Boost Your Immunity

By Venetta Kalu, CNS, ND, MPHA

Against the Cold and Flu Virus Naturally

People of all ages can suffer from the flu and as we have seen, anyone can get COVID, its variants or any other passing virus. Therefore, what can be done to help your immune system lessen the severity of your response to exposure?

It is not practical to live in a bubble to prevent contact with people and the environment. Thus, our priority would be to build up our natural inherent defenses against invaders. Getting additional help with vaccines, boosters, shot of all kinds are helpful, but there is more that we can do to assist our body and help it rather than engage in behaviors that promote sickness, exposure, and breakdown of our defenses.

What Can Be Done Naturally To Boost the Immune System?

Consume foods high in antioxidants. Eating berries cannot be stressed enough. Prepare them smoothie style with yogurt as a base, a green food powder to boost the nutritional value, a healthy fat such as an omega 3 based oil (avocado, Brazil or almond nut butter), and a dash of coconut water to boost the electrolytes.
Eat your zinc and vitamin C by snacking on pumpkin seeds and citrus fruit. There are other foods that are rich in zinc and other fruits that are rich in vitamin C. I particularly favor pumpkin seeds, because they help the body against pathogens.
Consume probiotic-rich foods such as fermented vegetables, yogurt, kombucha drinks, kefir drinks, and miso to enrich your stews and soups with good microbes.
Try not to neglect the cold to increase your circulation.
Sleep helps strengthen your body giving it time to repair itself during the deep sleep cycle.
Crack windows when and where possible to encourage cross ventilation of fresh air.
Keep surfaces clean with white distilled vinegar, citrus cleaners, bleach cleaners – there are a myriad of environmental cleaners available.
Use a good quality hand sanitizer or add a few drops of essential oils of lavender or neem (it has an unpleasant scent) to your very fragrant hand lotion as a natural sanitizer.
Avoid anyone who is infected – not as easy as it may sound.
Avoid crowded places with poor ventilation.
Engage in frequent handwashing.
Refrain from touching your face – easier said than done.

This is a simple list of things to consider keeping yourself and your environment safe from catching whatever is present in the atmosphere where you are.