Whole Health Everyday
  • Welcome
  • Services
  • Blog
  • Chefs
  • Reviews
  • Contact
  • Weekly Services
  • Events
  • Careers

 

Blog | education

Support Your Immune System by Chef Paige

3/12/2020

1 Comment

 
Picture
​You have more control over whether you get sick or not than you may think. Year round, it is important to be incorporating actions that support and build a healthy immune system while protecting you from the harmful bacteria we come into contact with on a daily basis. Now, especially, it is time to check in with yourself and ask if you are doing everything you can to prevent illness, and I am not talking about buying out the entire shelf of hand sanitizer and Lysol at the grocery store and hoarding toilet paper. I am talking about protecting yourself from the INSIDE out. Because your immune system is largely controlled by your gut health, and no matter the preventative measures you may lather on your body topically, if you don’t have that gut health/strong immune system as your foundation, you are more susceptible to becoming ill.
​
Luckily, it is very easy to change your own gut health by consuming certain foods and avoiding a few others.
Top immune boosting foods to add to your daily diet:
  1. Bone broth or collagen supplements: collagen (found in Bone broth) will help build the foundation of a healthy gut lining. If you already eat healthy, but still feel bloated or gassy after a meal it is possible that you may have a weak gut lining. Leaky gut is a major cause of many immune issues and food allergies. Adding bone broth/collagen is a huge step in building a healthy immune system. Tip: Look for organic/grass fed collagen and broth, and try to find hydrolysate powder form instead of pills and capsules. 
  2. Probiotic rich foods and beverages: incorporate fermented foods and beverages into your diet DAILY for protection from bad bacteria. Think of those “probiotics” as little troops of soldiers you are sending in to eradicate the body of the unwanted bad guys. You have bacteria ALL over your body, inside and out. Bad bacteria and good. Probiotics are the good guys, and you want to do everything you can to tip the scale of bad vs. good bacteria in the right direction. By adding things like Sauerkraut, kombucha, yogurt, kefir and other fermented foods, you are doing your part to send in the troops! (supplements are also available as probiotics, but I always prefer to get mine from the food source first, when possible).
  3. Garlic, Ginger, Turmeric: These three are powerful in killing bad bacteria and fighting inflammation. Inflammation is detrimental to a healthy immune system because when the body is inflamed, it is constantly working overtime trying to fight the cause of the inflammation. Your body is using valuable resources to fight; Energy and disease fighting blood cells, which would be put to better use elsewhere. Keep inflammation away and you will be able to boost your body’s response to invaders. BONUS: garlic, ginger and turmeric are what we call prebiotics, which are like food for your troops (probiotics).
  4. Herbs/Spices: Oregano, Parsley, Cilantro, Cinnamon… these are just a few herbs and spices you should incorporate daily to help ward off disease. They are natures medicine, and they play a powerful role in supporting your health.
  5. Vitamin D: Vitamin D supports the immune system. Deficiencies in Vitamin D can make it easier to become sick. Vitamin D is one of the most important vitamins to add to your daily regime. 
  6. Andrographis: Going back to herbs, Andrographis is an herb commonly used for medicinal purposes in India. There are a lot of ailments which Andrographis can help with, but for the immune system Andrographis aids in killing harmful bacteria. Andrographis is sold in supplement/pill form and should be taken daily, especially when you feel worn down or that something is “coming on”. 
 
Food to avoid for a healthy immune system:
There are many foods that may increase inflammation and cause harm to your immune system, and we are all different, so what is harmful to me may not be harmful to you. To find your triggers, I suggest following an elimination diet or getting a food allergy test. Common inflammatory foods include: Gluten, processed foods, corn, soy, dairy, and for some nightshades. But there is one food that is harmful to everyone…SUGAR.

If you want to decrease your likelihood of getting sick. CUT THE SUGAR! Sugar is food for harmful bacteria. Plain and simple, if you are eating a diet rich in sugar, you are destroying your immune system and opening yourself up to infection. 
Without sugar, disease and bacteria have a lot more trouble thriving.

Yes, we all love donuts, but so does that virus you’re trying to avoid! Do your body a favor, and skip the sugar. Replace it with small amounts of Coconut palm sugar, raw honey (good for avoiding cold/flu), or maple syrup (not mrs. Buttersworth, the real stuff).

Trust me, giving your body what it needs to work properly and building a healthy immune system from within is going to do a lot more for you than that bottle of Lysol will. It is a slower process, but one that will make all the difference in your body’s susceptibility to infection. 
 
A few other tips for avoiding illness are:
Stop obsessing over the idea of getting sick! What you think about you draw into your life. If the idea of catching a virus is starting to cause you anxiety, you are focusing on it way too much. Try cutting the amount that you follow the media coverage. Stop buying into the pandemonium, because it is causing you stress. Which leads me to another important tip: Cut back on stressors and focus on things that help relax your mind. Meditate, pray or whatever brings you peace. Find things that are causing you unnecessary stress and avoid them or say no to them. Stress is a major immune system killer! Day to day stress is unavoidable, of course, but if you have anything in your life which is causing an unhealthy amount of stress/anxiety, find a way to either let it go OR find a balance by incorporating healthy stressing coping mechanisms. 
​
Also, WASH YOUR HANDS.  
1 Comment
Denise link
7/21/2024 01:55:57 pm

This is aa great post thanks

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Blog Categories

    All
    Arizona Health Partners
    Articles By Rebecca
    Beauty Tips
    Blogs By Chef Alex
    Blogs By Chef Corey
    Blogs By Chef Dan
    Blogs By Chef Emira
    Blogs By Chef Giffin
    Blogs By Chef John
    Blogs By Chef Laurent
    Blogs By Chef Lindsay
    Blogs By Chef Matthew
    Blogs By Chef Michelle
    Blogs By Chef Sarah
    Blogs By Chef Whitni
    Chef Life
    Chefs Of WHE
    Collaborations
    Cooking Demo
    Cooking For Kids
    Cooking Tips
    Dairy Free
    Dessert
    Diet Tips
    Drinks!
    Eating Abroad
    Featured Finds
    Fitness
    Global Cuisine
    Gluten Free
    Guest Bloggers
    Health Tips
    Healthy Eating For Pets
    Holiday Tips
    Ingredient Highlights
    Insights For Vegans
    Keto
    Kitchen Tips
    Life And Love
    Organic
    Plant Based
    Recipes
    Restaurant Reviews
    Spring
    Summer

    RSS Feed

    January 2025 Newsletter
    Mid-December 2024 Newsletter
    December 2024 Newsletter
    Mid-November 2024 Newsletter
    November 2024 Newsletter
    October 2024 Newsletter
    Mid-September 2024 Newsletter
    September 2024 Newsletter
    Mid-August 2024 Newsletter
    August 2024 Newsletter
    Mid-July 2024 Newsletter
    July 2024 Newsletter
    Mid-June 2024 Newsletter
    June 2024 Newsletter
    May 2024 Newsletter
    April 2024 Newsletter
    ​Mid-March 2024 Newsletter
    March 2024 Newsletter
    Mid-February 2024 Newsletter
    February 2024 Newsletter
    Mid-January 2024 Newsletter
    January 2024 Newsletter

    ​Past​ Years Newsletters
     


    Mid-December 2023
    December 2023
    Mid-November 2023
    November 2023
    Mid-October 2023
    October 2023
    Mid-September 2023
    September 2023
    Mid-August 2023
    August 2023
    Mid-July 2023
    July 2023
    Mid-June 2023

    June 2023
    ​Mid-May 2023
    May 2023
    Mid-April 2023
    April 2023
    Mid-March 2023
    March 2023
    ​Mid-February 2023
    February 2023
    Mid-January 2023
    ​January 2023
    Mid-December 2022
    December 2022
    ​Mid-November 2022
    November 2022
    ​Mid-October 2022
    October 2022
    ​September 2022​
    Mid-August 2022
    August 2022
    Mid-July 2022
    July 2022
    ​Mid-June 2022
    ​June 2022
    ​Mid-May 2022
    ​May 2022
    Mid-Apr 2022
    APR 2022
    Mid-MAR 2022
    MAR 2022
    Mid-FEB 2022
    FEB 2022
    Mid-JAN 2022
    JAN 2022

Cooking lessons - Recipes - locations - values - publications - Partners - Lifestyle  - Athletes - Restrictions - SPECIAL EVENTS

Sign up for the WHE newsletter for health info, latest in services, recipes and much more!

Sign Up Now
For Email Marketing you can trust.

A personal chef 
​
for your everyday health. 

Ready to learn more and schedule a free consultation?
Call or
click here ​to get things cooking. 
Want to Join the Whole Health Everyday team?
​Click here to apply.

949.235​.7036  OR   623.632.8013
​2549-B Eastbluff Drive #753
​Newport Beach, CA 92660

4815 E. Carefree hwy #108-208
cave creek, az 85331

TikTok @WholeHealthEveryday
Website by Tandem Collaborative
Photo from ella.o
  • Welcome
  • Services
  • Blog
  • Chefs
  • Reviews
  • Contact
  • Weekly Services
  • Events
  • Careers