My Top Tips for Cold & Flu Season
I actually love this time of year when summer becomes fall and the leaves begin to turn (I could do without the September snowstorm we had, but thats another story). I love pumpkin everything everywhere, and the cooler weather brings the desire to curl up and be cozy. Oh, and did I mention fall baking?!
However, with all this coziness comes a little bit of anxiety about entering into the dreaded cold & flu season. It becomes even more difficult to dodge the neighbourhood cold when you have a toddler running around, living her big little life.
While it is pretty impossible to avoid all of the different viruses that circle around us on a daily basis, you can give yourself a leg up by making sure your immune system is in the best shape possible to ward off unwanted pathogens that make their way into our bodies.
This is by no means any type of medical advice, just simple steps we take in our family to support our immune system through the cooler months.
Probiotic Supplement: Did you know that 70% of our immune system is in our gut? So, keeping our gut bacteria healthy can help your immune system be strong. Some trails even showed that taking probiotics can prevent respiratory infections (Pubmed.gov) and another study found that taking Lactobacillus GG lessoned the severity and shortened the duration of respiratory infections in children (Pubmed.gov) Both my husband and I take a probiotic supplement daily. Jude has also taken a probiotic daily since she was a few months old. Consuming healthy bacteria by adding fermented foods to your diet like sauerkraut, kimchi and kombucha can also help you get a dose of healthy bacteria.
Vitamin C: Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin well known for its immune boosting properties. Not naturally made by our bodies, most vitamins must be consumed through food or supplementation. Vitamin C has been shown to enhance differentiation and proliferation of B- and T-cells, likely due to its gene regulating effects and Vitamin C deficiency results in impaired immunity and higher susceptibility to infections. Furthermore, supplementation with vitamin C appears to be able to both prevent and treat respiratory and systemic infections. (Pubmed.gov) During cold & flu season, the whole family takes a daily vitamin C supplement. Again, dosed by our Naturopathic Doctor, Jude takes a fraction of the adult dose.
Vitamin D: A fat soluble vitamin not naturally produced by our bodies, but is much needed for bone and muscle and growth, and recently studied for its ability to provide immune support. Most of us don’t get adequate amounts of Vitamin D during the winter months, so supplementation is generally recommended. A recent study found that people who supplemented with Vitamin D reduced the amount of those developing acute respiratory tract infections by 12%. We do this all year round, but Vitamin D is especially important in the winter months when those of us in Canada, are not getting enough through natural sources.
Fish Oil: Rich in DHA and EPA, fish oil has long been used to reduce inflammation in the body, but a recent study published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology found that DHA rich fish oils can enhance the production of B-cells and white blood cells, showing its immune enhancing properties. Our entire family takes a daily fish oil supplement throughout the year.
Elderberry Syrup: Packed with vitamins A & C, bioflavonoids, beta carotene, iron, potassium and phytosterols, elderberries have immune enhancing and antiviral properties. Easy to consume when made into a delicious syrup, elderberries have long been used by herbalists for fighting viral infections like the flu, herpes and shingles. While more conclusive research is needed, many studies show elderberries ability to reduce the length an severity of cold and flu symptoms. My husband and I both take 1 TBSP a day of my homemade Elderberry syrup daily during cold season. We don’t give this daily to Jude, but when she does come down with a cold we give her a fraction of the adult dose to help support her immune system.
Eat Clean: Eating a whole foods diet, low in toxins and pesticides, and high in vitamins and minerals can create good digestive health and help support a healthy, strong immune system. Buying grass-fed pasture raised meet free from antibiotics or steroids and purchasing organic produce when possible can go a long way towards supporting your overall health. I know it can be expensive to purchase everything organic, but the EWG’s list is extremely helpful in determining which produce you should strive to purchase organic and which ones when purchased conventionally, have very little pesticide residue.
Sleep: It’s no secret that stress and lack of sleep can weaken your immune system, so trying to reduce stressors and getting adequate sleep can help you stay strong this time of year.
At the first sign of a cold, my go to remedy is echinacea, in tincture form. Known for its immune enhancing properties, echinacea has been extensively studied in Germany and other European countries to confirm its ability to stimulate and strengthen immune function. The studies looked at Echinaceas ability to increase T-cell activity which is our bodies first line of defence against unwanted foreign pathogens, and found that its rich in polysaccharides which help protect against invaders.
While we can’t avoid catching viruses all together, we can definitely take measures in our daily life to give our immune systems a strong fighting chance.
Wishing you all good health this winter!
A friendly reminder that its always important to check with your healthcare provider before starting any herbs or supplementation.