How Does My Diet Impact My Immune System?
Think of a castle. Have you noticed how a castle can have an outside wall to define the perimeter as a form of defense?
In a sense, if your body is a castle, the defense against invading guests is the immune system. Examples of uninvited guests you ask? Well, the culprits of infections – such as bacteria, microbes, viruses, toxins, and parasites.
On a good day, when we are happy and practicing healthy habits, our immune system is strong. A strong immune system means effectively detecting and protecting against infections.
But, have you heard of stress? We most certainly bet you have! Us too.
“Positive self-esteem is a component of avoiding excessive or chronic stress, which then impacts the immune system…”
- Nathan Kolar, Zest Wellness Corporate Wellness Consultant
When the body is stressed, one of the first things it sacrifices is the immune function. Therefore our immune system functions at peak capacity when we’re happy, but slows down dramatically when we’re not. It is this slowing down which we do not want. Ever.
The message here – the mind and the body are connected. The way we feel, symbolized as happiness, for example, can be a factor for if we are at risk for infection.
So, “what can we do then?”
Focus on self-esteem. Fight unhappiness with self-esteem, and the result can be positioning yourself for a stronger immune system. You may ask, “wait, what on earth does self-esteem have to do with this?” Let us explain.
Repeat, day by day I am getting better and better.
Again, day by day I am getting better and better.
Traditional health education can focus on what we eat, but just as important can be the circumstances around our eating, that is why we are eating the way we are. We may be engaging in eating unhealthy foods because our self-esteem may be lower at the moment. We don’t want the situation of eating unhealthy foods to alleviate stress.
Positive self-esteem is a component of avoiding excessive or chronic stress, which then impacts the immune system as we have shared.
To act on this, we must remember, day by day I am getting better and better. When we really believe this we are more likely to choose healthy habits. A technique for helping with self-esteem is to draw on a piece of paper a circle. Inside the circle represents what is within your control. Outside the circle is what is not within your control. My friend, trying your best, and consistently trying your best, putting your best foot forward even when the sky is grey, time is scarce, or fatigue is felt, is what is within your circle of control. Oh yes, it is! There are freedom and satisfaction in knowing that on a given day, you did all you can by trying your best and focusing on your circle of control. It’s from our self-image that our behavior can then reside.
Overall, Self-esteem -> Happiness -> Healthy Habit Behaviors -> Optimal Immune System
Yes, the food itself matters (what we eat) and some examples are listed in a moment, but the commitment to try your best is important as well. This is why your commitment is…day by day I am getting better and better.
Foods for a strong immune system - fermented foods (for a healthy gut and intestinal tract), oats and barley (fiber), garlic (contains allicin!), broccoli (high in vitamin C), fish (rich in omega-3’s – such as salmon, mackerel, and herring), sweet potatoes (contains beta-carotene and vitamin A), blueberries (a form of antioxidants), poultry and beans (for zinc and protein), and green tea (a source of L-theanine for resistance to stress).
Have you tried the new Journeys feature on the Zest Wellness Platform? Journeys’ features a 10-day session of virtual tips for eating healthy, in addition to reducing stress, because now you know both go hand-in-hand. Click here for more information on Journeys.
