Eating sugar decreases your white blood cell count for six hours after consumption

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Boost Your Immune System:

- Decrease or Avoid all sugar. This includes in beverages, food and even natural

sugars. Natural sugars like fruit are fine in moderation, but if you feel

run-down, it's may be beneficial to avoid them. Eating sugar decreases your

white blood cell count for six hours after consumption. White blood cells are

responsible for attacking invading infection-causing bacteria and viruses.

Imagine if you tend to snack on jelly beans or licorice throughout the day-your

immune system is chronically lowered! This also means juice is not the best

choice during a cold or the flu because it contains a lot of sugar. Drink no

sodas or sugar drinks. Dilute your juices or choose pure water instead.

 

- Emphasize vegetables, especially green. Vegetables are dense sources of all

the vitamins and nutrients we need for fully-functioning bodies and minds. Green

vegetables are alkalizing, which means they make the body a harder place for

bacteria and viruses to thrive.

 

- Kick the substances. Alcohol, cigarettes, and caffeine all deplete the immune

system. Avoid them entirely!

 

- Eat immune-boosting foods. Fresh, raw garlic is an excellent immune-booster.

Aim for 3-5 cloves a day if you're feeling run down. Cooked garlic is still

somewhat effective, but raw is best. There are odorless garlic supplements

available which can be a huge plus as you won't be sweating out garlic odors or

breathing garlic breath on those around you.

 

- Stay hydrated and sleep enough. These are obvious, but worth mentioning. Make

sure you're drinking water all throughout the day. Also aim for 7-8 hours of

sleep a night. Many don't feel rested with only seven hours, but you'll find as

you strengthen your immune system in other ways, you'll feel more rested on less

sleep.

 

 

- Supplement, if you need it. Optimize your diet before turning to supplements.

If you've already done the above, you can look to probiotics, or healthy

bacteria. Probiotics are sold at natural food stores and are normally

refrigerated. These healthy bacteria help keep your intestinal flora in balance.

Since a large portion of the immune system is in the digestive system, keeping

your digestion healthy and regular has great immune benefits. Probiotics can

also be found naturally in yogurt (look for greek yogurt or yogurt with no added

sugar) or other naturally cultured foods like kefir or kimchi. Immune-boosting

supplements come in a variety of forms. Some are simply vitamin supplements,

which shouldn't be necessary if you're eating a vitamin-rich diet.

 

Simple Vitamin C supplement (500mg) to help alleviate mild allergy symptoms or

to take if you feel upi may be getting sick. There is also Ester C, which is

good for folks who's stomach doesn't do well with the regular Vitamin C.

Emergen C is a wonderful mix to add to water, to boost your immune system as

well. It comes in many flavors. Chewable Vitamin C, such as the Nature Made,

is delicious. Be sure and rinse out your mouth with water after chewing them,

to reduce the citric acid from eating the enamel off your teeth.