Naturopaths Guide to Winter: How To Support Your Immune System Naturally
Written By Kate Shore - 5th November, 2022
As the weather is getting cooler and the sniffles are coming thick and fast, more and more conversations in clinic have been around supporting immune function! What can we do? What foods are helpful in supporting immune function? Are there any supplements that actually strengthen immune system function? Are there any ways to naturally boost immune system quickly? Why do my kids bring home all the germs and how to boost my kids immunity?
A strong immune system is a crucial part of your whole health, and is important in everything from fighting off the common cold or flu, minimising allergies, supporting autoimmune conditions and recovering from infections. And the good news is there is lots we can do as individuals to improve our immune system! But first, let’s look deeper at how does the immune system work.
What is the immune system?
Our immune systems consist of a network of organs and cells that you probably already know of, such as lymph nodes, tonsils and white blood cells that all work together to resist infection. But our immune system is actually so much more than these individual organs - it is a sophisticated system that can be divided up into two major parts:
Innate immune system - this is our immune system that we are born with - think skin, mucous membranes and the general inflammatory response that we’re all capable of e.g. fever and inflammation. This part of our immune system is what we call first line of defence - literally the first defence that our body has against germs by keeping them out and/or attacking them quickly. It is also known as our non-specific immune system and includes immune cells such as natural killer cells (1).
Adaptive immune system - this is our immune protection that we develop over our lifetime as we come into contact with different germs, and develop the ability to recognise them and recover more quickly. It comes into play when germs are able to evade the first line of defence, and more a more specific response is needed in the form of T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes and antibodies (1).
These systems work together to fight off infection and illness and we want them to be working well. Our daily lives, what we eat, our stress, sleep and exercise can all have a huge impact on our ability to resist infection.
A little note on gut health
It would be remiss of me to talk about immune health without taking a moment to mention gut health, because over 70% of our immune system actually lies in our gut! Think about that for a minute - the food you are eating, recurrent symptoms of diarrhoea or constipation, immune depressors such as antibiotics and alcohol - all these things that are come into contact with your gut environment are also in contact with the majority of your immune system… how do you think this is going to be affecting your ability to resist infection and prevent illness?
In addition to this, our gut cells are some of the first cells that come in contact with and respond to germs, acting as sensors that can trigger an immune response. Having a healthy gut environment with a good balance of gut bacteria, a gut lining with good integrity and a healthy mucus layer lining the digestive track supports optimal functioning of our immune system.
Disruption to a healthy gut environment can come about from antibiotics, alcohol, food allergens, stress and other digestive dysfunction. But the good news is that we can support our gut health through our food choices such as sufficient fibre and prebiotics, and in turn nourish our immune system…. read on to find out how!
So how can we support our immune function?
Taking all this into consideration, good immune function starts with the basics: wholefoods, sufficient sleep, movement, hydration and stress relief. All the super foods and supplements in the world can’t save you from a diet that is lacking in the nutrients your body needs. So what does that look like? Here are my best tips:
Eating for your immune system
EAT WHOLE FOODS
Rather than focusing on particular nutrients, focus on eating wholefoods. Literally. Foods that are whole - or those that are as close to their natural state as possible - think whole pieces of fruit and vegetables, whole-grains, legumes and pulses, meat and fish prepared at home, from scratch, with real food. Refined and packaged foods often have the nutrients stripped out of them. For example, consider a whole apple which contains fibre, which slows the intake of sugar and can be a filling snack, vs apple juice that is highly processed, full of natural sugars that are quickly absorbed in your body and doesn't fill you up.
VARIETY & COLOUR IS KEY
By adding variety into your diet you can maximise the amount of important nutrients you are getting. If you always stick to the same foods you may be missing some crucial vitamins and minerals.
Colour is also important as brightly coloured fruits and vegetables are high in powerful antioxidants. Think blueberries, purple cabbage, red capsicum, sweet potato and beetroot. Different coloured foods also contain different types of nutrients, so focus on eating the rainbow to maximise nutrient intake.
PROTEIN
Adequate protein in the diet is crucial! Protein is made up of amino acids that are literally the building blocks of our body - including our immune cells. Without enough protein our body cannot make the cells it needs to fight off or resist infection.
The standard recommendation (2) is 0.8g of protein per kilo of body weight per day. For example for a 70kg person: 70 x 0.8g = 56g. Divide your requirements by your meals and snacks and aim for around 20g in a main meal and 5-15g in snacks.
Good protein sources include meat, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, tofu, legumes, quinoa and chia. To give you a rough guide, 6 grams of protein is 1 large egg, 10 almonds, 1/2 cup of kidney beans or 2 tablespoons of peanut butter.
FIBRE
Fibre is important for so many reason but in regards to immune function specifically, it feeds our healthy gut bacteria (4), and as we discussed already - healthy gut bacteria is important for a healthy immune system! To boost your fibre intake aim for 5 serves of vegetables and 2 serves of fruit (minimum!), or build up from there!
CULINARY HERBS AND SPICES
Not only do many of the culinary herbs and spices like garlic, turmeric, ginger, thyme and oregano add flavour to your cooking, but they contain powerful immune supporting chemicals and nutrients. Try to include some of these in your cooking to boost your immune function (3).
What causes a weakened immune system?
Along with a diet lacking the nutrients it needs for immune cells, there are some big players that can have a huge effect on your immune system, such as antibiotics that disrupt the gut environment and can contribute to increased susceptibility to infection (6). Diet wise, foods like sugar, coffee and alcohol can also interfere with your gut health and immune cells if consumed in excess or inappropriate amounts (5).
Other lifestyle factors to consider include lack of sleep and high levels of stress, so prioritising rest and recovery, and activities that bring joy and fun can go a long way to supporting your health and preventing illness.
Supplements
So, once we’ve got the basics sorted, are there really any supplements that can boost your immune system quickly and are they really necessary?
Well, it depends. Focusing on a whole foods diet high in nutrients will always be better for you than looking for a quick fix in a powder or pill, but sometimes there is a place for supplementation during times of increased need or low intake. But with so many supplements available these days, it can be hard to know what you might need and what it is you are actually getting.
Things to consider before self prescribing anything:
Is it necessary? Do you actually need this product? Many deficiencies can be determined with a proper health consult or with a blood test through your GP or naturopath.
Quality matters - you don't want a product filled with unnecessary fillers and preservatives.
Safety is paramount - be aware of daily dosage limits as some nutrients can cause nausea, or worse, be toxic in excess amounts, and others may need to be taken at certain times of the day, away from medications or other nutrients to optimise absorption.
Therapeutic dosages - many supplements available over the counter or at supermarkets have insufficient levels of nutrients and herbs to really be therapeutically effective.
Forms of nutrients are also important - some forms are absorbed better than others!
Some vitamins can be contraindicated in certain conditions or pharmaceuticals and may reduce or increase medication efficacy.
It needs to be noted: before adding any supplements to your regular regime, it is advisable to get professional advice from a GP, naturopath or nutritionist.
Immune guide
If you haven’t downloaded it yet, you can dive deeper into how to support your immune function by downloading my FREE IMMUNE GUIDE here.
If you want to keep learning, you can look further at the research here:
(1) InformedHealth.org (2020). Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) The innate and adaptive immune systems.
(2) Nutrient Reference Values for Australia & New Zealand: https://www.nrv.gov.au/nutrients/protein
(3) Isbill, J., Kandiah, J., & Kružliaková, N. (2020). Opportunities for Health Promotion: Highlighting Herbs and Spices to Improve Immune Support and Well-being. Integrative medicine (Encinitas, Calif.), 19(5), 30–42.
(4) Shokryazdan, P., Faseleh Jahromi, M., Navidshad, B., & Liang, J. B. (2016). Effects of prebiotics on immune system and cytokine expression. Medical Microbiology and Immunology, 206(1), 1–9.
(5) Molina, P. E., Happel, K. I., Zhang, P., Kolls, J. K., & Nelson, S. (2010). Focus on: Alcohol and the immune system. Alcohol research & health : the journal of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 33(1-2), 97–108.
(6) Becattini, S., Taur, Y., & Pamer, E. G. (2016). Antibiotic-Induced Changes in the Intestinal Microbiota and Disease. Trends in molecular medicine, 22(6), 458–478. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molmed.2016.04.003