Boosting Your Immune System Naturally

Introduction

What Is Your Immune System and What Does It Do?

Nothing in your body functions without relying on something else. Everything's connected. Your mental health depends on a physically strong body. When your mental health is diminished, processes take place which doesn't allow for the best physical health. Where your immunity is concerned, your ability to stay healthy, there are several things that can influence the process.

For instance, it is believed that as much as 75% of all chronic disease is related to an unhealthy gut. This is how your gut biome can influence your health and wellness, positively or negatively. Your digestive system influences your immunity, and when your immune system is strong, it can keep your gut healthy in return.

You might not think that hormones have a lot to do with immune system health, but they do. Your endocrine system is where most of your hormones are developed. When your hormone production is working as it should, many of the parts of your immune system are positively influenced. When your hormonal health suffers, your immunity can be negatively influenced.

These things happen in part because your hormones and the health of your gut influence your stress levels. When your digestive process and hormone development aren't working properly, stress spikes. Stress leads to inflammation and inflammation can adversely affect your immune system.

Let's look at exactly what your Immune System is.

What Makes up the Immune System?

Did you know your skin is the first layer of your immune system? It is the outward, physical barrier that tries to keep toxins, poisons and other alien invaders out of your body. This natural defense system includes white blood cells and antibodies, as well as bone marrow, your spleen and your entire lymphatic system.

Rather than spend much of this report breaking down each of those intricate parts and processes, we want you to understand this. Keeping this intricate system healthy and working properly is of utmost importance. That's because this built-in bodyguard is tasked with repelling disease and infection.

This system works automatically and silently. You don't know it's doing what it's doing. It is one of the many miracles of the human body. Even though you may not recognize what your immune system is doing, you can influence it.

This is great news. You can do certain things to naturally strengthen and empower your immunity. This is a quick and safe path to health and wellness. To give you a little more insight on how you can influence the health of your immune system, let's look at how it works.

How the Immune System Works

Keeping harmful bacteria, parasites and viruses out of your body is a full-time job. Your immune system works tirelessly, while you are awake and while you sleep, to do exactly that. A nearly endless network of tissues and cells is constantly looking for enemy invaders that could cause your health harm.

Multiple organs and proteins are involved in the process. When these and other parts of the immune system encounter a foreign pathogen, for example, your immune response is initiated. This could happen because your white blood cells encounter a pathogen they identify as foreign. As a part of your immune system, your white blood cells are constantly moving throughout your body and searching for enemies to engage.

When this or any other part of your immune process encounters what it believes shouldn't be inside your body, it labels that pathogen, virus or bacteria as an antigen. The immune system remembers everything that makes up this antigen. It does this so if it spots it in the future, it immediately knows what to do.

When antigens are recognized, antibodies are created. These are special proteins manufactured by your immune system to handle specific antigens. Those antibodies are kept functioning so that if you encounter the same antigen again, the antibodies can go to work immediately.

This is how your immune system learns and remembers. It's why if you get sick from something like chickenpox once, you almost always develop an immunity to it so it's not an issue in the future.

While antibodies are effective for repelling antigens, they need help. They get this help in the form of T cells (which are referred to as "killer cells" in the medical community). These T cells begin battling the harmful antigens while also signalling to other cells in the immune system for help.

This is how your immune process works to keep you healthy. It works much, in the same way, to help you heal and repair after you have become sick or suffer some type of physical injury. The good news is that whether or not your immune system is strong and healthy, there are certain natural, drug-free things you can do to strengthen it so you enjoy the best health and wellness. That involves 5 basic factors that influence the health of your immune system.

5 Important Influencers of Your Immune System

Your health is influenced by the decisions you make every day. Sometimes these are conscious decisions. You intentionally choose a meal of fresh vegetables and healthy protein instead of one that has lots of highly processed foods and too much sugar and salt. You know that's the smart thing to do for your health.

Sometimes you don't make conscious decisions. You automatically do something because of habit. This can be good or bad. If you habitually exercise and stay active, that can help your health in several ways. It's also a proven way to strengthen your immune system, and we will talk about this later.

On the other hand, maybe you've developed an unhealthy habit of being basically sedentary. You aren't physically active very much at all. Most of your day involves sitting and moving very little. You may unconsciously move through this routine from one day to the next, and this can wreck your health.

Why are we talking about decisions and choices? It's because the things you decide to do or not to do are influencing the health of your immunity.

To naturally boost the health of your immune system, you need to focus on the following 5 factors.

⦁ Sleep

⦁ Hydration

⦁ Diet

⦁ Exercise

⦁ Lifestyle Choices

This report delves deep into each of these topics. You learn how to use these health influencers to strengthen your immunity and enjoy greater well-being. Your path to better health and wellness begins by looking at your sleep habits.

1 - Get Plenty of Sleep

Sleep researchers will tell you that you can't make up for lost sleep. Everyone needs 7 or 8 hours of sleep every night. There are certainly those uncommon exceptions. Some people have a rare ability to enjoy perfect health and wellness on just 5 or 6 hours of sleep. The keyword here is rare.

Multiple studies over the last several decades prove beyond any reasonable doubt that you need to get plenty of rest every night. You can't adopt an every other night policy. You can't get extra sleep for five nights in a row and then go without sleep for 48 hours without doing damage.

Speaking of damage, the negative effects of poor sleep habits are almost countless. They begin the morning after you don't get enough restful sleep, and they start to compound until they become rather serious. Here are some of the short and long-term dangers of not getting plenty of sleep on a regular basis.

Short-term issues

⦁ Emotional ups and downs

⦁ Lack of focus, brain fog

⦁ The ability to retain information is weakened

⦁ Greater risk of physical injuries

⦁ Weakened immune system

Long-term health problems

⦁ Overweight and obesity

⦁ Diabetes

⦁ Cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke

⦁ Mental health disorders

⦁ Hair loss, skin disorders

⦁ Weakened immune system

⦁ Much higher risk of dying before your time (earlier mortality)

As you can see, a disturbed immune system is a byproduct of poor sleep habits in both short and long-term instances. We learned earlier that if your immune system is weakened, the likelihood that you will become sick or ill is increased.

Simply put, you must enjoy restful sleep every night or the likelihood of wreaking havoc on your immune system and your overall health is increased.

Why a Lack of Sleep Hurts Your Immune System

Without going into the complex scientific process, you need a lot of sleep to help reduce cytokines. These are special proteins your immune system uses to target inflammation and infection. They are an important part of your immune response.

These proteins are created and distributed throughout your body while you sleep. If you don't enjoy a full sleep cycle or you toss and turn all night, you won't create all the cytokines you need. Not only will you feel tired and drowsy the day after not sleeping well, but you are also more likely to become sick.

Another way lack of sleep damages the immune system has to do with your overall health. Your natural immunity is constantly looking for issues that will allow foreign substances into the body. This complex process understands that when you aren't as healthy as you could be, foreign invaders have an easier path into your body.

This makes your immune system work harder, and overworking can weaken it. Here are a few things you can do to create better sleep habits that lead to a stronger immune system and better health.

Reset Your Biological Clock with Light Therapy

Human beings are hardwired to move around during the day and sleep at night. This is because, for most of human history, there was no artificial illumination. Our ancestors relied on the sun on to give them enough light to be able to see.

You have largely programmed the same way today. This means you can reprogram your body for naturally healthy sleep habits. Use fewer lights after the sun goes down. Turn off any unnecessary lights. Try to wake up with the sunrise if possible. Illuminate your surroundings in the morning and enjoy a lot of light during the day.

This is a form of do-it-yourself light therapy. You retrain your brain to equate darkness and nighttime with sleep, and light and daytime with being awake.

Develop a Consistent Sleep Schedule and Stick to It

The brain loves discipline and order. It loves repetition and predictability. This means all you must do to sleep better is create a sleep schedule. You probably won't immediately take to your new schedule. It's going to take time to program your mind and body to sleep and awaken at certain times.

However, studies show that going to bed and rising at the same time each day and night is a predictor of better health. It might take a while to become accustomed to this new schedule, but it pays off in better wellness overall. The key is to go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day. This programs your body for restful sleep and a healthier immune system.

Don't Lounge in Your Bed When Not Sleeping

Remember how we said your brain likes order and predictability? The proof of this is that you can program your brain to expect certain things when you put yourself in a specific physical environment.

If you spend non-sleeping time in your bed, this can affect your sleep. Your brain begins to assume that your bed is used for several things other than sleep. Maybe you lounge in your bed during the day reading a book or while chatting on the phone. This might seem innocent enough, but it is telling your brain that you might not be sleeping when you're in bed.

Then when you climb into bed at night sleep is difficult. Use your bed for predominantly sleep and not much else. This can create an automatic response in your brain each night when you crawl to bed that helps you fall to sleep quickly and enjoy a restful sleep.

Get Electronics Out of the Bedroom

Electronics are distracting. Electronic displays shown on your digital alarm clock and other consumer electronics can be disrupting your sleep.

This is true even when your eyes are closed. The intrusion of even a small amount of light that comes from electronic displays can ruin the quality of your sleep. There's also the distraction factor. If you have a computer, tablet, smartphone, television and stereo in your bedroom, you might be tempted to use those consumer electronic items rather than sleep.

There are a lot of smart reasons for keeping electronics out of your bedroom. If you want to enjoy better sleep and a stronger immune system, move as many electronic devices out of your bedroom as you can. If some electrical devices must stay (like a digital alarm clock), turn them so their displays are facing away from your bed.

2 - Keep Properly Hydrated

Did you know you need roughly 1 gallon of water to pass through your system every day? That's an average for most people. If you are smaller you don't need as much, if you are active you need more, and everyone's different. For the most part, though, you need about a gallon of water to move through your body to help all your parts and pieces function correctly.

The easiest way to do this is to purchase a BPA-free water bottle. Keep it full of filtered water and sip on it throughout the day.

Water benefits your immune system by carrying oxygen to all your cells. This includes the T cells and B cells which are used by your immune system to repel disease and illness. Water helps flush toxins and waste material from your body. This additionally helps your immune system do its job properly. Harmful bacteria and pathogens are removed from your system when you stay hydrated.

Hydration is necessary for so many physiological processes to work properly from head to toe. It keeps your body cool. This prevents you from overheating. Dehydration can lead to cardiovascular problems and heart disease, and when you drink water regularly, you keep your skin elastic and supple. For fewer wrinkles, a healthier heart, a stronger immune system and flushing toxins and poisons from your body drink filtered water throughout the day

3 - Improve Your Diet with These 9 Superfoods

Eating mostly plant-based foods stimulates the production of T cells. Those are the "killer cells" mentioned earlier that destroy harmful antigens found by your immune system. The flavonoids, carotenoids, and antioxidants in fresh vegetables and fruits have antiviral properties. They help your immune system prevent and fight viral infections.

This means you should be eating lots of fresh, minimally processed and cooked produce. The closer to its natural state the better. The more you process and cook fruits and vegetables, the more of the natural goodness is removed from them. So the ideal method for improving your immunity is to eat produce raw whenever possible.

Avoid frying vegetables, as it leads to oxidation. Oxidation causes immune system damage. Frying also subjects vegetables to high temperatures that cook away many of their natural health benefits.

Some fruits and veggies, spices and herbs are called superfoods. They earn this title because they are the superheroes of the natural food world. They strengthen your immune system and improve your overall wellness. Eat more of the following 7 superfoods for immunity-boosting rewards.

1 - Avocado

If there's one food that should never be left off any immunity-boosting superfoods list, it's the avocado. Look what you get from just 1 cup of raw, cubed avocado.

⦁ Between 20% and 42% of 8 essential minerals

⦁ More than 1/3 of the vitamin K, fibre and pantothenic acid you need every day

⦁ Vitamins B6, C and E

⦁ Copper, folate and dietary fibre

That natural goodness comes in at a very friendly 240 calories. All necessary vitamins are present except vitamin B12. You get phosphorus, manganese and health-boosting omega-3 fatty acids.

If that isn't enough to make you smile, the avocado is so versatile. Dice it and add it to your salads. Slice and put on your sandwiches. Mash and mix with a little salsa. You can use this super healthy spread in place of mayonnaise and other less healthy alternatives.

Avocados are almost always eaten raw, and that's a good thing. When you eat foods as close as possible to their natural states, you get more nutrition.

How do avocados help your immunity?"

Your skin is your immunity's first line of defence. It needs vitamin A to stay healthy. The B and E vitamins, magnesium, potassium, fibre and folic acid found in avocados are vital for maintaining immune system health. Eat an avocado a day to improve your health in so many ways.

2 – Blueberries

Blueberries deliver antioxidant levels not found in many other foods.

Antioxidants are crucial for natural, healthy immune system performance. Eat more blueberries and you can expect a healthier heart and fewer urinary tract infections.

Your vision may improve, and insulin secretion, resistance and sensitivity all benefit. You'll experience fewer blood sugar spikes and drops and enjoy a stronger metabolism and a better chance at maintaining a healthy body weight.

In addition to other phytonutrients including phenolic acids and carotenoids, blueberries provide us with two unique anti-inflammatory and antioxidant phytonutrients belonging to the group of compounds known as stilbenoids. These two members of the stilbenoid family are resveratrol and pterostilbene.

3 - Salmon Caught in the Wild

Salmon is another well-rounded health booster. It's most well-known for high levels of omega-3 fatty acids. It offers minerals and essential nutrients also. Eat just 4 ounces of broiled, wild-caught salmon and you receive:

⦁ 236% of your recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin B12

⦁ 128% vitamin D

⦁ 78% selenium

⦁ 56% vitamin B3

⦁ 53% protein

⦁ Between 15% and 52% vitamin B6, phosphorus, iodine, choline, biotin and pantothenic acid

That vitamin D is important to your immune system. It positively influences the health of many of the cells that affect your immunity. The healthy protein in salmon is another immunity booster.

Salmon's unique chemical profile delivers impressive anti-inflammatory benefits. Inflammation can wreak havoc on your entire body in general, and your immune system specifically. Eat wild-caught salmon regularly and you can enjoy much lower levels of inflammation.

Eating protein at every major meal is a practice proven to regulate a healthy immunity. Finally, the omega-3 acids found in wild-caught salmon promote insulin sensitivity. The overproduction of insulin can cause skin disorders as well as appetite and weight gain problems, and it disturbs natural immune system functions. The omega-3 fatty acids in salmon keep this from happening.

4 - Almonds and Walnuts

The abundant antioxidants and protein found in this super-nuts help strengthen your immunity in several ways. One result is improved metabolism.

With improved metabolism, your body processes the food you eat in a more efficient manner. This means you get more of the nutrients and minerals out of the food you eat. By eating walnuts and almonds regularly you may see more glowing skin. Their chemical profile has been known to keep acne at bay and regulate mood swings. Studies show that feelings of anxiety and depression lessen considerably with people that eat these nuts regularly.

Remember that your skin is part of your immune system. When your metabolism works properly, you're less likely to become overweight or obese. People who are overweight or obese don't enjoy proper white cell production, so their immunity suffers.

Additionally, almonds deliver plenty of vitamin D and manganese. Manganese and vitamin D are vital for a healthy immune system. Walnuts and almonds travel well, and they have a long shelf life.

You can pop some in your desk drawer at your office, keep some in your car, at home and wherever you go. They're filling, too. This means that a handful of nuts as a snack can keep you from reaching for some unhealthier food between meals.

Just 1/4 cup of almonds or walnuts delivers the following essential nutrients:

Almonds

⦁ Between 15% and 50% of eight essential minerals, you need to get into your body every day. This includes magnesium and phosphorus, manganese and copper, vitamin B2, vitamin E and biotin.

Walnuts

⦁ Between 19% and 113% RDA of biotin and manganese, molybdenum and copper, as well as omega-3 fatty acids

Almonds and walnuts may appear unassuming and simple. They are natural powerhouses of overall health and wellness. They boost immune system operation while also delivering cardiovascular and metabolism benefits. They offer anticancer properties and have been associated with regulating a healthy body weight. They offer a quick and easy way to boost your immune system!

5 - Green Tea

One of the biggest benefits of green tea is an enhanced metabolism. It helps regulate the hormones linked to a healthy metabolism. A strong metabolism means you're less likely to become overweight. This means your body doesn't have to work so hard to counter the negative effects of carrying around too much body weight.

Additionally, green tea is full of Epigallocatechine-3-gallate. That enzyme slows down the release of cortisol, the stress hormone that is a natural enemy of a healthy immune system. Eastern societies have been drinking green tea to lower stress levels for thousands of years. As you know, less stress equals stronger immunity. Drink green tea and you'll also reduce inflammation throughout the body while lowering your overall risk of developing any disease!

Green tea is excellent for keeping the cells of your immune system healthy. That's because it has remarkable antioxidant properties. These antioxidants know how to deal with free radicals that do so much damage to your cells. When the oxidative stress caused by free radicals is free to wreak havoc, one may experience arthritis and cancer, stroke and heart disease, respiratory infections and Parkinson's disease.

By drinking plenty of green tea, these health problems are less likely to occur because you give your immune system a boost.

6 - Broccoli (and Other Cruciferous Vegetables)

Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli and cabbage, cauliflower and bok choy, Brussels sprouts and kale. They belong to the brassica plant family. Let's look at broccoli specifically.

I chose broccoli among all cruciferous vegetables for a very good reason. This report talks about building strong immunity against infection and disease naturally. A University of California Berkeley study shows broccoli is specifically a good among cruciferous vegetables for strengthening the immune system.

Earlier we discussed how your body develops certain proteins while you sleep. One of the immune-boosting proteins manufactured while you sleep is the cytokine protein. Cytokines are found in high supply in broccoli.

They help regulate healthy cellular development in the immune system. They're specifically very good at removing viruses from the intestines. Additionally, they have been found in lab tests to halt the growth of certain cancers.

Your immune system plays a vital role in the prevention of illness and disease. We also know that avoiding cancer means having a strong immune system. The above-mentioned research shows that broccoli can strengthen your immune system while providing anticancer benefits.

Broccoli Gives You Vitamins A, C and E

If that isn't enough good news for you, broccoli has high levels of vitamins A, C and E. Immunity-loving antioxidants and daily fibre are also on board. All of those are components of a strong immune system.

It’s important to note that all cruciferous veggies have diindolylmethane (DIM). This compound detoxes and cleanses your liver. It does the same to all the cells in your body, including those cells that are part of your immune system. Broccoli and its brassica brethren have been proven beneficial for healthy hormone regulation hormones, and hormonal health means a strong immune system.

7 - Garlic

Garlic has been offering natural healing powers for thousands of years. It helps promote a healthy gut, detoxes your liver, and has powerful anti-inflammatory benefits. The health of your gut and inflammation affect your immune system.

The way your liver affects your immunity is unique. One of the remarkable things about the human body is the way it can adapt to whatever circumstances it is given. This is true with your immune system. This is referred to as adaptive immunity. It is the power of this complex defence system to adapt and change.

The liver plays a very strong role in the adaptive aspect of the immune system. Your liver uses cells to boost the "memory" that plays a role in immunity. It does this by using blood supply channels to identify antigens known by your immune system to produce harm. These cells in the liver will present bacteria or pathogens they believe to be harmful antigens and basically ask your immune system if it remembers them.

These are called antigen-presenting cells. If your immune system responds that it does indeed recognize a compound or bacteria as dangerous, then T cells in the liver destroy the harmful antigens.

Garlic is great for keeping your liver clean and healthy. Your liver is needed for proper immune system function. By getting more garlic into your diet, your immunity will get a boost.

Garlic is also known to help prevent the development of type II diabetes, as well as overweight and obesity. It provides calcium and manganese, copper, phosphorous and selenium. Vitamins B1, B6, C and copper are on board to further support your immune system.

8 – Turmeric

You may know turmeric as a key ingredient in many curries. But this bright yellow, bitter spice has also been used for years as an anti-inflammatory in treating both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Also, research shows that high concentrations of curcumin, which gives turmeric its distinctive color, can help decrease exercise-induced muscle damage.

Turmeric is a natural way to help bolster the immune system by increasing the immunomodulating capacity of the body. Try adding extra turmeric into your diet during periods of stress or during flu season to strengthen your immune system.

9 – Ginger Root

Ginger is another one of those superfoods that have been making people healthy for thousands of years. It has excellent anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation, cellular damage and stress are all related. By reducing inflammation, ginger makes your immune system more capable. The cells in your immune system aren't subjected to as much inflammation and stress, so your immunity stays strong.

Because of its antioxidant levels, ginger is an immune system-boosting compound in yet another way. As with many of the superfoods on this list, ginger is believed to have anti-cancer properties.

Taking ginger root has been shown to protect against damage to brain function, and it is naturally antiviral and antibacterial. Anything that fights viral infection and bacteria is a best friend of the immune system.

Superfood Immune System Boosting Summary

The superfoods listed don't just make your immune system stronger. I shared the additional health benefits they deliver for a good reason. Your immunity doesn't have to work as hard when you're healthy. It can focus on repelling harmful antigens trying to enter your body, instead of its many resources being employed elsewhere to address different health issues.

More Foods for a Strong Immune System

Those aren't the only foods that are great for your immunity. I mentioned earlier that enjoying a more plant-based diet is recommended for overall health and wellness. It also strengthens your immune system health. I, therefore, recommend that you eat more of the following foods:

⦁ Leafy greens like kale and spinach

⦁ Cabbage

Sweet potatoes

⦁ Sunflower seeds

⦁ Sauerkraut, kimchi and other fermented foods

⦁ Bell peppers

⦁ All berries, not just blueberries

⦁ Citrus fruits

⦁ Papaya and kiwi

⦁ Apples

⦁ Herbs like turmeric, oregano, basil, mint, lavender and licorice root and herbal teas

⦁ Shiitake, reishi, lactariussalmonicolor, coriolus versicolor and morel mushrooms, known as medicinal mushrooms

By the way, all vegetables are in play here. There are so good for your body in so many ways and they contribute to immune system health. Just be sure to eat the rainbow. That means getting lots of different coloured fruits and vegetables into your diet.

By eating more healthy fruits and vegetables, you're getting fewer highly processed foods and refined sugars into your body. That's the perfect recipe for a strong immune system and wellness in both mind and body.

Choose Organic Whenever Possible

Making your immune system stronger is all about becoming healthier. When you limit highly processed food and refined sugar and choose fresh vegetables and fruits instead, your health will improve. One way to take that to an even higher level is to choose organic produce.

The organic label means you aren't eating genetically modified organisms or GMOs. Foods that have been genetically altered have been linked to intestinal damage and cancer, Alzheimer's disease, infertility, allergies and several other serious health problems.

Organic food often contains more nutrients than its non-organic counterparts. To earn the organic label, food must be grown and harvested in an environmentally responsible manner. Studies show that you consume as much as 80% fewer pesticides and unnecessary additives when you eat organic food as opposed to non-organic alternatives.

Eating organic is a simple way to make the job of your immune system easier.

Avoid Added Sugar

Sometimes getting healthy means steering clear of certain foods. In the case of sugar, eat less and you will do your health a big favour. Here are just a few of the health problems linked to the consumption of processed, refined sugar.

⦁ Your immune system is weakened

⦁ Obesity, which is connected to several serious health issues

⦁ You age faster than normal

⦁ Tooth decay, gum disease

⦁ Increased stress levels

⦁ Type II diabetes

⦁ Heart attack, stroke and heart disease

The first side-effect listed is a weaker immune system. This happens because getting too much sugar into your body can immediately damage immune system cells that have the job of attacking harmful bacteria. What's scary is this effect begins to happen immediately after you eat sugar. It can last for a few hours.

Another way sugar hurts your immunity is by creating a nutrient deficiency. When you don't get the essential minerals and nutrients you need in your diet, your immune system suffers. It depends on you eating foods that promote health and wellness instead of robbing it.

If you eat foods that have a lot of sugar, they're usually highly processed. This means you're eating fewer fruits and vegetables that could make your immune system strong.

How Much Sugar Is Too Much?

A single 12-ounce can of a carbonated soda like Coca-Cola can contain 39 grams (g) of sugar, sometimes even more. That grand chai latte you enjoy from Starbucks packs 42 g of sugar. Is that too much? Is that enough to throw off your immunity? Let's look at what many health authorities recommend as the maximum you should be consuming every day.

⦁ Men - 38 g (9 teaspoons)

⦁ Women - 25 g (6 teaspoons)

⦁ Children – less than 21 g (5 teaspoons)

You may be trying to calculate how many teaspoons of sugar you add to your drinks and food. You probably don't add anywhere near those amounts! The problem is that food manufacturers have already added it for you! Here are some scary sugar totals for some common foods:

⦁ Retail Smoothie - 50 - 80 grams (12 to 20 teaspoons)

⦁ Fruit Juices, Flavored Teas - 35 g (8.3 tsp)

⦁ Protein Bars - 20 g (4.8 tsp)

⦁ Yogurts - 15 to 30 g (3.6 to 7.2 tsp)

⦁ Energy Drinks - up to 55 g (13 tsp)

⦁ Dairy Milk - 13 g (3.3 tsp)

Food manufacturers sneaking sugar into your foods is one reason many people consume more than 3 pounds of sugar every week! This equals more than 20 teaspoons of sugar daily for many men and women. That's more than double the safe rate for men and over 3 times what's recommended for women.

In case you don't consume any of the foods or drinks just mentioned, consider this. The following foods and drinks all contain sugar, some of them in extremely high amounts per serving.

⦁ Ketchup

⦁ Spaghetti sauce

⦁ Granola bars

⦁ Barbecue sauce

⦁ Vitamin waters

⦁ Foods labelled fat-free

⦁ Canned soups, fruits and baked beans

⦁ Breakfast cereals and cereal bars

Remember, the daily recommended allowances mentioned above are maximums. You can do your health wonders and keep your immune system strong if you take in a lot less than that. There are plenty of healthy sugars in fresh fruits and vegetables. If you never put a single teaspoon of refined, processed sugar into your body, that would be a dream scenario.

You can get plenty of natural sugars in fresh, organic produce. Your body doesn't need refined sugar to operate properly. Use healthy sugar alternatives instead.

⦁ Stevia

⦁ Erythritol

⦁ Blackstrap Molasses

⦁ Raw, Unfiltered Honey

⦁ Monk fruit

Processed, refined sugar is everywhere. The easiest way to avoid it is to eat more fresh, plant-based meals. Get more fruits and vegetables into your diet and kick sugar to the curb. Your body will thank you for it!

Add Plant-derived Nutritional Supplements

Even if you eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, it’s important to supplement your diet with plant-based minerals and vitamins. Smart habits include: eat unsalted, unprocessed seeds, nuts and berries. Use the healthy sugar alternatives mentioned earlier rather than refined sugar. Drink lots of water and herbal teas. That's a short but proven recipe for excellent health and wellness, and a super-strong immune system.

If you are currently taking nutritional supplements, realize that not all supplements are created equal.

Did you know that the body can only absorb 8-12% of elemental minerals? You might as well be eating chalk or rocks! Ugh!

BUT… Plant-derived minerals are 92-98% bioavailable (absorbable by the body). Minerals are essential for your health.

“But I eat organic!” While that’s good, the soil has been so depleted over the years that most people are not getting the essential nutrients they need for optimal health.

Most vegetables and fruits have far less nutrition than 50 years ago. Who’s going to eat 10 times the amount of spinach to get what they need???

REALIZE: IF THE MINERALS ARE NOT IN THE SOIL, THEY’RE NOT IN THE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. AND IF THE MINERALS ARE NOT IN THE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, THEY’RE NOT IN US!

ASK ME WHAT NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS I USE. Remember that supplements are just that – they SUPPLEMENT healthy eating. Some enable you to eat healthier by helping change cravings for unhealthy foods. For the money, it’s one of the best investments I’ve made in my and my family’s health.

As a Certified Health Coach, I have researched and found what I consider to be the best nutritional supplementation available today.

ASK ME to share several suggestions my clients have found to be extremely beneficial.

Enjoy More Exercise and Physical Activity

How physically active you, determines how strong your immune system is. Physical activity is one of the 5 influencers of immune system health we mentioned in the introduction. If you aren't very active your immune system pays the price. If you are up and moving more than you're sitting or standing still your immune system benefits.

It's a simple as that.

If you are thinking that you hate exercise, don't worry. You don't have to engage in a single "traditional" exercise to strengthen your immune system and become healthier. All you must do is engage in physical activities that deliver a moderate to vigorous level of exertion.

And guess what? You don't have to stay physically active for very long to receive serious health benefits.

Do you have 2.5 hours of spare time each week? You probably do. You probably have way more than that if you're honest with yourself. There are 168 hours every week. Carving out 150 minutes to devote to moderate or intense physical activities is easy for the person with even the busiest of schedules.

Why did I choose 150 minutes for your physical activity target?

That's all many health authorities and fitness experts say you need to get up and moving every week to strengthen your immune system. Do this regularly and you drop your risk of developing cancer, obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other serious health conditions.

The good news is you don't have to spend all that 150 minutes at once. You can break it down. You can enjoy 15 sessions of physical activity that lasted 10 minutes each. If you get a combined 2.5 hours of moderate to intense activity every week, your immune system benefits.

It triggers the production of certain chemicals. These chemicals and hormones deliver anti-inflammatory benefits. Habitual exercise regulates a strong immune system so powerfully that it delays the beginning of age-related health problems. Exercise improves metabolic health, and that, in turn, leads to a healthier immunity.

There's also the fact that exercise leads to the production of "happy hormones" like dopamine and serotonin. These and other chemicals are triggered when you exercise, and they make you feel happy, calm and content. Simultaneously, the production of cortisol, the stress hormone, is lowered. Less stress on your immune system means it can function more efficiently.

Use the "Talk Test" to Determine the Intensity of a Physical Activity

You're probably thinking right now, "How do I know how intense a physical activity or exercise is?" That's a good question. You want to make sure you are at least enjoying a moderate level of intensity. There's a simple way to determine how intense your exercise is. It's called the Intensity Talk Test.

⦁ Low level of intensity – You can talk or sing without huffing and puffing.

⦁ Moderate level of intensity – You can talk almost normally, but not sing.

⦁ Vigorous level of intensity – You can only manage a few words without gasping for breath.

Now that you know how to measure the intensity level of any physical activity or exercise, here's some good news.

If you decide to go all out and enjoy vigorous intensity levels, you don't have to invest as much time. Research shows that just 75 weekly minutes of vigorous, intense physical activity gives you the same immunity-boosting health benefits as 150 minutes of moderately intense exercise.

Get up and get moving. Any time you find yourself sitting and not doing much for 20 or 30 minutes, get up. Start moving. Take a walk. Dig in the garden. Play with the kids or your pets. Do anything to keep moving rather than sitting. Plan for 150 moderate minutes of physical exertion or 75 minutes of weekly activity that's vigorous. Your immune system and overall health will benefit greatly.

Find some great Exercise & Meditation choices at http://PraiseMoves.com

Review Your Lifestyle Choices

You probably won't argue that the choices you make in your life often lead to your reality. Sometimes you don't have control over what happens. External situations introduce something into your busy schedule that you must deal with. It isn't your fault or your intention to have to take time for this eventuality, but that's the truth you're faced with. In many cases though, we consciously choose to do something that causes less than positive results in our lives.

These are lifestyle choices.

You may have decided to smoke when you were a kid because you thought it made you look cool. These many years later you're battling with health issues that are related to your smoking habit. This is just one small example of a lifestyle choice that can cause harm.

Many choices you make lead to positive results. Follow the advice you received to this point and you are going to start eating better. You're going to stay hydrated throughout the day and become more physically active. Sleep has become more important to you. Follow the advice given you up to now and you can supercharge your immunity system, and as a result, your health. It's your choice.

When you review your lifestyle activities, you have yet another chance to strengthen your immunity.

There are certain choices you can make that immediately impact your lifestyle. They may be tough to change. Smoking tobacco has been made intentionally addictive. If you take leaves from a small tobacco farmer's harvest and dry then smoke them, they aren't addictive at all.

The billion-dollar cigarette manufacturers have intentionally added tar, nicotine and other addictive substances to cigarettes and cigars. This has made them very difficult to put down for many people. Even so, smoking less is one surefire way to enjoy a better quality of life. It can also boost your immune system health. Let's look at smoking as a lifestyle choice and the specific way it harms your immune system.

Stop Smoking, This Includes E-Cigarettes

Have you tried electronic cigarettes, usually called e-cigarettes? When they were marketed, they were sold as a replacement for traditional, tobacco-filled cigarettes. E-cigarette manufacturers were quick to say that this was a much healthier form of smoking, and they obviously did so to sell their products. We're finding out now that e-cigarettes can be damaging to your health just like tobacco cigarettes.

Whether you're inhaling through the new e-cigarettes or the old-fashioned traditional smokes, you're still pumping nicotine into your body.

Nicotine influences a very specific chemical you heard about throughout this report ... cortisol. When the human body encounters nicotine, it sees this as a foreign invader that's not good for you. Your stress response kicks in and cortisol is produced. This jacks up your stress levels. Nicotine additionally slows down the production of B cell antibodies which are important to your immune system.

If that isn't enough bad news for your immunity, nicotine reduces the response rate of your T cells to harmful antigens in the body. Nicotine is just one of many harmful ingredients in cigarettes. It's also found in e-cigarettes. As you can see, nicotine is extremely harmful to your immune system.

Then you must consider all the other man-made pathogens and chemicals found in cigarettes that should never enter your body.

Dr. John Spangler is a professor of community and family medicine at the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in North Carolina. Dr. Spangler has studied the effects of smoking on human health. He points out that the vapour produced by e-cigarettes can damage your lungs. This makes them more susceptible to infection, viruses and harmful pathogens.

Vapour from e-cigarettes can damage the lungs and make them more susceptible to infection, according to the results of a study on mice published in PLOS One. The researchers cautioned that e-cigarettes are unsafe because their vapour contains free radicals that can cause airway inflammation and impaired responses to bacteria and viruses.

What the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Has to Say about How Smoking Damages the Immune System

The CDC pulls no punches when it talks about the relationship between smoking and poor health. This is what the CDC has to say on the issue.

"Smoking harms the immune system and can make the body less successful at fighting disease. The immune system is the body’s way of protecting itself from infection and disease; it works to fight everything from cold and flu viruses to serious conditions such as cancer.

Additionally, smoking is known to compromise the equilibrium, or balance, of the immune system.

This increases the risk for several immune and autoimmune disorders (conditions caused when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s healthy cells and tissues). New evidence finds that smoking is a cause of rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the joints and causes swelling and pain."

That succinctly tells you how bad smoking is for the immune system, whether it be smoking traditional cigarettes or e-cigarettes.

Cigarette smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals and chemical compounds, and that can't be good to put into your body. This means if you don't smoke yourself, but you spend time with smokers, you are causing damage to your immune system and to your health when you inhale that smoke.

Quitting smoking can be very difficult. Smoking has been related to so many significant health problems. You owe it to yourself and the people that love you to stop, no matter what you must do.

Drink Less Alcohol

Some people enjoy an alcoholic beverage at the end of a difficult day. Studies show that the occasional beer or glass of wine isn't bad for you.

The problem is that many people drink too much alcohol. This has a negative effect on different bodily processes and organs. It's also a good way to beat up on your immune system.

Alcohol and the Immune System

Not only does excess alcohol harm your natural ability to repel disease and illness, but it does even more damage if you're already sick. If you find that you are ill, you shouldn't drink any alcohol at all. Your immune system and other bodily processes are already struggling to try and get you better. They're working hard. If you pour alcohol on top of your illness, this does real damage to your immune system's operations.

One very specific way alcohol hurts your immune system concerns what it does to your digestive tract. It alters the physiological makeup of your gut microbiome. This is the healthy/unhealthy bacteria ratio in your gut. Some of those microorganisms are needed, and some are not. Alcohol damages immune cells that line the intestines in your gut and throw off your ratio of good bacteria to bad bacteria.

This makes it easier for pathogens and bacteria to pass through those intestinal walls into your bloodstream. Once in your bloodstream, they can travel throughout your body and cause several health problems.

For more proof of the damage that alcohol can have on your immunity, consider this. A 2015 study was published in the journal appropriately named Alcohol. Research showed that binge drinking can rapidly kill white blood cells in your immune system that are there to fight infection. This begins as soon as more than a few drinks are consumed and continues for several hours after you become intoxicated. This weakens the overall strength of your entire immune system.

Having an occasional drink every now and then seems to help some people relieve stress and calm down after a tough day. Just don't let it get out of control. Aside from the health problems and immune system damage alcohol causes, drinking too much often leads to problems in other areas of your life.

Enjoy the Sunshine on Your Skin

Nothing feels quite like warm sunshine on your skin. There is a very good reason that your first few minutes of exposure to the sun's rays is enjoyable. That reason has to do with your body's natural desire to stay healthy.

Let's get back to how this applies to sunshine on your skin.

When you expose 60% or more of your skin to the sun's rays, that's a good thing. Do this for just 10 or 15 minutes and you trigger a process that creates all the vitamin D you need in a day. That’s why that first dose of sun on your skin feels so good. It's good for you.

After a little while, you may become overheated and your skin may burn. This is when your body tells you it's time to get out of the sun. A little bit of exposure is good but too much is not.

Aside from the natural development of vitamin D, sunshine on your skin energizes the killer T cells in your immune system. If you remember from earlier, these T cells kill harmful pathogens, bacteria and viruses. So not only does exposure to the sun help you restore your vitamin D levels, but it also strengthens your immune system.

Throw on a pair of shorts and a tank top. Get out in the sunshine. Get 10 or 15 minutes of direct exposure on your skin. This keeps you healthy by strengthening your immune system and keeping you from becoming vitamin D deficient.

Socialize, Because Loneliness Can Wreck Your Immunity

Humans were not built to be lonely. We were not hardwired to the hermits and live on our own. There is plenty of research that shows spending too much time on your own is bad for your health. People that don't socialize don't live anywhere near as long as people who do.

When you socialize you have a better chance at being healthy than someone who locks himself away.

Socialization drives many health benefits. When you are sociable with people that are healthy, you become healthier. You find yourself doing more things that boost your health rather than endangering it. Where the immune system is concerned, socializing relieves stress.

This is important because stress can damage your immunity.

Science tells us that when human beings get near each other, they become happier than when they're alone. There are of course exceptions, but most people are this way. Being around other people triggers the production of the happy hormones we mentioned earlier. The production of cortisol, the stress hormone, drops. This combination strengthens your immune system.

In many people, loneliness increases anxiety. This is because the earliest humans found it easier to survive when they hung around in groups. For much of human history, this was the case. A person could enjoy a better quality of living and an increased chance of survival when he joined other humans and formed a group. These groups became tribes and then villages, and finally cities.

Old Instincts Die Hard

When we are by ourselves for too long, we become stressed. We become anxious. For some people, paranoia can set in. All these things can increase our stress levels. More stress equals a weaker immune system.

Socializing is prescribed by therapists and psychiatrists to treat depression. Research shows that people who are more sociable enjoy better sleep habits. They're more productive, their brains are sharper, and they live longer than people who don't socialize regularly.

As a matter of fact, one University study showed that people with more social relationships live as much as 50% longer than those who prefer to be socially isolated. Those are a lot of great reasons to become more of a social person.

Reduce Stress to Power up Your Immune System

Stressless and you'll enjoy a healthier immune system. That message resounds again and again in this report. It's not that I intentionally want to be repetitive. Instead, it speaks to the amazing health-boosting properties stress-relief offers.

It makes your heart healthier. Your hair stops falling out. Less stress means fewer skin problems. You're less likely to become depressed. Less stress means less inflammation, and that improves health throughout your body. There are so many good reasons to avoid stress.

You can’t always avoid stress. Sometimes it comes out of left field unannounced. Then you must deal with it. What I am referring to here are the lifestyle choices you make that lead to stress.

Stressful choices such as:

⦁ You consciously decide to spend time in an environment where you know you'll feel stressed and anxious.

⦁ You consistently eat more than you should, even though you know this stresses you out emotionally and mentally.

⦁ You refuse to draw up and stick to a monthly budget, even though this is a major course source of stress in your life.

These are just some common examples of stress that people bring on themselves.

There's no need to do this. The world is stressful enough without you consciously putting yourself in stressful situations. The issue with your immune system where stress is concerned revolves around cortisol, the stress hormone we've talked about several times.

When your body senses a threat of any kind, your stress response kicks in and cortisol production begins. You start feeling anxious, your heartbeat rises, you are stressed and nervous. When this happens it can have a negative effect on your immune system, making you more susceptible to becoming sick or contracting a disease.

One way stress damages your immune system is by lowering the number of lymphocytes you produce. The T cells and B cells that make up your immune system are two types of lymphocytes. Stress has a direct effect on how they are manufactured. The more stress you experience, the fewer of these lymphocytes you manufacture, and your immune system weaken.

Minimize how much stress you experience. Take up stretching exercises (such as you’ll find at http://PraiseMoves.com ) and Bible-based meditation, two proven stress-relieving activities.

Eat fewer foods that are highly processed, as this is a known cause of stress in the human body. Hydrate regularly and you’ll reduce the buildup of stress-related chemicals in your body.

You owe it to yourself to be stressed out less often. Not only will your emotional and mental health improve, but your immune system will also benefit.

Meditation is Scientifically Proven to Boost Immunity

Meditation is a wonderful stress-reliever. Let's take a closer look at this proven health booster.

Just because a practice is old doesn't automatically mean it's good for us. People have been treating each other terribly since the beginning of human history. Poor eating habits have been around for as long as people have had taste buds. This means the automatic assumption that a practice that has stood the test of time is beneficial to health and well-being doesn't always make sense.

Sometimes though, things that human beings have been doing for thousands of years prove beneficial. They can energize your immune system and lead to other health benefits. One of these age-old practices is Bible-based meditation.

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8).

Meditation is a proven stress-reliever and health booster.

There are numerous scientific studies that show that meditation can improve your mental focus and memory. It's used to manage depression and anxiety. For thousands of years, it has been an antidote for physical pain and strengthens the immune system.

Meditation is linked to healthier cognitive function and is believed to reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and other neurological disorders. Start meditating to improve your immune system.

A good free resource for meditation is http://ChristianMeditationKit.com

Get a Pet

Did you know that pet owners have healthier blood pressure and cholesterol levels than those who don't own pets? These are only a few of the many benefits pet owners enjoy where their health is concerned. This is amazing information when you think about it. It means all you must do is make the commitment to add a pet to your life for better immunity.

Several studies show that dog owners seem to be healthier than cat owners. This might have something to do with the fact that dogs often require a greater level of physical interaction than cats. Dogs love to run around and play, and this can get you up and move. As you learned earlier, exercise is a great way to strengthen your immune system.

Research shows that children who own pets are less susceptible to developing allergies. The thinking is that a child's immune system is still growing and developing. Being around pets exposes the child's immunity to a lot of possible bacteria, viruses and pathogens that pets may carry. This strengthens the child's immune system.

If you've ever had a pet, you know that they are incredible stress-relievers. This means that simply owning a pet that you love can lower the stress that can adversely affect your immune system.

Conclusion

Your immune system oversees helping you stay healthy. When it's working properly, you have a strong defence system against infection, illness and disease.

One of the greatest things about your immune system is that it is adaptive. This means it can adapt to situations. It also means it doesn't just stay healthy, weak or somewhere in the middle. You can do things to make it stronger. There are natural steps you can take to increase the strength of your immune system. You don't have to turn to expensive doctors and drugs that have potential side effects and addiction issues.

The best way to naturally strengthen your immunity is to use a “5-legged stool” approach.

We talked about 5 major factors that dictate your immune system health in this report. Think of each of those factors as a leg on a stool.

1. Get Plenty of Sleep

2. Keep Properly Hydrated

3. Improve Your Diet with 9 Superfoods (plus choose organic when possible; avoid added sugar; add plant-derived nutritional supplements)

4. Enjoy More Exercise and Physical Activity

5. Review Your Lifestyle Choices (stop smoking; drink less alcohol; enjoy more sunshine; socialize; reduce stress; add Bible-based meditation; and get a pet)

If you have a stool with three legs, it can get wobbly. It isn't as sturdy as a stool that has four legs. Add yet another leg and that fifth leg makes the stool very hard to tip over. It's very sturdy. Those five legs do a good job of supporting whatever is placed on the stool.

That's what you get when you consider the 5 factors we just covered which can strengthen your immune system naturally.

Don't just use two or three of these legs to support your stool. Use all five. Develop better sleep habits. Exercise and stay physically active regularly. Look at your lifestyle choices and make the necessary changes. Start eating right, mostly plant-based foods and fewer highly processed foods. Keep hydrated.

These practices can help you develop a bulletproof immune system. As I mentioned throughout this report, they additionally provide other physical and mental health benefits. The key is to ACT!

All the information in the world is useless unless you act upon it.

The challenge is that while many of us know WHAT to do – we don’t do it!

WHY?

We need accountability and someone who has walked the path before us to link arms with us and help us reach our goals.

That’s where Certified Health Coaches can make a measurable difference.

How a Certified Health Coach Can Help

Health and wellness coaches help clients make positive and lasting changes to their health.

The coach guides clients through the process of creating a vision for their health and well-being, developing a healthy mindset and healthy habits, and encouraging them every step of the way until they accomplish their goals.

That’s what I do and I LOVE what I am blessed and honoured to do.

A Health Coach can help you sort out truth from fiction, provide you with customized information that’s relevant to you and your individual challenges or goals, and most importantly link arms with you and give you the opportunity to ask questions and speak freely in a supportive environment.

Here are some indicators you would benefit from the help of a Health Coach:

1. You feel something might be off with your health, but you’re not sure what.

In addition to consulting your health care provider, working with a Certified Health Coach can help you dig deeper into what you’re experiencing, get to the root of any imbalance, and find new ways to help you feel your best again.

From fatigue and low energy to weight gain and digestive issues, Health Coaches guide clients and help them make maintainable lifestyle changes to fix issues that may seem minor, but can have a major impact on your health.

2. You’re more likely to accomplish goals when you have guidance and accountability.

Whether it’s helping you address food cravings, finding the motivation to maintain a fitness routine, or being more creative with meals, a Health Coach can help you establish the structure to enable you to progress toward your goals. Regular sessions with a Health Coach builds accountability for the health decisions you make in a way that is motivating and encouraging.

3. You want to improve your health & fitness but are not sure where to begin.

One week you try keto, then you try vegan, and then intermittent fasting seems right. Have you done that? A Health Coach can help you with PROGRESS, NOT PERFECTION and simply take things one step- and one day at a time.

As a graduate of the Certified Health Coach Institute with training from Dr. Jordan Rubin (America’s Biblical Health Coach and author of the Maker’s Diet), I have been trained from a Biblical worldview and help clients reach their health and fitness goals with strength, peace, and joy.

4. You want to be a positive influence on your family and the people around you.

Establishing healthful habits for yourself first enables you to become a positive role model for the people in your life. A Health Coach can help you improve your own health and through that process, provide you with ways to inspire others along the way.

5. You’re tired of dieting, deprivation, and the frustration of trying to figure it out yourself

and want a more personal approach with a caring professional.

If you’ve tried everything under the sun (and the internet!) and are tired of feeling discouraged, a Health Coach can help you reconnect with what’s most important to you.

A Health Coach can shine the light on what’s preventing you from achieving your goals. In the area of weight loss, for example, good health isn’t just about nutrition. There may be a variety of lifestyle-related challenges that a Health Coach, using a personalized roadmap, helps you safely address so you can shed the excess weight for good.

ARE THERE OTHER BENEFITS TO HAVING A HEALTH COACH?

After a few months, you may notice what many Health Coaching clients experience:

More money in your bank account. Yes, you’re spending money on coaching services, but think of this as an investment. Soon you’ll be spending less on doctors’ visits and unhealthy habits that wind up costing more over time.

Stress decreases. You’ve found the answer to gaining control of your health. Frustration and guilt diminish as your motivation increases.

Confidence increases. Feeling better about yourself makes you a stronger and more confident person. This has a positive effect on your work and home life, too!

A passion for health, wellness, and fitness develop. As you experience your own personal transformation, you may consider training to help others by becoming a Certified Health Coach yourself!

If you’re ready to take the next step, let’s talk!

Contact me for a free Discovery Session. Let’s connect and explore how to help you get a handle on where you are now and where you want to be. Together we’ll chart a personalized roadmap to help you get there.

I look forward to speaking with you! The best is yet to come!!!