Page 76 - Southern Oregon Magazine Winter 2018

the good life | ask nisha

T-cells drop with excessive stress. Adding a couple 10 minute “unplug-
ging breaks” into your day where you are not in a hurry, not answering
emails, texts or phone calls, and breathing deeply, can not only boost
your immunity by lowering cortisol and stress, but will ultimately
clear your mind and improve your productivity.
SUNSHINE VITAMIN IN THE WINTER
Vitamin D takes the prize for best protection against the flu virus.
During the non-summer months of the year, when the sun is less avail-
able, vitamin D levels plummet, reducing our natural immunity against
viral attacks. Vitamin D should be taken as a daily supplement with
food (food with fat is preferable.) Consider having your Vitamin D
blood levels checked. We offer this in our office to all our patients to
ensure that Vitamin D levels are optimal throughout the crucial winter
months.
GET WATERED
During winter months, people just do not drink enough water, often
10 Steps to Boost Your Immunity: leading to dehydration, exhaustion, recirculating of toxins and lowered
immunity. Water keeps your system moving, expelling bacteria and
viruses all day long. With the first sign of sickness, increase your water
MOVE IT ON OUT intake and strive to get a daily water minimum of four liters per day for
Exercise is one of the most important players in boosting your immune men and three liters per day for women.
system naturally, as well as improving your overall health. Research has
shown that regular exercise can reduce your risk of getting a cold by NO SUGAR ADDED
over 30%. Additionally, exercise boosts endorphin levels, which sup- Research continues to show that high sugar intake reduces killer T
port the immune system and happy moods, while reducing anxiety and cells. Even a glass of orange juice (what you often reach for when you
shedding body fat. The rise in body temperature from exercise has also are sick) compromises your body’s ability to fight a virus. Start reading
been shown to kill and flush out bad bacteria from your system, while labels and reducing or eliminating foods that are high glycemic foods or
mobilizing antibodies and white blood cells to detect the development have added sugar. A meal or snack with excessive sugar can reduce your
of illness earlier. Walking outside in nature stimulates a positive mood, body’s immunity for up to five hours following consumption.
provides fresh air for virus protection, and stimulates your metabolism
with lower temperature exposure. TEA TREE HANDS
Tee Tree, an essential oil comes from the leaves of the Melaleuca tree. Tea
EASY ON THE ALCOHOL tree has strong antimicrobial properties and can kill off germs and harm-
If you are consuming more than a small glass of wine at night, you ful bacteria. A recent study showed that Tea Tree can be effective against
might want to consider that excessive alcohol or binge drinking (more the influenza virus. Use drops of this essential oil rubbed into your hands
than 4-5 drinks in a 2 or 3-hour period) taxes your immune system and as a natural hand sanitizer, or dilute it in your favorite carrier oil, or
reduces your body’s natural defenses. Even one night of heavy drinking consider using it as aroma therapy by take inhalations before and during
can send you into a viral tailspin and take you from the stage of “just travel or in crowded areas where germs are likely to be circulating.
about to get sick” into a full viral-bacterial body attack.
SLEEP LIKE A BABY
Not only does sleep get you into a better frame of mind and help your
brain work better, it also allows you to fully recover and regenerate
each day. The Mayo Clinic has shown that lack of sleep wears out your
immune system and make it vulnerable to attacks, while slowing down
recovery time from illness. Additionally, proteins released while sleep-
ing called cytokines help fight infections in your system. Getting seven
or more hours of sleep is imperative to a healthy immune system.

UNPLUGGING YOURSELF
The American Psychological Association states that excessive chronic
stress weakens our immune system. Over-stimulated and over-hur-
ried, over-worried with stress, along with over-packed schedules will
run your system down in a flash. Research has shown that natural killer

74 www.southernoregonmagazine.com | winter 2018