With the cold weather coming, it is time to take special care in boosting your immune system!
We partnered with Dr. Neil Paulvin to provide you with the best tips to boost your immunity now that colder days are ahead. Dr Paulvin is an innovative physician in the study of Functional Medicine, Integrative Sports Medicine, Regenerative medicine, Osteopathic Manipulation and Craniosacral Therapy. He works with patients to not only treat, but to find the root cause of autoimmune issues, thyroid and hormone imbalances, digestive and gut disorders and a number of inflammatory based conditions. He has a 360-degree approach to each patient, and combines both eastern and western practices to get his patients well quicker.
Here are five tips from Dr. Neil Paulvin that you can do to boost your immune system this fall!
1. Get 6-8 hours sleep daily and maintain a normal circadian rhythm
We know sleep can affect both parts of your immune the innate immune system, the immune system that you are born with. This is your first line of defense. The other part is your adaptive immunity, this part is developed over time through exposures. Poor sleep can diminish both parts of your immune system. Poor sleep will affect your body’s ability to manage growth hormone, cortisol, testosterone, and melatonin. Decreased production of these hormones can lead to immune system deficiencies.
2 Control stress
Managing stress is so important to boosting your immune system. Stress leads to increase inflammation which depresses your immune system. Stress will depress how well your immune system functions. Controlling your stress through breathwork and/or meditation helps control your sympathetic nervous system which helps boost your immune system. Meditation has also been shown to decrease inflammation to help your immune system
3. Cold immersion
Taking cold showers or doing cold plunges helps t0 stimulate the immune system due to the stress of cold exposure. Try getting up to 3 minutes of cold exposure to maximize benefits
4. Exercise regularly
Exercise when consistent helps boost both your innate and adaptive immune system. It also helps to decrease inflammation and helps with better sleep. Both these things stimulate the immune system. You don’t need to work out 60-90 minutes to get this benefit. You can work for 20 minutes and get the same benefits. It has been found that people who overtrain (two a days or more than 5 times a week) may actually depress their immune system.
5. Keep your gut healthy
Maintaining gut health is so important for maintaining a strong immune system since 70% of your immune system is in your gut. The microbiome, the bacteria in your gut affect how strong and developed your immune system is. You want to encourage the development of good bacteria such as bifidobacteria and lactobacillus. You want to limit the amount of bad bacteria and infections. You can maintain a good balance of good bacteria versus bad bacteria. In various ways. Using bone broth has been able to stimulate the development of good bacteria. Fasting for 16 hours, taking probiotics, eating fermented foods are all things that can all help stimulate the development of good bacteria. Damage to the gut lining from infection, stress, inflammation, allergies and other toxins. This damage is sometimes termed leaky gut and can lead to autoimmune disease, inflammation, brain fog and other issues. Bone broth can help heal the gut lining along with other treatments. Fasting, glutamine, Spermidine, Aloe Vera, Quercetin and Licorice Root can all help heal the gut lining and stimulate the immune system.
There are plenty of ways to boost your immunity system, this list is just a starting point. Try a few of the things that I mentioned above, and then begin adding supplements, sauna, eating certain foods and red light therapy. There's no better time than right now to focus on your immune system to benefit your overall health.
If you want to learn more about Dr. Paulvin, please visit his website and follow him on instagram, or book an appointment here.
