Tag Archives: immune system

Immune System

How to boost your immune system naturally

Healthy Me,

The best defense we have against infections and disease is our body’s natural immune system. Overall, the body possesses its own remarkable internal defence system to help fight infections and germs that we are exposed to on a day-to-day basis. When a healthy body is attacked by germs, our immune system quickly eliminates them. Once attacked by these foreign substances, the body also receives lasting immunity from the antigen as the body learns to recognise it and fight it off. The immune system develops specific antibodies designed to match and destroy these foreign invaders.

The immune system unfortunately can be weakened by various suppressors such as surgery, long and chronic illness, extreme physical and emotional stress – such as the pandemic  we are going through right now, improper nutrition, lack of sleep, exposure to toxic chemicals and immunosuppressing medications.

Ways to strengthen your immune system

The immune system is a complex system of specialized cells that defend the body from infections and disease-causing organisms. The lymphatic system, the liver, spleen, and the thymus all share a responsibility in resisting disease. To keep the immune system working in top condition, there needs to be a harmonious balance in the various systems of the body. So how we create that balance?  Let’s start with the basics:

1. A healthy lifestyle is one of the key steps to get your immune system working properly.  I cannot stress this enough. In practice, I cannot tell you how many I have seen huge improvements in the immune response when clients change habits to a healthier lifestyle, and the frequency and duration of colds and flus drop dramatically, among other health improvements. So, what are some of changes you could make to have a healthier lifestyle?

  • Try to reduce stress.
  • Have a diet that is nutritious. A diet that is high in good quality proteins, vegetables, and fruits.
  • Exercise regularly. Going for walks in nature is good for the mind and great for the body and helps to reduce stress as well. 
  • Try to sleep at the same time daily and get at least 7 – 8 hours of sleep and allow the body to recharge.
  • Quit smoking. With Every puff you inhale over 60 different harmful chemicals directly into your lungs.
  • Drink – plenty of water, and if you drink alcohol, decrease your intake of alcohol.

2. Improving immunity with herbs, supplements, and vitamins

Walk into a health food store and you will see aisles full of health products, vitamins and supplements that make various claims of health boosting benefits, right?  Go online, and you can read about all types of vitamins and herbs that claim to be helpful for various ailments. 

Here is my recommendation when it comes to taking various vitamins and supplements. There are immunologic problems related to specific nutrient deficiencies in the body. However, to identify what these deficiencies are, talk to your naturopathic doctor first before starting any supplements or vitamins.

Listen to the health professionals. Naturopathic doctors have excellent training in this area and have the knowledge to suggest a product or a supplement based on a proper assessment.

As a naturopathic doctor, to improve your health and immune function naturally, especially if have been getting sick frequently, and have colds, flu and other respiratory illness that last a long time, the first thing I usually recommend after a comprehensive symptom intake, is a battery of tests to check for the immune function, adrenal status, and vitamin- mineral status.  

Once we identify what is lacking in the body, recommendations for specific vitamins, herbs and supplements are made based on that, and I have found that to be the best way of improving not just the immune system, but overall health as well. 

Please ask your doctor or naturopath before starting on any supplements. It is better to first identify the cause and then treat it with the right remedies, even though those mentioned above have minimal side effects.

If you are interested in improving your health and wellbeing, or improving your immune system, call us today to schedule your initial naturopathic consultation with Dr. Sushma Shah, please call us at 416 9134325 (HEAL) or email us [email protected]

* DISCLAIMER: The information on this article is the property of Dr. Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor, and is not intended to treat, diagnose, or cure any diseases or promote any services or products mentioned on the website.

Boosting Your Immune System For The Fall Season

Healthy Me

As the weather changes from Summer to Fall, and the temperature drops, do you tend to get sick often? Do you get frequent colds and flus? Do you tend to catch everything that goes around at work?

If yes, your immune system function may not be optimal. This can happen due to various factors, such as lack of sleep, constant stress and fatigue, lifestyle and dietary factors.

Here are some ways to improve your immune system naturally.

  • Try to supplement your body with the right kinds of nutrients and diet.A diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables with whole, unprocessed food is one was to ensure this.  A higher dose of Vitamin C – 1000 mg up to three times a day may be beneficial in some cases.
  • Not getting enough rest / sleep over a period of time weakens the body’s defense system in general, not to mention the fatigue that follows. Its very important to make sure you get at least 7 – 8 hours of sleep per night. If you are having sleeping problems, talk to your naturopathic doctor.
  • Stress is a huge factor when it comes to having sob optimal immune function. When the body is under stress for a prolonged period of time, it affected the adrenal glands, which help the body adapt to stress. The adrenal glands get burned out eventually and this is when you experience you new symptoms you might not have had before such as immune suppression / dysfunction, new allergies, weight gain in the waist , not waking up well rested and fatigue. It is important to try to reduce your stress levels or manage your stress better using diet, exercise and natural supplements.
  • It is important as well to avoid substances that stress the body out – Avoid caffeine, alcohol and tobacco, as well, processed and high salt foods.
  • Exercise is great for the mind and the body. It helps with circulation and is great overall as it gets the adrenaline flowing through the system, which in turn helps release various hormones in the body , which help you feel better in general as well, those white blood cells which are a huge part of your immune defense circulating. I generally recommend to exercise regularly at least 3 – 4 times a week for at least 30 – 40 minutes.

Other factors that might influence your immune function may be certain diseases or drugs that suppress the immune function. Always talk to your naturopathic doctor before starting in any health or lifestyle regimen change as they will be able to guide you in the right direction when it comes to healing your body naturally.

BY: Sushma Shah, Toronto Naturopath, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.

Natural Immune System Boosters

Healthy Me, , ,

As the weather changes, you hear more and more people coming into the office with sniffles and coughs. So what we all can do to decrease the chances of falling ill is to boost our immune system naturally using simple natural therapies and supplements.

One of the best ways to keep your immune system in check is to make sure you get at least 7 hours of sleep a night. You are most likely to get if you have not been sleeping well and are already run down and stressed, especially this time of year. Your body replenishes / restores itself through sleep and diet, so its very important to make sure you are getting enough sleep. If you are feeling stressed or are chronically stressed, your immune system will suffer and leave you more susceptible to getting sick, so make sure you are managing your stresss well. Acupuncture and massage are great as relaxing therapies that will help improve your immune function.

Diet plays a role too. Eating foods that are naturally very high in Vitamin C and antioxidants, along with high sterol contents and zinc are excellent to support the immune system.  Try to include plenty of broccoli, dark colored fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds – especially pumpkin and walnuts in your diet. Herbs such as thyme, basil and marjoram along with ginger, garlic and onions have strong anti viral, anti bacterial and anti fungal properties, and are great for taste and boosting immune function when added in cooking.

Personal hygiene is another factor that is important in preventing influenza and coughs.  Its good to keep a hand sanitizer with you especially if you are using transit often. Keep you hands away from touching your eyes, nose and mouth if you have been in contact with someone who has been ill. Hand washing is key when it comes to preventing spread of bacteria and viruses that cause most common colds and coughs.

So stay safe and healthy in this cold season using simple natural therapies.

By: Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.