitamin D can also be found in fatty fish like salmon and mackerel, mushrooms or eggs.
- B vitamins: B vitamins play an important role in the maintenance of immune homeostasis. Sources include meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, leafy greens and seeds.
- Zinc: plays a vital role in maintaining an optimal immune response. A low zinc status is linked to an increase risk in viral infection. Foods rich in zinc include lean meats, legumes, nuts and seeds such as pine nuts, cashews and almonds.
- Antioxidants: found in colourful fruit and vegetables. Antioxidants help protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. Fruit and vegetables rich in antioxidants include berries, spinach, kale and peppers.
- Probiotics: a healthy gut is crucial for a strong immune system. Probiotics, found in yoghurt, kefir and fermented foods, help maintain a healthy balance of good bacteria in the gut. Being outside in nature, where there is greater exposure to bacteria has also been shown to be an effective way of boosting gut flora.
