Your immune system is always being tested. And, when it’s suppressed or overstimulated, it cannot function optimally. So supporting a balanced immune response is critical for your health and well-being.

The good news is that it is never too late to introduce helpful strategies to your lifestyle to support proper immune regulation.

Here are 5 Strategies to prioritise TODAY to ensure you keep your immune system strong and supported.

1. Nourish your Microbiome.

By now, you know the importance of gut health. I cannot stress the significance of this issue enough because if your gut health is compromised, it will reflect on the health of the rest of your body. Your gut is jam-packed with a diverse community of different types of bacteria called your microbiome. Your microbiome plays an essential role in your health. They are vital to cell health, including regulating how nutrients get into individual cells and play a key role in immune function.

If your gut microbiome is not diverse enough, there are too many bad and harmful bacteria and other pathogens, debilitating, sometimes life-threatening conditions may occur. There is an extensive body of research to show how gut dysbiosis and intestinal hyperpermability (or ‘leaky gut’) can drive low immunity and wider immune dysfunction, such as autoimmunity.

So, How can we feed and support our Mitochondria?

• Probiotic foods contain beneficial live microbiota. These include fermented foods like; yoghurt with live active cultures, pickled vegetables, tempeh, kombucha tea, kimchi, miso, and sauerkraut.
• Diversity is key! You can boost your intake of dietary antioxidants by focusing on consistent daily doses of diverse sets of coloured vegetables and fruit.
• Up your Omega 3 intake. Eating plenty of fish will work wonders or, take an Omega 3 supplement concentrated from fish or algae if you are a vegetarian/vegan.

2. Press re-set with a fast

Fasting is a fantastic way to achieve autophagy in your body. Autophagy is a process that allows your body to break down old, damaged, and weakened cells and recycle them for energy. This process promotes the production of new, healthy, and more efficient cells. If you haven’t already introduced some fasting days to your routine, consider fasting if you are not feeling well or need an extra immune system boost. If you are already familiar with intermittent fasting, try a different fasting strategy. Read more about fasting and these strategies here. Make sure to follow an immune-supporting, nutrient-dense diet as well as immune-supporting lifestyle strategies after your fast

3. A Broth is Brilliant

Bone broth is a highly nutritious liquid made from brewed bones and connective tissues. Usually made from cow, poultry, or even fish bones, this liquid gold is full of minerals and other nutrients that offer a list of health benefits from digestive to joint health.
Bone broth also helps to support immune resilience. Additionally, all the minerals and nutrients in bone broth can support your immune health and reduce dehydration. A good bone broth is a great way to get in your nourishment after a fast, using
these strategies together can really balance and boost your immune.

4. Time to Think Zinc.

Zinc is a foundational mineral that is essential to our growth. It plays a key role in the development of hormones and immune molecules. Zinc is one of the best mineral supplements to boost and helps to balance out a tired and overstimulated immune system.

Zinc is a specific component of specific enzymes in the body, including superoxide dismutase enzymes. (A powerful intracellular antioxidant that protects the cellular genomics and prevents viral infection and the build-up of toxins in our cells).

Try to get in between 10mg and 40mg daily. The best sources of Zinc are; Oysters, shellfish, meat, eggs, whole grains, nuts and seeds, Grass-fed beef, Sprouted pumpkin, sunflower, hemp and chia seeds are also fantastic sources of Zinc.

How do you know if you need more Zinc?
The great news is you can do a zinc test in the comfort of your own home to ensure you have optimum levels.

As a taste test to indicate zinc status: Take the test at least one hour after food or drink. Simply add 5ml of Zincatest solution to 60ml of water and immediately swirl one 5ml spoonful of the diluted mixture around in the mouth for 10 seconds (this mixture can then be swallowed or spat out).

The taste sensation that results from this test provides an indication of zinc status:
1. Tasteless like water: Low.
2. Slightly dry, furry, mineral-like or even sweet taste develops after a few seconds: Marginally Low.
3. Definite taste, which intensifies with time: Marginally Positive.
4. Strong, unpleasant taste noticed immediately: Positive.
If you experience 1or 2 I would recommend taking one 5ml spoonful of Zincatest daily with a meal.
If you experience 3 I would recommend taking one 5ml every 3rd or 4th day.

5. Get in Heaps of Greens 

Finally, getting in enough greens daily can be a powerful strategy for keeping the immune system strong. Ideally, you want a combination of foods that are detoxifying, anti-inflammatory, micronutrient-dense, and organically sourced.

The abundance of nutrients, powerful phytonutrients & trace minerals helps to assist when there is a strain on the immune system. Cruciferous veggies such as kale, collard greens, mustard greens, and broccoli are some of the world’s hottest cancer-fighting foods. Discover more about how you can get in more Greens by introducing the green juicing strategy here.