Reishi- “mushroom of immmortality” and potent immune tonic
You wash your hands, wear your mask, social distance and haven’t hugged anyone except your dog in months…but despite taking all the precautions, this coming flu season has you worried. And for good reason. Without a lot of known medical cures out there, prevention is definitely the answer-
So, what can we do to boost our immunity?
Read on….this article gives you the keys to building kick @ss immunity with diet, lifestyle, and herbs.
Immunity begins in the gut- In Chinese medicine, the Lungs control our protective qi, a forcefield which surrounds the body and prevents pathogens from getting in. Guess what? the Lung meridian begins in the gut. And, modern research backs this up- a healthy gut lowers inflammation and fosters a healthy immune system.
Bone broth is a deeply nutritive food that helps restore the lining of the gut, lower inflammation, and in turn supports immune function.
Ginger tea is drunk traditionally in Ayurvedic medicine to clear toxins from the gut and enhance immunity.
Shiitake mushrooms are a powerful food that contains polysaccarhides- special molecules found in the cell walls of fungi that help enhance immunity. They are also a potent antiviral, and provide nutrients vital to immune function like B vitamins and copper. Consuming 2-4 mushrooms daily is ideal.
Get your garlic it’s a powerful antimicrobial that helps prevent infections.
Cut out white sugar! White sugar suppresses the immune system. It can reduce white blood cell activity (and thus immunity) by almost 50% for several hours after eating it.
Eat your Antioxidants- they help to reduce wear and tear on our body at the cellular level, making it more resilient to illness of all kinds. Dark leafy greens, squash and pumpkins, pomegranates and cranberries are a few…
Green tea is high in antioxidants and has anti-viral properties as well. A daily cup (or more) can promote health and keep invading pathogens at bay.
Control your stress level. Stress is the number one cause of disease, and nothing tanks immune function faster than a high stress level. Mindfulness, yoga, or qi gong practices, or just reaching out to a trusted friend, all can help. Take time at the end of the day to unwind and de-stress, and shut down your phone well before bed.
Exercise not only relieves stress, it also helps prevent age-related decline of the immune system.
Sunshine is necessary for vitamin D production (and thus bolsters immunity) as well as helping to kill viruses. Get out when the sun is shining! 20 minutes a day.
Acupuncture can increase white blood cell count and enhance immunity naturally. It also tunes up the production of prostaglandins (immune regulating molecules), balancing and honing our entire immune response.
Herbs have huge immune benefits! Astragalus strengthens the Lungs and Wei Qi, builds energy and resistance to invading pathogens and stokes up the immune system. Reishi, “the mushroom of inmmortality” is an adaptogen which enhances the bodies’ ability to respond to stress, fine tunes the immune response, and quells anxiety. Together they make a great pair to enhance immunity on all levels. Elderberry is a natural source of vitamin C and can successfully kick out even the strongest invading viruses. It is one of Western herbalism’s most treasured immune herbs. Turkey tail mushrooms prime the immune system and are an immune tonic that can’t be beat! They are particularly helpful for those with a weak immune system.
Ready to start? Don’t beat yourself up if you can’t manage to do everything in this article. Trying out just one of these suggestions is sure to help you better weather this years’ cold and flu season! Take care, and be well!
copyright 2020 by Athene Eisenhardt, L.Ac. The statements in this article are not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease.