“Is it possible to enhance my immune function?”
It’s complicated. According to Harvard Health, there are supplements that boost certain immune cells, but it’s unclear if the boost in cells subsequently boosts overall immune function. This is because the immune system requires BALANCE. Harvard Health asks: “Which cells do we need to boost? And to what number? So far scientists don’t know the answer.” This blog will cover the following topics in relation to immunity: Nutrition, Exercise, Obesity, and Stress Management.
There is evidence that having enough of the following vitamins & minerals is important for having a healthy immune system:
Vitamin A
Vitamin B6
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Vitamin D (found to be deficient in 97% of severe Covid cases, according to medpagetoday.com)
Zinc
Selenium
Iron
Copper
Folic Acid
Again, the immune system requires BALANCE. So it may not be better to take one of these. If you believe you are deficient, Harvard Health recommends taking a multivitamin. You can track your food on a service like My Fitness Pal and to investigate if you’re eating nutrient rich foods! Check out last month’s posts on Instagram (joyfulfitnessnyc) or Facebook (Joyful Fitness NYC) to learn more about Mindful Eating. What we eat matters for our health in so many ways- not solely the immune system!
Exercise has great potential to boost immune system function. According to Harvard Health, exercise may improve immune function by “promoting good circulation, which allows the cells and substances of the immune system to move through the body freely and do their job efficiently.” The National Institute of Health claims other theories support why exercise may improve immune system function:
Flush out bacteria out of lungs and airways
prevent bacteria from growing
slows down stress hormones and lower stress hormones may protect against illness
Obesity (defined by the American College of Sports Medicine as a body fat over 30%) can hinder the immune system. One possible explanation is that obesity increases pro-inflammatory cells and decreases anti-inflammatory cells. This change seems to affect the activation of immune cells. Another explanation is that obesity may trigger cell death from lack of oxygen which stimulates excessive inflammation. The Center for Disease Control is clear. Obesity worsens outcomes for COVID-19. One reason is obesity can affect the respiratory system and COVID attacks this system. Everyone is different and there are various causes that can make it extremely difficult to maintain body fat under 30%. There are healthy possibilities to maintain body fat under 30%. Better health is possible at ANY size! These possibilities do not include any type of crash dieting.
Remember- even if you mean well- never comment on a person’s personal weight. This is an extremely sensitive issue for many people and no matter how helpful you think you’re being- you’ll likely do way more harm than good. A person’s weight is between them and their health care team. Let’s keep private health- PRIVATE.
The relationship between stress and immune system function is not clear. Stress is subjective. It seems it’s not stress itself that can cause poor health- it is really a matter of how stress is handled. Stress is inevitable. It’s the response TO the stress that can decide how it will impact our health. Remember to #DefendYourHealth and talk to your doctor about your stress levels. Therapy can be a powerful, effective method towards healing!
The following are ideas on effective ways to manage stress:
Exercise
Eat healthy
Journal
Yoga (check out Unwind on indoorphins.fit)
Body Scan
Check Out the free Tapping Solution app
Take a bath (maybe with epsom salt- there is some data that magnesium may help with anxiety)
Even if you think you absolutely just CANNOT- make time to take care of your physical appearance like hair, skin, nails, and wardrobe
#DefendYourHealth- we get one go around at this thing called life- let’s take care of the shell that houses our soul!
In Good Health,
Coach Joy