Boost Your Immune System Naturally

Your immune system is your body’s main defense mechanism that helps you fight the unwelcome visitors in your body. It’s an amazing orchestration of different cells each performing vital tasks to help identify and destroy the enemy.

When your immune system isn’t working as optimally as it should be, these enemies can infiltrate your system a lot easier. I’d like to point out that we all get sick- we come into contact with so many organisms every second of every day- it is normal. We rely on our immune system to fight and get us feeling well again. When you show symptoms (coughing, runny nose, fever, etc.) it’s actually your immune system in full force! It’s doing everything it can to make your body an uninhabitable environment for the unwanted organism and to destroy it. But if we can get our immune systems strong, then maybe we can fight the disease quicker, easier, and more effectively without even knowing that this war is going on beneath the surface! We may avoid all the unpleasantry of the full-force effect.

Here are a few ways you can boost your immune system naturally:

1. Echinacea
2. Vitamin C
3. Zinc
4. Homeopathic medication

Echinacea: Echinacea purpurea, also called the Purple Coneflower, is one of my favourite immune boosting plants. There has been a lot of research done on it’s effectiveness against microbes which show it’s amazing effects on the immune system (if you like to read the science, check this one out!). It works in many ways on your immune system, including: enhancing immune cell function and enhancing production of immune cells. While it is one of my favourites, there are plenty other plants that are effective as well (hello Olive Leaf!), and using them in combination is a great option! (P.s as mentioned in this post I wrote and the linked research, the quality, strength and dosage of plants plays a big role in it’s effect. Make sure your are using a quality Echinacea to boost your immune system!)

Vitamin C: Vitamin C is probably one of the most well-known immune boosting vitamins. Vitamin C enhances the activity of immune cells and generates antioxidants that help to identify pathogens and clear infection sites. It helps your immune cells to replicate so that the numbers increase, and so much more! Check out this very high grade article about Vitamin C and it’s effect on the immune system! You need approximately 200mg daily to actually boost your immune system, but more if you are currently sick (and even more if you are a smoker!).

Zinc: What a cool little element. It also enhances proliferation and effectiveness of immune cells, but has an extra interesting effect on your immune system. The thymus is a gland that is very important in developing certain immune cells. Zinc is absolutely vital in the functioning of the thymus gland. This article goes into a lot more detail! An interesting fact about the thymus gland is that it’s a lot larger in children and shrinks the older you get. So moms, zinc is an especially wonderful immune booster for your children!

Homeopathic medicines: While Homeopathic medicines are usually used on patients who are already sick (because the medicine choice is based on the symptoms you are showing) there is a way to use these remedies as a way of getting your immune system prepared for what’s coming! The idea is that if your immune system knows what to expect then it will be able to fight it quicker, easier, and more effectively if it ever knocks on your door. The amazing thing about the homeopathic immune boost is that it’s a full system boost- taking care of swollen glands, sore throats, coughs, sniffles, body aches, and everything in between.

Happy boosting!

Disclaimer! Always consult your primary care physician before taking medications/supplementation of any kind. Use caution in pregnancy, breastfeeding, and when you are taking certain medications or if you have autoimmune conditions.