In this day and age of fast paced technologies, high demand in the workplace and balancing parenthood with work life it is no wonder that we are constantly ill and low in our immune system.

There are two parts of the immune system: adaptive and innate. The adaptive immune system develops based on previous exposure to a virus. The innate immune system responds quickly to foreign invaders, and the effectiveness is determined by the levels of immune cells and proteins an individual has.

There are some essential nutrients that assist with boosting our immune system which we will shed light on below.

Vitamin D

We all know how important it is to get some sunlight, but do we actually know how it affects our immune system? Research shows that vitamin D works to maintain tolerance and promote protective immunity. There has been numerous studies that shows the lower levels of vitamin D are associated with increased infection and disease, including the flu. A study conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital concluded that individuals with lower vitamin D levels were more likely to report a recent upper respiratory tract infection than those with sufficient levels, even after taking into consideration age, body mass, gender and race. This study involved 19,000 participants.

Probiotics

Probiotics are good bacteria that help you digest nutrients that assist with detoxification of your colon and support your immune system. Food sensitivities, immune imbalance, autoimmune disease or a weakened immune system are caused by a leaky gut. Leaky gut is a condition where undigested proteins like toxins, microbes and gluten can pass into the bloodstream. “Intestinal permeability” is another name for leaky gut which means the “tight junctions” or the gateway between the intestinal wall and bloodstream have been damaged and are allowing the undigested particles to pass through the intestinal wall. Inflammation results when these particles enter the bloodstream and can initiate an immune response in the body.

Ginger

This Asian root vegetable has been used for thousands of years due to it’s warming effects – which breaks down the accumulation of toxins in our organs. Ginger is also known to cleanse the lymphatic system, waste and other unwanted matters and tissues and organs that assist the body to detoxify.

The immunonutrition and anti-inflammatory responses found in ginger root and ginger essential oil can treat numerous diseases. Ginger is known for its ability to treat inflammatory disorders that are caused by infectious carriers such as parasites, viruses and bacteria, as well as physical and chemical carriers like acid, cigarette smoke and heat.

As you can see the above nutrients all assist with boosting our immune system to a certain degree. Of course there are also numerous other variables that contribute to our immune system such as our thoughts and energy but let’s delve into that on another blog.

Till then, look after each other and our health and hoping you have a bit more insight into building a strong immune system.

References:

• “Need To Boost Your Immune System?”. Dr. Axe. N.p., 2017. Web. 14 Mar. 2017.
• “Vitamin D Council | Vitamin D And Influenza”. Vitamindcouncil.org. N.p., 2017. Web. 16 Mar. 2017.
• “Top 10 Leaky Gut Supplements”. Dr. Axe. N.p., 2017. Web. 16 Mar. 2017.