Wisdom Wednesday - Bolster your immune system NATURALLY

Happy Wednesday to you.  I for one rang in the new year in the hippest most happening way - I caught a cold.  I didn't have it for long but it was the first cold I've had in many years. In order to stay healthy consider the following six strategies [of course under the care of your personal health care providers]:

Exercise - working your cardiovascular system is crucial to healthy immune function; physical activity stimulates the flow of the lymphatic fluid.  Because the lymphatic system has no pump, it relies on muscular contractions to keep things flowing.

(photos courtesy of Veer and Google)

Prioritize happiness - immunity has a strong mental component too.  A new medical field psychneuroimmunology is the study between the mind and the immune system.  Practice happiness by devoting time to pursuits that make you feel calm, fulfilled and at your best: hobbies, friends, being contemplative- unwind and reflect.



Add color to your plate -since plants cannot run away from invaders, they have developed their own rich immune systems, which are made up primarily of phytochemicals that give fruits and vegetables their own rich color.  The more colors you eat, the more broad spectrum your immunity boost will be.  Suggestions -Red: tomatoes, pink grapefruit and watermelon.  Red-Purple: grapes, pomegranates, blueberries.  Orange:  carrots, squash, yams.  Orange-Yellow: nectarines, papaya, oranges.  Yellow-Green: lettuce, peas, avacados.  Green: kale, broccoli, cabbage.  White-green: celery, pears, endive. REPLACING REFINED CARBS WITH INTENSELY COLORED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES ALSO WARD OFF OBESITY.



In cold months avoid cold raw foods -raw cold foods are hard to break down.  Eating them puts a strain on the digestive system and weakens it over time, which means your body is working harder to get fewer immunity building blocks from your food.  In short skip smoothies, salads and ice cream and eat warm cooked foods whenever possible.  Oatmeal, eggs, cream of buckwheat for breakfast, soup and half sandwich on toasted bread for lunch, and lightly sautéed vegetables with lean protein for dinner.



Favor aromatic herbs - according to traditional Chinese medicine aromatic herbs such as garlic, ginger and scallions are all warming and help stimulate the body's defenses.


Prioritize sleep - sleep is particularly important to immunity because during this nightly downtime the body is devoted to detox, repair, and healing. Studies have shown that people who sleep less than seven hours a night were nearly three times more likely to get sick after being exposed to the cold virus than those who slept for eight hours or more.



Here are some immunity boosting supplements.

Andrographis (Indian echinacea),


Elderberry,


North American Ginseng


Vitamin D