The human body is a remarkable machine in so many ways. Your immune system has the ability to fight off harmful bacteria and viruses to keep you healthy. Of course, there’s one caveat:you must stay in good health so that your body’s systems all work as they were designed to work.
Many are not familiar with the term, “Immune Resilience”. This term means that your body is healthy enough that the immune system kicks in when you’re exposed to a virus or bacteria and it protects you. The term, “Resilience” literally means that you can bounce back. Your body might be exposed to all sorts of bacteria throughout a normal work-week. But your immune system works as it was meant to work and you return to a state of homeostasis even after exposure to some really harmful virus.
How to keep your immune system working
The key to this whole process working correctly is to maintain a healthy body, mind and spirit. When we worry, we weaken our immune system. If we eat too much junk food or fast food, we can weaken it. If we stay inside and immobile for long periods, again it weakens the immune system. If you want your immune resilience to operate at peak performance, then it’s important to take care of your health.
What role does nutrition play in immune resilience?
We are what we eat. In order to stay healthy, alert and keep our body’s systems performing at peak levels, we must eat right. Though you’ve probably heard this over and over, it’s still true. Most Americans don’t eat enough healthy greens. Though we can take supplements to help with this, nothing replaces the real thing.
These days, you’ll find all kind of great recipes online to prepare vegetables that are delicious. One favorite is ZUPPA TOSCANA. This soup is made with spicy Italian sausage, fresh kale and russet potatoes in a creamy broth. It’s hearty and delicious. It’s easy and economical to make. You can serve this with cornbread or bread sticks.
General Guidelines
In order to keep your body in a state of Immune Resilience, eat fresh fruits and vegetables daily if possible. Get outside and get some fresh air. Walk, run or exercise. This will help to ensure a healthy body and mind. Try to avoid highly processed foods. These tend to add calories with no nutritional value. The foods below will add nutrition while fueling your body:
- Fresh fruits & vegetables
- Whole grains
- Green leafy vegetables
- Nuts & seeds
- Fish & fish oil
- Beans & lentils
- Coconut & olive oils
- Healthy fats like avocados
Foods like this will provide the antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that our bodies so desperately need.
Tips for eating healthy
Fresh spinach can be added to any salad, soup or casserole. Your family will barely notice it’s there. Plus, it adds to the flavor profile. Try substituting sweet potatoes for russet at least once a week. Keep walnuts, pistachios and other nuts around as snacks. Avoid bringing home unhealthy snacks and foods from the grocery store. If these foods are in the fridge or cupboard, your family will eventually eat them. This includes beverages. Try to serve juice at some meals and watch the label of these products. It may say that the beverage is only 10 percent real juice. The remainder is water, sugar and flavorings.
Keeping your body healthy and eating nutritious foods are your first lines of defense against chronic conditions including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and hypertension.
When you aren’t eating right, your body loses its ability to fight off illnesses like Covid-19 or the common flu. If you eat poorly for long periods of time, your body can be filled with widespread inflammation. Good nutrition plays an important role in optimizing our immunity and preventing inflammatory conditions, especially in high-risk groups.
Keeping your immune system resilient
You can ensure that your immune system remains resilient so it can protect you from all the illnesses and viruses that trouble our society these days. Good, healthy eating habits will help you enjoy your life to the fullest. But chronic diseases may appear after years of poor nutrition. These include:
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Arthritis
- Brain fog
- Heart attack
- Stroke
How we take care of our bodies is important. If we want to be able to fight off the viruses and bacteria that bombard us, then eating right is the way to go. Good hygiene makes a difference and so does clean living.
Feed your microbiome
Microbiome is the word used to describe all genetic material of the microbes that live within us and on us. We have approximately 200 times the number of microbiomes as we do genes. But these amazing elements can be quickly affected by what we eat. It’s so important to keep them healthy and working at full capacity. They protect us from the harmful things in our environment.
In order to keep the microbiomes healthy, eat foods that enhance gut health like sauerkraut, kombucha and kimchi. Avoid sugars, even artificial sweeteners. Drink plenty of filtered water.
Practice Self Care
Last but not least, practice self-care and stress reduction. When we stress out, we weaken our immune system. Take care of your body, mind and spirit. Eat right, exercise, think positive thoughts. Get adequate sleep each night. Take some time off to do the things that you love and enjoy.
