8 tips to support your immunity
In these uncertain and challenging times during the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important to ensure our body’s immune system is functioning at its best. However, despite what you may have heard, you simply can not boost your immune system, or increase your immunity. No pill, supplement or undertaking the latest detox fad will give you better immunity to protect you from a virus, such as COVID-19. However, the good news is that eating well, getting enough sleep and undertaking regular physical activity will help to support your immune system to keep it functioning at it’s best.
To help get you started here are 8 simple steps you can take, that your immune system will thank you for.
1. Eat mostly whole and less-processed foods.
Eating well and good nutrition is essential for maintaining the body’s immune function. For optimal health, it is recommended to eat mostly whole and less-processed foods. Foods which have undergone as little processing as possible, contain more nutrients which can support the immune system. For a healthy and well-balanced eating pattern which includes plenty of immune-supporting nutrients, eat plenty of vegetables and fruit, some whole grains in place of refined grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and other sources of healthy fats such as oily fish. You may also choose to include non-processed lean meats, poultry and/or dairy.
2. Eat fruit and vegetables from a rainbow of different colours.
Did you know each different colour found in fruit and vegetables provides you with a different range of nutrients? They sure do! So make sure you include plenty of green, red, purple/blue, yellow/orange and white/brown fruits and vegetables in your diet every day.
Some examples of immune-supporting nutrients found in fruit and vegetables include:
Vitamin A (or carotenoids) is what gives fruits and vegetables their yellow/orange colour, so foods like pumpkin, carrots and kumara are naturally a rich source of this nutrient. However, you can also find vitamin A in some green foods, such as dark green leafy vege, because chlorophyll which makes them green, can mask the yellow/ orange colour. Milk and eggs are also good sources of vitamin A.
Iron is found in dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, silverbeet and broccoli. As iron from plant sources is not well-absorbed, it is recommended to include some foods rich in vitamin C at the same meal to help absorption.
Vitamin C is not only found in citrus fruits, like oranges, but it also found in kiwifruit, capsicum, tomatoes, potatoes, berries and broccoli.
Phytonutrients are compounds found naturally in plants. Phenolics (found in most fruit and vegetables) and flavonoids (berries, onions, Brussels sprouts, citrus, kale and parsley) are common phytonutrients which are known to have immune benefits.
3. Choose mostly whole grains, with the grain still intact, rather than refined grains
While many of us only think about their superior fibre content when we think of whole grains, whole grains also contain many vitamins and minerals which can also help to support our immune system. These nutrients include:
Vitamin B6 - which is also found in vegetables and meat
Vitamin E - also found in nuts and vegetable oils
Zinc - also found in nuts, beans, dairy products, meat and shellfish
Iron - also found in red meat, chicken, fish, legumes and dark green leafy vege
Common wholegrains include oats, barley, spelt, rye, quinoa, buckwheat and brown rice.
4. Go nuts! Make sure you're getting enough selenium
Selenium is an important mineral which helps to support the immune system. Sadly our New Zealand soils are low in selenium, meaning our fruit and vegetables are not good sources of this nutrient. However, the good news is that eating just two Brazil nuts a day, will help you meet your daily selenium requirements.
5. Look after your gut
Did you know that ~70% of your immune system is localised in our gut? That’s why it’s super important to make sure that we look after the health of our gut. Having a diet rich in vegetables and fruit, and including whole grains for added fibre, will help to keep your gut functioning at its best. We can also look after our guts by feeding them with good bacteria (probiotics) to help restore the balance of healthily bacteria in the gut microbiome.
Probiotics are live bacteria which provide us (their host) with a proven health benefit. All probiotics induce an immune response and many have been proven to have a number of health benefits within the body. However, while all probiotics are ‘live’ bacteria, not all ‘live’ bacteria have probiotic activity. Different strains of probiotics often offer different health benefits too - they don’t all work in the same way in the body. Therefore, it’s important you choose the right probiotic (and at the right amount) for the job.
Examples of some common probiotics include Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Probiotics can be found in a range of fermented foods including yogurt, cheese, sauerkraut, pickles, kefir, kimchi, miso, sourdough, or kombucha. However, not all fermented foods contain probiotics and not all Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium have probiotic activity.
Tip: Include some fermented foods into your diet every day.
6. Keep hydrated.
Try to drink at least 8 glasses of fluid each day, preferably water. To check whether you’re dinking enough, check the colour of your pee. It should be clear or light in colour. If it’s dark, you need to drink more water.
Ensuring you’re well hydrated, can help to ease the symptoms of colds and flu. Getting enough fluid helps to prevent the throat and nose lining from drying out. Warm fluids are especially helpful as they can help moisten your throat and loosen mucus. Honey drinks (and add a squeeze of lemon for added vitamin C!) have been shown to ease coughing.
7. Get enough sleep
For all the parents out of here, this can sometimes be a very tough ask as your sleep patterns are not your own. However, research shows that when we are well-rested our immune system benefits. When we are running on empty and in a sleep deficit, our immune system can suffer, leaving us more susceptible to picking up bugs. It’s recommended that adults get between 7–9 hours’ sleep every night.
8. Keep moving
Regular moderate intensity exercise has been shown to support our immune system, especially in older adults and those with chronic disease. All movement is beneficial, so try and find ways to move your body by doing something that you enjoy as much as possible. Try standing at your desk, rather than sitting, parking your car a bit further away, taking the stairs (rather than the lift), or playing with your children. All movement counts.
Aim to do at least 30 mins of activity most days a week. Activity can be broken up into intervals and does not need to be completed all in one session.
What about common cold and flu home remedies?
There are some commonly talked about remedies for colds and flu but is there the science to back-up there claims?
Garlic
Garlic has been shown to help reduce the duration of colds and prevent their onset. Try to include garlic in cooking on a regular basis.
Echinacea
Echinacea is a herbal remedy often recommended to help alleviate the symptoms and defend against colds. However, the jury is still out as to whether it does offer any benefit. There is a great deal of conflicting evidence about its effectiveness and more research is required.
Prevention is best
While we can support our immune system by following the 8 tips above, the best chance we have to prevent ourselves from catching bugs, such as COVID-19, is to get vaccinated and to maintain good hygiene practices.
How to protect yourself from COVID-19
Stay home if you are sick and avoid close contact with anyone who is sick,
Wash/sanitise your hands regularly
Wear a face mask where you can
Keep track of your movements
Practice safe cough/sneeze practices
Keep indoor areas well ventilated
Keep surfaces clean
Avoid touching your face
More information about how to protect yourself from COVID-19 can be found on The Ministry of Health website.