Immunity Blueprint: Boost Your Defenses Naturally!

Lately, it seems that even in a presumably vitamin D-abundant, sunny paradise such as Southern California, there is an epidemic of flu and colds, and this year’s strain is particularly violent, vicious, and virulent. Especially now with social media, it becomes painfully evident how prevalent it truly is, affecting even some of the strongest, healthiest people we know. While there are countless ways to avoid becoming a seasonal statistic, here are a handful of practical, proven, effective, and inexpensive ways to boost your immunity.

I’ve tried to convey some of the medical jargon in user-friendly terminology, to avoid confusion or the need to Google every other word.

Eat REAL FOOD… Cut processed foods and especially simple sugars. That means no candy, junk food, or especially soda. Eat more veggies, fruits, nuts, and fermented (probiotic-rich) foods (kefir, sauerkraut, natto, kombucha, kimchee, miso, pickles, and olives). The friendly-bacteria found in these foods will have a beneficial effect on your gut, where a giant part of your immune system resides. Also, start cooking with coconut oil, which is arguably the closest thing to a cure-all (or at least a help-all), with its antiviral, antifungal, antibiotic, and anti-(insert agent of evil here) properties. Every home should have a bucket of coconut oil. It’s that powerful. Get some.

Sleep more/better! The American Philosopher Nas once rapped “Sleep is the cousin of death.” (Note: Nas “borrowed” it from Shakespeare, who probably borrowed it from Thomas Sackville, Earl of Dorset). Plagiarizing notwithstanding, sleep has been shown in many studies to affect immunity in multiple ways, acting as a neuroimmunomodulator. That’s a pretentious, pompous, and grossly unnecessary way of saying “If your sleep sucks, your immunity will suck and you’ll probably get sick.” In short: put away that cell phone, and go to sleep earlier…that extra hour of Z’s will make ALL the difference.

Grounding/Earthing…this one is fascinating. A growing body of evidence has almost unanimously concluded that the benefits of physical contact with the Earth’s surface generates a kind of “electrical nutrition” with antioxidant and antiinflammatory effects. Directly from Pubmed, the repository of peer-reviewed studies used by academics, researchers, and other overeducated people worldwide, it states “This body of research has revealed that grounding/earthing is a simple, natural, and accessible clinical strategy against the global epidemic of noncommunicable, degenerative, and inflammatory-related diseases.” So take off your shoes, and get to skipping–grass or sand is best, 15-20 minutes each day is great! Find your inner hippie! Ever seen a sick hippie? Didn’t think so. Carry on.

Vitamin D…deficiency is related to both autoimmunity and susceptibility to infections. While the sun is the ideal source, the cold or flat out absence of sun might make supplementation a feasible option. If you haven’t gotten tested, checking your vitamin D levels is of crucial importance. No matter how great your nutrition may be, chances are your vitamin D levels are low. Get on ’em.

See your Chiropractor! Chiropractic adjustments can helps boost immunity by improving the nervous system’s ability to communicate with and control the immune system. Some research has shown that chiropractic adjustments can reduce inflammation and boost white blood cell counts, which helps strengthen immunity.

Lastly, if you DO get sick, go back to Abuela’s basics: rest up, sleep well, stay hydrated, drink tons of (organic) chicken soup and bone broth, and be patient. The human body has a phenomenal ability to heal itself, if we simply give it the raw materials it needs and the single most important factor in any type of healing: TIME. Time heals all, with few exceptions.

ADDENDUM, BONUS REMEDY: Once the sickness has taken hold, an interesting and effective remedy is hydrogen peroxide in the ear. It’s simple: put a few drops of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) into each ear. It’ll start bubbling and feel warm, and in a few cases, mild stinging occurs. Wait until the bubbling subsides (usually 4-5 min) then roll over and drain the H2O2 onto a tissue and repeat in the other ear. Do this every 3-4 hours, until the sickness subsides.

Hope this helps, and happy healing!