Why there is no such thing as ‘boosting’ our immune system but 6 simple things we can all do instead
During this changing and sometimes scary time many of us will be searching for ways to protect ourselves. There is a barrage of information on the internet and social media about how you can 'boost' your immune system, and hundreds of recommendations for supplements. I wanted to provide you with some clarity on this and explain why we can’t boost our immune system but share with you some nutrition and lifestyle ways we can support our overall health which can help to support (not boost!) our immune function and overall health.
What is our immune system?
Our immune system is our body’s inbuilt defence mechanism against attack from anything that is not our own body (viruses, bacteria, injury etc). Our immune systems all help to remove damaged cells and initiate repair mechanisms. Our immune system is our white blood cells, barriers like our skin and fluids such as sweat, tears, saliva and our gastric juices.
Our immune system has a few different parts but two important ones are innate immunity and adaptive immunity. Innate immunity delivers a rapid response and does not need to have seen the infectious agent before to work. On the other hand, adaptive immunity is the part of our immune system that remembers foreign invaders and when we come into contact with them it mounts an aggressive and rapid response specific to that invader.
Our immune system is incredibly clever and in order to work properly it activity must be in perfect balance. If it doesn’t work enough we are susceptible to infection; too much and it can go into overdrive and accidently mistake our own tissues as foreign causing illness and damage (as seen in Inflammatory Bowel Disease).
So, can we ‘boost’ our immune system?
Our overall health can certainly support a better immune response but we cannot actively increase its activity. For example, there are many nutrients that our immune system needs to work properly, these include vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, iron and zinc, but supplementation of some of these in large amounts can be toxic and dangerous.
The coronavirus is a new virus, one that none of us have immunity to so no amount of supplements are going to prevent us from getting it. The only way we can avoid getting it is to practice the self-distancing and hygiene habits that have been recommended to us.
So, what can we do?
Its not all doom and gloom, there are absolutely things we can do to help our immune system response so if we do get it it has the tools to fight it effectively.
Factors that impact our immune system include nutrient deficiencies, nutrient intake, gut health, exercise, stress and sleep.
So, the best way for us to support our immune function is:
Nutrient intake – it is more important than ever for us to be focusing on eating a nutrient dense and balanced diet. But always focus on ‘food first’ not supplements, unless you know you have a nutrient deficiency. We know whole foods are the best way for us to get essential nutrients - whole foods provide us with a variety of nutrients not just single ones, some of which can help others be absorbed and used properly in our bodies. They provide essential fibre, and contain protective antioxidants. Supplements are also expensive. So, focus on building a balanced plate at each meal (see infographic here), and include at least 5 portions of vegetables and fruit per day. These help to provide our body’s and immune systems with the essential nutrients they need to function.
Gut health – our gut represents almost 70% of our entire immune system so we need to be looking after it but how? Firstly, fibre which we get from vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, legumes, nuts and seeds. We should be aiming for 30 different plant foods per week. Secondly, polyphenol rich foods. Polyphenols give fruits and vegetables their wonderful vibrant colour and can also be found in olive oil, green tea, dark chocolate and red wine (thank me later!). Finally, we can help to support our gut health by including probiotics or fermented foods in our diet – yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi. You can read more about why they are so great here.
Exercise – exercise can have an anti-inflammatory impact through various means in our bodies and it can help to improve immune regulation so get outside in the fresh air; go for a walk, run or cycle, or if you cant leave the house do a home workout; there are loads of great ones on YouTube, my favourites are The Body Coach for short HIIT sessions and Sophie Dear for yoga.
Stress – our ability to fight off infection and disease is reduced when we are stressed so we all need to calm down! Panic isn’t going to help us mentally or physically. Build stress reducing practices into your day like walking outside in a green space, yoga, meditation (I use the CALM app but Headspace is great too), dancing, laughing, reading, having a bath and relaxing. Also stay away from social media or unfollow anyone who is negatively impacting the way you feel. I have found it really helpful to only check in once a day on the coronavirus updates, so I can ensure I am keeping up to date but not overwhelming myself, and to only get my information from the government and NHS websites.
Sleep - without sufficient sleep, our body makes fewer cytokines, a type of protein that targets infection and inflammation and effectively creates an immune response. So, we need to focus on getting in those 8 hours and getting quality sleep. So, no screens 1 hour before bed and if you have to look at screens use night mode or get a pair of blue light blocking glasses (I love my Foxman Frames). Get outside in the daylight in the morning as this can help regulate our sleep wake cycle. Don’t have your phone in your bedroom or if you do have it on aeroplane mode.