A Lifetime of Immunity
A Lifetime of Immunity.
“These are uncertain times. Practice social distancing. Low risk versus high risk.” These are phrases that we hear on a daily basis in this crazy new world of ours. There is an aura of anxiety and fear exuding from those we pass on the streets, from our families, and even from ourselves. Should we be afraid? How can we not feel anxious when a trip to the grocery store feels like an episode of The Walking Dead?
Knowledge is the key. Knowledge leads to preparation. Preparation leads to control. Control leads to clarity of mind. And it is clarity of mind that separates you from the mob brawling over scraps of toilet paper.
Obviously, preparing yourself for a viral outbreak is multi-faceted. The most important tool we have in this battle with Mother Nature is already within us – the complex web of cells, organs, proteins, and tissues that make up our immune system. The human body has adapted to fighting disease by creating a two-fold defense: the innate immune system and the adaptive immune system.
The innate immune system is what you were born with and provides a broad defensive response as pathogens enter your body. Its greatest strength is its ability to mobilize and strike quickly. Its greatest weakness? Because it works so broadly it lacks the capability of specialized attacks against specific pathogens. That’s when the adaptive immune system gears up. It’s the hitman of the immune response, waiting patiently for its turn, then striking with precision against the enemy. It memorizes details about the aggressors, and uses this information to defeat them quicker if future attacks arise. With this defense your body can overcome most infections.
The strength of each person’s immune system varies greatly. Some people’s defenses are as tight as a Spartan shield wall. Others are about as effective as Winnie the Pooh with a water balloon. Most of us will fall somewhere in between. My philosophy is to build a strong foundation for your defenses, not simply try to boost it every time flu season rolls around. You can’t control every factor affecting your immunity, but you CAN create healthy habits that take you one step closer to safety in the low-risk category.
Here are a few lifestyle changes you can make right now to fortify yourself and build a healthy foundation for your immune system.
Minimize Stress:
I know, easier said than done. Our jobs stress us out, traffic stresses us out, maybe our families even stress us out. Stress is a part of everyday life. We all experience it, but we don’t all deal with it well. Smoking, drinking, and binge eating is kind of like putting a Band-Aid on a splinter – it masks the problem while it festers inside of you.
Research has shown that stress can trigger chemicals and increase cortisol in the body which can greatly interfere with our ability to heal damaged tissue, stave off infection, and stop tumor growth. Instead of masking the problem we need to find ways to make our daily lives less stressful. Seriously assess every factor that is causing you stress and write them down. Ask yourself how each factor can be eliminated or reduced in the future. Be very specific. You will find there is always a way to improve a situation, or your mentality towards it, if you are willing to make the necessary changes. “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.” – Charles R. Swindoll
Adequate sleep:
As adults getting enough sleep seems improbable. We constantly complain about how tired we are and try to one-up each other on how little sleep we are running on. It’s no surprise that all of those late nights bingeing Netflix takes a toll on our immune health. When you skimp on sleep your body produces fewer cytokines, a protein that works as part of the immune system. Cytokines target infected areas and inflammation to create an immune response. With less cytokines your body cannot properly defend itself, making you more susceptible to infections, heart disease, and diabetes.
Getting enough sleep was always my greatest stumbling block. After long days of work and school all I wanted was to spend time with my wife. Then we had our son, Arkyn… in the middle of finals week, followed by my multiple visits to the emergency room for internal bleeding from a botched liver biopsy (story for another time). Needless to say sleep was a forgotten concept for many months. My brain was in a perpetual fog. I was sick more often than I was well. Something had to change.
Prioritizing, efficiency, and self-discipline became my creed. I had to prioritize activities to ensure the important things in life, like family and health, were taken care of. I had to become extremely efficient in my work responsibilities and workouts to ensure I was accomplishing more in a shorter amount of time. And I had to practice self-discipline by setting an alarm to get to bed at a decent time each night – even if it meant dragging myself kicking and screaming. The change was incredible. My energy, recovery, and immunity skyrocketed. I felt like a changed man. I now rarely get sick, and when I do it lasts a fraction of the time.
Exercise and nutrition:
To build a strong immune response it is essential to create a lifestyle based on healthy life choices. A prepared, fortified, resilient body can withstand attacks much better than a body already at war with itself. Focus on losing fat and strengthening your internal organs. The main offender is visceral or organ fat which accumulates in your abdominal cavity near several vital organs. Besides affecting your general well-being and the health of your cells, it has also been linked to heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and multiple types of cancers. The good news? It can be lost fairly quickly with a good diet and intelligent exercise.
Don’t waste your time walking or running for hours on a treadmill – hit the weights instead. The more muscle you have the more effective your body becomes at burning calories and fat. Performing high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is another great way to torch visceral fat (3 minutes of high-intensity activity followed by a minute of moderate activity. Repeat for 15 minutes or so). I prefer punching a heavy bag or hill sprints, but HIIT can be done with whatever exercise you like.
Diet is the cornerstone to a strong immune system. You can’t expect your body to function at its peak capacity when it’s being attacked by pollutants from the inside. Don’t fall into the trap of a fad diet. Instead focus on a balanced, clean diet. Get sufficient protein to repair your body (about 0.8 grams per pound of body weight). Eat lots of vegetables and fruits (they are packed with micronutrients and vitamins). And stay HYDRATED, it will help your body cleanse itself of toxins and bacteria that can make you sick.
Use supplements to fill in nutritional gaps and promote cell recovery. A few of my staples are a multivitamin for added micronutrients, fish oil for heart and organ health, and ZMA for restful sleep and recovery. When my immune system could use some fortification I add in some Reishi mushrooms and vitamin C. Be consistent with your supplements. Don’t expect mind blowing results after a few days. Remember diet is the main player, supplements are just supporting actors.
Make time to implement these strategies into your life. I understand that changing daily habits is never easy and won’t happen overnight. It is the small, consistent changes that will make a difference for your immune system and well-being. Build a strong foundation of health and reap the benefits for the rest of your life.
LEARNED OF MIND. RESILIENT OF BODY. NOURISHED OF SOUL.
THE RUGGED SCHOLAR
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