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Optimizing Your Immune System In The Winter
Spring might be just around the corner, but the tail end of winter can only mean one thing: the common cold is feeling, well, common. If you want to avoid the sniffles this season, here are easy and practical ways to optimize your immune system!
Ever notice that you tend to get sick immediately following a stressful event, like a big meeting at work? There's a good reason for it! Stress can increase the hormone cortisol, suppressing immune function and making you more likely to get sick. So make sure to take it easy!
Sometimes when the going gets tough, you need to just get some extra rest. Not only can adequate sleep help prevent you from getting sick, but it can also help quicken your recovery when you do get sick.
A robust immune system requires that it has all the building blocks it needs to be fully optimized—and that requires a solid nutritional base. Make sure you get enough protein and key nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin D and zinc, as these all play an important role in preventing you from feeling under the weather as the weather gets nice.
Want to know what nutrients to include for healthy immune function? Keep reading!
Vitamin C works by helping to increase the production of lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell that plays a key role in immune function, while also protecting them from free radical damage. Vitamin C has also been shown to reduce the recovery time needed after getting sick.
At Impact: Try the Vitamin C + Collagen Booster Shot which includes plenty of vitamin C-rich foods like orange, grapefruit and camu camu. Or, if you’re looking for something heartier, our Thai Butternut Squash Soup not only has vitamin C but also ginger.
Ginger has been studied and shown to have a variety of bioactive compounds that offer health benefits, particularly gingerol. Gingerol has anti-inflammatory properties and has been shown to reduce the risk of infections, making it a key player in immune health.
At Impact: Grab everyone’s favourite flu-fighter, the Germ Kick 2.0. Not only does it contain a substantial amount of ginger, but it also has other immune-boosting ingredients like oregano oil, echinacea and raw honey.
Ever notice that you tend to get sick immediately following a stressful event, like a big meeting at work? There's a good reason for it! Stress can increase the hormone cortisol, suppressing immune function and making you more likely to get sick. So make sure to take it easy!
Sometimes when the going gets tough, you need to just get some extra rest. Not only can adequate sleep help prevent you from getting sick, but it can also help quicken your recovery when you do get sick.
A robust immune system requires that it has all the building blocks it needs to be fully optimized—and that requires a solid nutritional base. Make sure you get enough protein and key nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin D and zinc, as these all play an important role in preventing you from feeling under the weather as the weather gets nice.
Want to know what nutrients to include for healthy immune function? Keep reading!
Vitamin C works by helping to increase the production of lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell that plays a key role in immune function, while also protecting them from free radical damage. Vitamin C has also been shown to reduce the recovery time needed after getting sick.
At Impact: Try the Vitamin C + Collagen Booster Shot which includes plenty of vitamin C-rich foods like orange, grapefruit and camu camu. Or, if you’re looking for something heartier, our Thai Butternut Squash Soup not only has vitamin C but also ginger.
Ginger has been studied and shown to have a variety of bioactive compounds that offer health benefits, particularly gingerol. Gingerol has anti-inflammatory properties and has been shown to reduce the risk of infections, making it a key player in immune health.
At Impact: Grab everyone’s favourite flu-fighter, the Germ Kick 2.0. Not only does it contain a substantial amount of ginger, but it also has other immune-boosting ingredients like oregano oil, echinacea and raw honey.
Curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, is a powerful immunomodulatory agent, by activating T cells, B cells, macrophages and natural killer cells—all of which are lymphocytes that work to fight off infection.
At Impact: Try the Chicken Noodle Soup, which not only contains anti-inflammatory turmeric but also chicken bone broth, which also benefits the immune system.
Iron plays an important role in the ability of immune cells to grow and mature, especially lymphocytes! Not only that, but low iron can also contribute to fatigue and exhaustion. Research shows that a low iron status can negatively impact immune function, so this is a nutrient to keep an eye on!
At Impact: Try the Everyday Bowl with Steak, Spinach and Quinoa, as all three contain iron.
Zinc is required for the production of new immune cells, and so a deficiency of zinc can lead to a decrease in critical immune cells and even decrease their function.
At Impact: Try the Victory Bowl with Steak—red meat, quinoa, chickpeas, and sweet potato are all sources of zinc. Or, if you’re craving something sweet, grab our Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Bar as dark chocolate is also a reliable source of zinc.
