My Go-To Immune Boosting Protocol 

As the weather begins to change and the leaves begin to fall, it’s time for a little immune system reboot. It’s about that time of year when we start passing around the cold and flu, but you can send it on its way in just a couple days by incorporating some easy additions into your diet and supplement regimen. I started getting some flu-like symptoms on Monday and was worried they were going to put me out all week, but luckily I bounced back in just a couple of days. I attribute this quick recovery to staying on top of my supplement regimen and fueling my body with nutrient-dense foods that boost the immune system. It’s pretty much inevitable that we come in to contact with external bacteria and viruses that can get us sick. However, we do have control over how equipped our body is when it comes to fighting and eradicating these pathogens quickly. I am going to share my go-to immune boosting tips with you so it’s there in your back pocket when you need it.

Heavy Hitters for Immune Boosting 

• Hydration- Drinking enough high quality water is essential daily. However, it is super important to drink even more water than usual while we are sick to keep fluidity in the lymphatic system, the hub for transporting our immune cells and ridding the body of pathogens. Make sure you are getting at least half your bodyweight in oz. of filtered water each day, plus an extra 32 oz. while you are sick. Also be conscious that you are replenishing your electrolytes for proper absorption of the water you are drinking. Add a pinch of quality sea salt or Trace Minerals drops for an extra boost.  
• Bone Broth- Hydration, minerals and gut healing nutrients all in one. Need I say more? Make your own or use a quality store bought one like this.
• Sleep- Getting at least 8 hours of sleep should be a nightly goal. However, you may need even more during times when your body is fighting off an infection. Aim for between 8-10 hours of sleep. This might mean skipping a night of Netflix binging and turning out the lights a couple of hours early, but it will be worth it in a couple of days when you are feeling refreshed and full of energy. 
• Rest- No, this is not the same thing as sleep! Take off from any major exercise until you are feeling better. Sometimes this can be tough, especially when it’s just light symptoms like an aching throat, but often this is a sign from your body that it needs rest. Give your body what it needs so it can put more energy into healing. This way you are only out for one or two days instead of the entire week. Light yoga or walking is okay if you are really wanting to get in movement, plus it can be helpful to keep the lymphatic system moving. 
• Dry Brushing- This is a game changer in my book! When I get sick, every since I was a kid, I have always gotten swollen glands in my neck. This can be due to stagnation in the lymph nodes in this area. I use dry brushing to break up this congestion and promote lymphatic drainage, which aids in detoxifying and purging the body of toxins and pathogens that are making us sick. 
• Up your carbohydrate intake- When immune cells proliferate during times of active infection, there is a higher metabolic need for carbohydrates. This being said, be mindful that you are choosing low-glycemic options like fruits and vegetables. A colorful variety will provide polyphenols which act as antioxidants and further support anti-inflammatory processes. Plant foods will be a great source of fiber for maintaining a healthy gut microbiome.
• Herbs/foods that are antibacterial, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory- Incorporate garlic, oregano, turmeric, ginger, elderberry, echinacea, mushrooms, etc. into your cooking or supplement them with tinctures.

My Go-To Supplement Protocol

There are so many over the counter medications nowadays used to treat cold and flu symptoms. However, most of these commonly known pharmaceuticals don’t get to the root cause and knock out the pathogens making us sick. Instead, they mask symptoms like a runny nose, congestion and muscle aches by blocking the bodies natural mechanisms, which weakens the immune system in the long-run and makes us more susceptible to getting sick in the future. I choose a more holistic approach when addressing my cold and flu symptoms. I give my body the nutrients it needs for a stronger immune system that can kill invading bacteria and quickly move it out of my body through my detoxification pathways. 

• Pure Radiance C – Food-based Vitamin C powder that serves as a potent antioxidant for neutralizing free radicals and reducing inflammation in the body. 
• Vitamin A- this is something that should be tested by your doc before supplementing because it is fat soluble and can become toxic in the body when in excess. Good food sources are egg yolks, grass-fed liver, grass-fed butter or ghee, and orange veggies like sweet potato, carrots and butternut squash.
• Vitamin D3 – another one that needs to be tested for before supplementing (and should be supplemented in conjunction with Vitamin K2 for proper absorption) Boost your intake naturally by getting some sunlight, and eating fatty fish like salmon, sardines and cod, and grass-fed butter or ghee.
• Elderberry Plus Syrup – A blend of elderberry, echinacea, zinc and Vitamin C, all having been found to reduce the symptom intensity and duration of the common cold. 
• Goldenseal Tincture– Goldenseal is a bitter herb that is used in alternative medicine to treat infections of the mucous membranes, which are located all over the body and are the sites of a huge portion of our immune system. This herb can be useful in treating the cold and flu by fighting pathogens at the site of infection. 
• Green Tea with lemon, ginger & Manuka honey in the morning, along with 16 oz. of plain filtered water. Green tea is a natural diuretic so make sure to replenish hydration with extra water! Catechins in green tea, especially epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), are potent antioxidants that have been found to combat and prevent viral infections like the flu, especially in its earliest stage. 
• Raw Apple Cider Vinegar (alone or diluted in water). Though many conventional treatments of the cold and flu, like antibiotics, are able to stop symptoms, many are not able to completely kill bacterial biofilms, which are glue-like substances that invading bacteria produce to protect themselves and stand their ground. However, apple cider vinegar has been found to be highly successful at killing bacteria as well as this sticky biofilm that is otherwise resistant to antibiotics and leaves a lingering infection in the body. 

Maintenance 

When I do not have an active infection, I keep up with a maintenance protocol daily that works to strengthen my gut lining and populate my microbiome with healthy bugs that serve as the first line of defense between the outer world and my bloodstream. I wrote a blog post about how to eat for a healthy gut and therefore a healthy immune system. Read it here!

• Pure Radiance C
• Just Thrive Probiotic I use this spore-based probiotic because it is the most effective one I have found in trying many different brands and products. It contains four key bacillus strains that have evolved in the environment and are meant to be consumed by humans. This means they can survive while traveling through the hot, acidic digestive tract until they reach the intestines. Most store bought brands pride themselves on having a high cell count, but most of these cells don’t even make it to the intestines alive. Just Thrive probiotics also contains a patented strain, Bacillus Indicus HU36®, that produces its own antioxidants once it has found a home in the digestive system, further boosting the immune system and acting as a preventative for infection. 
• ION* Gut Health Good health depends entirely on the gut, since it is in fact our first line of defense against the outside world and invading pathogens. Therefore, it is important to protect the integrity of our gut lining, by strengthening the tight junctions that keep it in place. ION* Gut Health uses redox signaling to produce beneficial enzymes that work to strengthen our tight junctions, preventing invaders from getting in while still allowing the proper exchange of nutrients across the gut barrier.   

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