Cold & flu season is upon us.. especially those of us with children. Coming down with some sort of bug seems almost inescapable this time of year. While you will certainly read plenty of articles or see hacks touting how to “boost” your immune system, this is not actually possible!

However, what we are looking to do during this period is help our body’s immune system function optimally. Therefore, when we encounter these germs, which we most certainly will, we are able to minimize the occurrence and severity of symptoms.

Here are 5 simple and effective steps we can add to our everyday routine to help our immune system function at it’s best.

Eat Whole Foods

Eat a nutrient-dense and balanced diet focused on fiber, fat, and protein. This will optimize your gut health, lower inflammation, and provide you with bioavailable vitamins and minerals the body needs to function properly. Definitely limit sugar and alcohol as they are two main promoters of inflammation and are known to disrupt sleep.

Get Good Sleep

Getting good sleep lays the foundation for our body’s ability to function at all levels. If we aren’t getting adequate sleep, which I know can be tough with small kids, it can affect our mood, our stress levels, gut health, and yes… immunity. Try getting into bed around the same time every night so you’re body can get used to knowing it’s time to power down. Skip phone use about an hour before bed for the same reason. Ditch the caffeine after 12 pm if you notice you have trouble falling asleep. Consider adopting a short meditation or breathwork practice at some point during your day to lower cortisol and help promote relaxation.

Stimulate The Lymphatic System

Think of the lymphatic system as one of the body’s sewer systems. It is vitally important to keep our lymph flowering so that it doesn’t back up, causing stagnation, especially in the adenoids and tonsils. These two main collection points in the lymphatic system work by catching germs as they come in through the mouth and the nose… which is quite important during cold and flu season.

A few great ways to keep our lymphatic system moving are exercise, gua sha (how-to HERE), and dry brushing (how-to HERE).

Get Outside

Fresh air, even when it's cold, is a fantastic way to lower stress levels, get a little natural vitamin D exposure, and keep your circadian rhythm in check. All of these factors help reduce inflammation and promote sleep allowing the body and the immune system to function properly. Make it a point to spend even just 10 minutes outside each day.

Supplement To Fill The Gaps

While we should be doing everything we can to get our vitamins and minerals from the food we eat, often times due to a variety of reasons we fall short. There are also a handful of herbs that we don’t come across in our day-to-day diet that provide added health benefits.

Zinc

Zinc is critical for T-cell development. T-cells help the body destroy and eliminate pathogens, so their function is vital for an optimal immune system response. Zinc also aids proper metabolic function, protein synthesis, and a variety of cellular enzyme reactions.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D supports the immune system by lowering inflammation and promoting optimal function of a variety of immune cells. Vitamin D also plays an important role in bone density, lowers the risk of diabetes, and promotes heart health.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C aids the immune system by supporting white blood cell function as well strengthening the skin barrier, which is our body’s first line of defense. Vitamin C is also known as an antioxidant that helps fight cellular damage and promotes heart and eye health.

Echinacea

Echinacea is an herb that is shown to help increase white blood cells which helps to fight off infections. It is also shown to lower inflammation and blood sugar levels, as well as having antiviral properties.

Oil of Oregano

Oil of oregano is known to have natural antiviral and antibacterial properties that can support the immune system against pathogens. It is an antioxidant that is also beneficial for gut health and lowering blood pressure.