Well, here you are approaching the end of January 2024! By now you’re probably underway with your goals, resolutions, and you’ve been bombarded with ways to get to where you want to be…and stay there. Unforturnately, the new year is filled with options that overpromise and under deliver. There is WAY TOO MUCH focus on how you look on the outside, but not nearly enough focus on what you look like health-wise on the inside. Today, I’m diving into a topic that is close to my heart – eating for immunity. As you navigate the hustle and buslte of the new year and life, it’s crucial that you prioritize your foundational health. It doesn’t really matter what you look like on the outside if dysfunction and disease are running rampant on the inside. I am going to show you how to fortify and strengthen your immune system function and health…one bite at a time!
Your body is an incredible, intricate system that function best when you provide it with the right tools. Imagine your immune system as a shield, defending you against external threats. Now, picture the foods you consume as the bricks and mortar that build and strengthen that shield. This analogy underscores the importance of nourishing our bodies with the right nutrients.
Before I jump in I am going to address the elephant in the room —some foods can be like kryptonite for your immune system. Things that are marketed as ‘healthy’, but really just offer ‘convience’, or present as a way to ‘eat more of the foods you love’ and still lose weight. Here me say that you are not meant to live off of protein and fat alone. You are not meant to eat franker-food that was created in a lab or a factory. It’s not real food, your body has no idea what to do with it, and it impairs your immune function among other things. If you’re looking to boost your immunity, you need to cut back on:
- Excess Sugar: Too much sugar can suppress the effectiveness of your immune cells, making it easier for illnesses to take hold. It’s hidden everywhere wth packaged foods. Sugar-free substitutes are equally destructive to your body.
- Processed Foods: High in artificial additives and low in nutrients, these can compromise your immune function over time. These foods are filled with kidney destroying sodium, endocrine disruptors, carninogens, obesogens, and more.
- Excessive Alcohol: While a glass of wine is okay, overindulging in alcohol can weaken your immune system. It’s not neccessarily the sugar that is destructive in alcohol but the alcohol itself. Alcohol is a neurotoxin and it wrecks your blood sugar response.
I am a big believer in the power of knowing WHY. It’s one thing for me, or anyone else, to tell you avoid ‘these things’, but if you don’t understand the why behind it you are not going to stick with it long term. You end up sticking with it until you reach your goal (or burn out) and then you gradually slide back into your old behaviors. I get it and you’re not alone. That was me too. There is a HUGE difference between you cutting out processed foods because I said to and you understanding that when you eat processed foods you are eating cancer causing preservative and chemicals that create obesity. See what I mean? Big difference!
Now, let’s get to the good stuff—how to fuel your body for immunity. Eating for immunity isn’t complicated. but it IS individualized. Before I jump in I want to point out a couple of things. First, there is no ‘healthy food’ for everyone accross the board. What your body tolerates is likely not what my body tolerates. It depends on your individual gut health and cellular health. This is why I am such a big advocate of proper testing. Personalized nutrition is the pathway to optimal health. If you haven’t done the right testing, please reach out to me so I can support you and help you move forward. Second, food quality matters! When you eat organic food you are eating 3 or fewer pesticide residues. When you eat non-organic you are eating no less than 12 pesticide residues. By pesticides I mean round up and similar derivatives. Pesticides are poision, poison is toxic, and the more toxic load your body has the more your health and immunity decline.
Now, let’s get to the good stuff—how to fuel your body for immunity and strengthen your immune system one bite at a time!
Practical Strategies to Strengthen Your Immune System One Bite at a Time
1. Colorful, Nutrient-Rich Foods:
- Load up on fruits and veggies with vibrant colors. Think berries, spinach, bell peppers—these are packed with antioxidants. It is the different nutrients that give these foods their different colors. When you eat the rainbow each day you are eating a wide varient of these important nutrients.
2. Lean Proteins:
- Include sources like poultry, fish, beans, and lentils. Protein is crucial for the development and function of immune cells. When you don’t eat enough protein your body cannot effectively do these functions. Choose organic, whole food protein options whenever possible. Packaged and processed proteins (tofu, packaged sausages, lunchmeat, etc) are typically high in sodium, are carcinogenic, and contain endocrine dysruptors and other harmful chemicals.
3. Healthy Fats:
- Avocados, nuts, and olive oil are excellent choices. Healthy fats support the production of immune cells and reduce inflammation. Know that your heart is a lipid-based organ which means whatever fats you put into your body hit your heart first. Make smarter choices! Don’t choose non-organic fats that are filled with toxins, don’t cook with olive oil – use it on warm/room temp/cold dishes, cook with high heat oils like coconut and/or avocado, and don’t over do it on the fats. Focus on 2-3 servings of healthy fats per day.
4. Probiotics:
- Kraut, Kimchi, kefir, and other fermented foods nourish your gut with good bacteria, positively impacting your overall immune function. Raw and organic is always the better option for these foods. Choose non-dairy options as dairy is acidic upon digestion and it is an inflammatory food. Also, not everyone tolerates fermented foods. If you have histamine issues these foods are not your friend; a therapeutic probiotic supplement is a better fit for you. (Hint: you are not going to find it off the shelf in a store)
5. Hydration:
- Drink plenty of water. It’s essential for all bodily functions, including the proper functioning of your immune system.
Remember, there is no such thing as perfect. Perfect is a lie; perfect is not sustainable. This is about making small, sustainable shifts that move you in a better direction. Small sustainable shifts add up to transformational results! Also, remember that without proper testing you can’t have personalized nutrition for your individual body. Your body might not tolerate some of these foods, or it might have an IgG Delayed Food Sensitivy immune response to them. Eating Delayed Food Sensitivities, knowingly or unknowingly, will always drive up your systeming inflammation, put your body in a state of chronic stress, and destroy your immune function. Personalized nutrition is a big deal, it’s just not the only piece to immune health. Your lifestyle matters too; they go hand in hand. You cannot out eat a bad lifestyle and you cannot use lifestyle to undo a poor diet. Let’s look at 3 of the biggest lifestyle pieces when it comes to strengthening your immune health.
- Quality Sleep: Aim for 7-8 hours. Your body repairs and regenerates while you sleep, crucial for a robust immune system. Too much and too little sleep will work against you. In fact, when you don’t get proper sleep you supress your immune function the following day up to 70%!
- Regular Exercise: Move your body regularly. It boosts circulation and contributes to a healthy immune system. Here me say that I am NOT talking about over-exercising. More is not better; better is better. When you over-execise you end up damaging your adrenal health and your immune health takes a hit. Getting in movement can be as simple as walking, hiking, biking, yoga, etc.
- Release Stress: Chronic stress can suppress immune function. Incorporate stress-relieving activities like meditation, jurnaling or deep breathing. Stress is as damaging to your body as a poor diet. This is not about managing your stress. Managing implies you are trying to control it. What you want to do instead is process it out and release it so it is not keeping your inflammation high and your immune health suppressed.
Embarking on this journey alone can be daunting. Trust me, I know. I spent over a decade trying to navigate all of this on my own. The reality is that there is a ton of conflicing information out there , plus it can often feel overwelming when you’re on this road alone.
That’s where my group coaching membership community steps in. It is everything I wish I had in my own healing journey. By joining my membership group coaching community, you’ll experience:
- Guidance Tailored to You: Personalized advice based on comprehensive testing for a targeted approach.
- Community Support: Connect with like-minded individuals, share your successes, and get motivated.
- Regular Coaching Sessions: Dive deeper into nutrition, lifestyle, and wellness topics, making your journey simple, sustainable, and enjoyable.
Make 2024 the year you take your health seriously AND prioritize it. Set yourself up for lasting, sustsinable success. Elevate your wellness, boost your immunity, and join us on this transformative journey. Your health is your greatest asset, and I’m here to make it the best it can be.
My challenge to you is to intentionally eat for your immune health one bite at a time.
I’d love to hear from you!
What was your biggest takeaway or ah-ha moment?
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In Health,
Kelly Calkins, BCHN®
A holistic approach to recovering your health.
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