This time of year there always seems to be something going around, am I right? Whether it's at the office, being passed around your child's classroom, or has penetrated your own household, cold and flu season eventually arrives for everyone.
But does it have to?
If you are someone who finds yourself sick with a cold EVERY year, maybe it's time to ask yourself: Is my immune system in a good place? As a health coach I hate to break it to you but there is nothing common about the common cold. Although cold and flu season has become common place in our culture, getting the cold regularly is your body's way of letting you know that something is off. Of course everyone gets sick occasionally, but if you find yourself struggling with cold, flu, and sinus symptoms all winter long, this is your wake up call! You DO have control over how often you get sick, and how long the recovery process will take. By making simple changes to your diet, lifestyle, and self care routine, you can strengthen your immune system and kiss the common cold good bye for good.
With any good problem solving, it's always best to start at the source. In the case of your immune system that source is located in your gut. 70 percent of your immune system exists in the gut, so it makes sense that a healthier gut means a stronger and healthier you.
Relevant: Learn the basics of good gut health in this post here: Gut Health 101
Your gut is made up of billions of bacteria that tell your body (especially your immune system) how to function. Simply put your body contains good strains of bacteria and bad strains of bacteria. When you aren't properly nourishing your gut through a healthy diet and lifestyle, the bad bacteria starts to outnumber the good, leading to a condition called dysbiosis (which is basically an overgrowth of bad bacteria). When this happens, your immune system becomes compromised and cannot function at full capacity.
Here are some signs that your gut (and immune system) is out of balance:
- Low Energy: poor digestive health compromises your ability to absorb the nutrients from your food, leading to low energy and chronic fatigue
- Seasonal Allergies: poor bacteria in the gut can trigger an improper immune response to your environment
- Eczema or Skin Issues: low grade inflammation in the gut can sometimes express itself as eczema or other skin conditions
- Chronic Colds & Sinus Infections: a suppressed immune response leads to trouble fighting off seasonal invaders and a longer recovery time
If you experience any of these symptoms this time of year, and want to take preventative measures, here are some changes you can make to support your immune system in the long run:
1. Digestive Health:
Since so much of our immune system is located in the gut where digestion takes place, nurturing this area can promote healthy gut bacteria, calm inflammation, and allow the immune system to function optimally.
Try:
Chewing
Take the time to chew your food! This will not only allow you to slow down and enjoy your meal more mindfully, but will make your food easier to digest, decreasing the risk of an immune response
Choose easy to digest foods
Don't get me wrong, a salad is great, but if you're having digestive troubles, raw food is not the way to go. Choose warm, cooked foods such as soups and stews that are easier for your body to digest.
Eat plenty of fiber
Fiber from plant food (your fruits and veggies) feeds good bacteria in the gut and helps remove waste from the body. Choose organic produce when you can, as pesticides and herbicides can promote gut inflammation.
Probiotic foods
Probiotic foods such as fermented veggies, kimchi, kefir, and full fat yogurt are all excellent food sources for promoting good gut bacteria. Taking a probiotic supplement may help as well, but look for companies who carry strains in the billions, and do not use a supplement as a crutch for a poor diet. Fix your diet first, then use the supplement for extra support.
2. Manage Stress:
Think of the last time you were hit with a nasty cold. Was something stressful occuring in your life? As stress levels increase, so does your body's release of cortisol. Elevated levels of cortisol lead to disregulated hormones, a disrupted sleep cycle, and the depletion of essential vitamins and minerals that keep your body functioning properly.
You also have more nerve endings in your gut than in your entire nervous system, so if your nerves are constantly fried you can bet you're causing more inflammation in the gut.
Try:
Breathing
It may sound simple, but it works! Taking time for a few deep breathes during stressful situations returns your body from a sympathetic nervous system response (fight or flight) back to your parasymaptheic nervous system (rest and digest).
My favorite breathing technique to use is the 4-7-8 breathe: Simply breathe in through your nose for 4 counts, hold for 7, and exhale through your mouth for 8. Try this in repetitions of 4.
Make Time for Stillness
Sitting in stillness (meditating) 1-2 times a day is a great way to reduce stress. One of the reasons for this is because meditating can change the way your react to stressful situations. Becoming less reactive to things that trigger you means less time in fight or flight, and more time zenning out feeling good.
Surround Yourself with a Strong Support Team
Reach out to loved ones in stressful situations and ask for support instead of trying to deal with emotions on your own. You may be surprised by how many people in your life have gone through what you are experiencing, and opening up allows others to carry some of your stress and know you aren't alone.
Have 1 Rest Day a Week
It's important to schedule time to do absolutely nothing! In today's world, being busy is glorified as the only way to be, but that easliy leads to stress, burn out, and sickness. Go against the grain by scheduling time for self care. Sleep in, have a movie marathon, take a bath, or go for a hike. Engage in activites where there is no pressure to accomplish anything, and let your mind relax.
Relevant: To learn more about ways to manage stress, check out this post: Manage Stress for a Healthier Life
3. Improve your Sleep:
When you aren't sleeping well, you can't make good decisions for your health. Poor sleep often encourages us to reach for sugary processed foods, because they are high calorie and easy energy sources. Unfortunately, things like sugar and junk food only add more stress to the body.
Insulin is also released during sleep. Without proper sleep, excess insulin causes inflammation in the body, compromising your immune system.
Try:
Exposing yourself to natural sunlight
Getting outside everyday helps regulate your body's circadian rhythm. If you work in an environment with harsh florescent lights, try taking a walk during lunch or after work. Avoid harsh lighting in your home as well, and use things like candles or light dimmers before bed to signal to your body it's time to rest.
Avoid a large meal before bed
Your largest meal should be eaten in the middle of the day, when the sun is highest in the sky. However in mainstream culture, many people enjoy their largest meal in the evening. It takes your body a tremendous amount of energy to digest your food, something you don't want it to be doing while you are trying to sleep!
Create a bedtime routine
Signal to your body it's time to rest by developing a nightly routine. Put the electronics away and engage in mindful activites instead such as yoga, meditation, reading, journaling, or sex. Keep your phone out of the bedroom, as the blue light from the screen disrupts your body's natural production of melatonin.
Relevant: For more tips on getting better sleep, check out this post: Tips for a Good Night's Sleep
Improving your digestion, reducing stress, and getting better sleep are all great practices for strengthening your immune system in the long run. But what do you do if you're already sick? Like I said before, we all get sick occasionally, no matter how strong our immune system is. Although making changes to your diet and lifestyle will serve you more in the long run, sometimes you just need a quick fix.
Here are some tips for getting over a cold in a pinch!
1. Drink LOTS of water
2. Avoid foods that compromise your immune system such as sugar, dairy, refined grains, alcohol, and junk food. These foods irritate the gut, suppress the immune system, cause inflammation, and lead to dehydration.
3. Take the day off and SLEEP. Many people wait until they can't get out of bed to take a sick day, but take time to recover before the cold gets to that point. If you are unable to take off, make sure to go to bed at least an hour earlier, and cancel what you can to make more time for rest.
4. Use natural remedies such as hot tea, honey, and herbs like echinacea & elderberry instead of over the counter cold medicines. Cold medicines simply suppress your symptoms instead of actually healing the body. Natural herbs and super foods will speed up your recovery time faster than manufactured products.