Yuck! Cold and flu season is in full swing! Of course, no one looks forward to this time of year. Still, luckily, we can take action to support immune health and hopefully not catch any of the nasty bugs going around! 

My favorite actionable tips to keep your immune health strong are all about "back to basics." The foundations for maintaining a robust immune system and for feeling your best year-round! 

• A blood sugar balancing diet: balancing blood sugar is at the basis of health. When we eat a diet that causes many blood sugar spikes, our bodies compensate by pumping out extra insulin. This leads to hyperinsulinemia (high insulin levels), insulin resistance, and possible type 2 diabetes. In addition, too much insulin impairs our immune response. 

Nutritionist Tip: Don't know how to eat for blood sugar balance? see the chart below: 

 

• Daily movement: this can be walking, weights, hiking, anything to get you moving! Do something you love! Studies show that moderate-intensity exercise is beneficial to the immune system. So find what you love, and as Nike says, "just do it!" 

• Good sleep: check out my last blog on why sleep is essential for stress reduction, which is the next tip to maintain health. We want to aim for 7-9 hours a night. When we sleep, many processes happen. Far too many for this bullet point, but if you want extra info, check out this study! If you want to know what to do to get your sleep on track, head back to my last post on sleep. It is full of all the helpful sleep tips that I share with my clients. 

• Stress reduction: a stressed body is an inflamed body. Inflammation is at the root of so many health issues. We cannot cut all stress from our lives, but it's essential to determine where the stress comes from. Stress is not only mental stress; it can be physical, environmental, chronic infections, nutrient deficiencies, and many more causes. Once we know where our stress is coming from, we can try to minimize it, heal it, or find ways to help us mitigate it. 

• Plenty of filtered water daily: a healthy cell is a hydrated cell. When a cell is hydrated, it has a fluid cell membrane. These fluid membranes allow nutrients to pass through quickly and their receptors to work optimally; both are important for a healthy body. Plus, water helps us to flush toxins out of our bodies. Filtered water is vital as tap water can contain many contaminants. 

I always start with these basics when it comes to staying healthy. But I also love having a few fantastic supplements that science has proven to help. Herbaland has an incredible lineup in their limited-edition Hero box! The good news is you get to eat two of each of these gummies a day! You will see why this is good news when you try them! 

Immune Plus Gummies:  contain four proven supplements in one easy and delicious gummy! I love them because of this powerful combination of Vitamin C, Zinc, Elderberry & Echinacea. This powerhouse combo helps to fend off sickness by supporting your immune health with many antioxidants. But these ingredients also help to shorten the duration of symptoms if we take them and are already sick. Not only that, these are so tasty! You will find it easy to add them into your daily arsenal! 

Vitamin C is an antioxidant, meaning it fights free radicals in the body. Free radicals damage our cells, leaving us vulnerable to illness as they can not function optimally. 

Zinc helps as it is needed for all immune cells to function and signal optimally. Therefore, a deficiency can lead to a weakened immune response. 

Elderberry also contains many antioxidants and vitamins that help boost immune health. 

Echinacea has anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antioxidant effects. As a result, it can shorten the duration of a cold and symptoms.  

Nutritionist Tip:  both elderberry and echinacea work best if taken at the first signs of a cold or flu. It works best to take the Immune Plus gummies daily as a preventive measure or always have them on hand to take as soon as you feel you are coming down with a virus. 

 

Vegan D3 & B12: vitamin D is one of the most common vitamin deficiencies; at least 50% of us are deficient! Vitamin D is essential for our immune system to operate correctly. Know someone who is always getting sick? We all do! Chances are they are Vitamin D deficient. Being deficient in vitamin D leads to the development of many chronic diseases. It also plays a significant role in our mental health, hormone support, and metabolic health. Plus, it is involved in strong muscle and bone growth. Your body cannot absorb calcium without vitamin D. I think you can see how impactful vitamin D is! I strongly suggest everyone have their levels tested; it's a quick blood test. More than ever now, doctors recognize how important Vitamin D is to our overall health. 

Cool Fact: Although it's called "vitamin" D, it is more like a hormone. We make it with the help of CHOLESTEROL (and UV light). 

Vitamin B12 has many roles in the body; it is a critical player in red blood cell production regarding immune health. Oxygenated cells are needed for a healthy immune system. 

 

Multivitamins: think of a multivitamin as your safety net! They help to make sure you are receiving your essential vitamin and mineral needs. 

Nutritionist Tip: does your multivitamin contain active B12 (methylcobalamin)? Most multis DO NOT, but Herbaland’s multivitamin does! This means it is bioavailable and ready for your body to use; most forms of B12 are not absorbable. 

 

Are you practicing these essential immune health tips daily? Which ones could you add to your day? Keep it simple and start with what feels most effortless to you. Then add more of these steps as each one becomes a habit!

Don't forget to purchase Herbaland's immune boosting Hero Box!

Here's to a healthy cold and flu season! But, especially now that we have the measures, we need to get through it! 

Be well, my friends! 

 

Featured Blogger: Michelle Vysohlid, Holistic Nutritionist

I'm Michelle, the founder of Eat Well with Michelle & Find Wellness. I am a Holistic Nutritionist with a passion for holistic health & living and sharing how easy this lifestyle can be. I love educating my clients and audience on valuable and practical ways to find wellness in their lives. I will show you how you can heal and thrive one meal at a time! My main focus in practice is gut health, hormones, and metabolic syndrome. Learn more here. Please reach out to me on social media as I love meeting new friends worldwide that share the same love for living with intention. Hope to hear from you friends!