Immune system support starts from the gut
At this time of year, it is no surprise that many of us re-entering society post lockdown are thinking about how we can best support our immune system right now and with the added of wintery mornings and the freezing wind grazing our faces it’s even more important to assist our inner health.
A recent study commissioned by global bioscience company Chr. Hansen showed that many people are actively looking for ways to do this through food.
With results being as follow:
- 72 percent of participants were concerned about their immune health, mostly in relation to their own health and wellbeing.
- Almost half said that current concerns related to immunity had made them more conscious of overall immune health.
- More than one-quarter of the participants have turned to food more frequently to support their immune system at this time.
- 71 percent of participants associate probiotics with helping to support their immune health.
While some might jump straight to medication and supplements, when thinking about our immune system there are actually some extremely natural and effective ways we can ensure optimal immune function with everyday habits and dietary choices.
We wanted to get right into the root so we thought to share with you what a registered nutritionist has to say on this hot topic. Steph Geddes is the founder of Body Good Food, space where she shares a holistic approach to nutrition and brings back balanced and happy relationships with food and our bodies. She’s also the co-owner and the Nutritionist at Linked Training and Nutrition, however, Body Good Food is her main focus these days.
As a registered nutritionist, Steph’s recipes are a revelation for anyone wanting to fuel their immune system with good food that is balanced, easy, and seriously delicious. Today she is sharing with us her top 5 tips for reducing health risks and keeping well over the winter.
Gut Health
With 70-80 percent of our immune cells residing in our gut, it makes sense that foods supportive of gut health are also helpful for immunity.
Probiotics are particularly helpful as they can communicate with the immune cells in the intestine and have a direct effect on creating an optimal environment for gut and immune function.
Steph Geddes
While diversity in probiotics is helpful, it is also important to look for probiotic strains that are clinically demonstrated to provide immune benefit. For example, clinical studies have shown that the bacteria BB-12 increases the body’s resistance to common respiratory infections as well as reduce the incidence of acute respiratory tract infections. Similarly, many clinical studies have demonstrated the impact of probiotic strain LGG on reducing the incidence and duration of flu-like sickness.
High-fibre Foods
Further supporting your gut with your everyday eating habits, as well as supplements like Bio Complete 3 (should you feel you need them), will also be greatly beneficial for immunity and opting for a wide range of fiber-rich foods is best.
Steph recommends incorporating fiber to feed the bacteria in our gut with a mix of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. It also happens that these foods are some of our best sources of immune-supporting nutrients like Vitamin C, zinc, and Vitamin D so it’s a win-win.
Hydration
Increasing the fiber content in your diet can leave you with sluggish bowel movements and unpleasant digestive symptoms. Drinking at least 2 liters of water a day is an extremely important help to soften and bulk your stools which will help to keep gut and immune function optimal. If plain water is not as exciting for you as it might be for your body, try adding your favorite herbs or fruits to the mix.
Exercise
Studies are showing that exercise can stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria in our gut which can also support our immune system. Whilst more research needs to be done in this area to determine the best type, intensity, and duration of exercise, what we know is that consistency of exercise is important as any changes in the composition of bacteria that occur from exercise are lost once the exercise is ceased.
Stress Management
Stress can suppress our immune system and there is a lot of research looking into how the relationship between the gut and the brain may play a part in this. With our gut and brain being able to communicate directly (also referred to as the gut-brain axis) studies are indicating the immune system is one of these communication pathways. Although more research needs to be done in humans, employing stress management tools will go a long way to improving not just your gut and immune system but also overall health.
