Introduction/ Foreword

The beauty of our body is that it is incredibly self-regulating and able to adapt to many small changes without becoming overwhelmed. An ongoing cumulation of these small antagonists in our environments can lead to immune depression and immune fatigue, however, it is not a forgone conclusion that we must continue living with the consequences of these stressors.

We are bombarded daily by things which we have no control over that stress our bodies, minds, and emotions. These stresses take a toll on us and can have a negative impact on our immunity. It is easy to look at the world around us and feel helpless, but there are things that we have control over that can affect our immunity for the better and make our personal environments less stressful and easier to manage.

Simplicity of Supporting the Immune System

It is incredibly simple to support and re-establish immune health, and in doing so, restore vitality and health. I have brought together a list of 10 things that we can do to help restore immune health. Pay close attention, most of these immune supporting habits are emotionally/spiritually based. Improving our Immunity requires that we provide good care to the mind, body, and spirit simultaneously.

Advantages of a Healthy Immune System

A healthy immune system does not mean that you will never fall ill. There will be times when your body must put time into recovery and repair, or shift energy from everyday activities into concentrated defense and healing. What it does mean, however, is that your body will have all of the tools needed to defend itself when necessary. A healthy immune system also means that the resources needed to help us manage mental and emotional stresses will be available when we need them.

A healthy immune system transports the internal team members, tools, and materials to the sight of any injury or attack on the body so that invaders can be eliminated, and injuries or damage can be repaired without requiring extreme measure or lengthy periods of recovery.

1. Hydration

Staying hydrated is absolutely paramount to healthy immunity. Proper hydration ensures that our lymphatic fluids, and blood serum are at the proper viscosity to effectively transport nutrients, immune cells, enzymes and other building blocks, repair agents, and defensive resources to wherever they are most needed. The proper amount of water in the body also helps the body to clear out necrotic tissues, dead organisms, cellular and digestive waste, as well as removing environmental toxins.

Without proper hydration, we lack the conduit for all internal transportation as well as the means to eliminate wastes. If we are dehydrated these channels cannot maintain vitality. Proper hydration also ensures that tissues are properly lubricated, digestion functions optimally, and that the pads in between the joints provide the proper cushioning and joint mobility. Muscle, tendon, ligament, cardiovascular, and digestive tissues also need water to ensure proper elasticity. Without proper hydration they become brittle and begin to degenerate (think of an old rubber band that has lost its pliability and snaps when stretched.)

2. Eat Whole, Live Foods

Whole, living foods are essential to proper balance and vitality in our bodies as well as a well-equipped immune system. Consuming a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, legumes, beans, mushrooms and other colorful plant-based foods ensures that we receive adequate nutrients to maintain health, as well as the needed tools for cleansing and repair. Maintain 60/10/10 ratio- 60% or more from whole, fresh fruits and vegetables in all of the bright colors of the rainbow, nuts and seeds, legumes and beans, etc., 10% or less from animal products (meat, fish, dairy, & eggs), and less than 10% from grains and starchy foods.

3. Avoid Refined and Sugary Foods

Likewise, avoiding foods that are antagonistic to supporting our health and vitality are important. Heavily refined, sugar laden, packaged and processed foods are so devitalized that the manufacturers must replace those nutrients with synthetic versions or isolates to claim any nutritional value do nothing to feed and support our bodies, minds, spirits. In addition, these foods antagonize the body and can produce defensive responses from the body that use up resources needed for maintenance and deplete nutrients that are often not replaced when our diets primarily consist of these types of foods. These foods also have addictive properties and can take some time to detoxify the body from their effects.

Regarding these types of foods, I recommend a balanced approach. In the beginning, it may be best to completely eliminate these foods for several weeks to several months. However, food is not just a means of feeding and fueling the body, it is also social and as such it is an important part of feeding our spirit or soul. Because it is such an important factor in our social interactions, I recommend that no one deny themselves entirely of these foods, but rather limit the consumption to less than 20% of the total diet. If we do that, then we will have supported the body with healthy, vitalizing foods in such a way that the occasional treat of refined, processed, nutritionally void foods will not overwhelm us and cause distress or states of dis-ease.

4. Rest

We need down time, we are not meant to always be productive. We are instead designed to have periods of productiveness and periods of rest - not just sleep. Take time cultivating down time when you do 'nothing', whatever that 'nothing' may look like for you. Resting is simply the act of recharging. Perhaps for you that looks like a day or weekend of vegging out on the couch and binge-watching shows or movies that you enjoy for the sheer enjoyment of watching them. Maybe it looks like time at the beach, or reading a book, or anything else that is relaxing and allows you to recharge.

We need rest each day to ensure that we remain balanced. Constantly working without any periods of rest will deplete us physically, mentally, and emotionally. This constant effort burns resources needed by the immune system when it is called upon to protect and heal. Resting along with the other things on this list help to restore those resources and support immunity in general.

Create a routine that allows you to disconnect from the business of life and recharge. Try shutting off all electronics, lighting a candle, and engaging in activity(s) that give you energy and allows you to decompress and recharge.

5. Get Quality Sleep

Many of us struggle with getting adequate, quality sleep. The number of sleep aids available by prescription and over the counter is astonishing. The abundance of these drugs is a clear indicator that insomnia has become an epidemic. Poor sleep quality means that we are not getting into that deep, restful sleep where our bodies rejuvenate. The amount of sleep needed from day to day varies based on activity level, emotional, mental, and environmental stresses. However, quality sleep is more important than the quantity of sleep. If sleep quality is poor, then a you will feel as though you have not had enough quantity of sleep, even after 8 or more hours. Some feel this way after sleeping 12 or more hours. A clear indicator that you have gotten enough restful sleep is that you wake up feeling refreshed in the morning and do not feel as though you need a nap in the middle of the day.

Create a routine in the evening, beginning half an hour to an hour prior to going to bed. Turn off electronics, rinse off in the shower to wash the energy of the day away, brush your teeth and complete any of your other nightly habits. Then take some time to just rest and be. This allows you to shift your body out of productive mode and into rest and repair mode.

6. A Positive Support System

Today our society is very disconnected from itself, in so much as we do not connect with other people the way that we did a decade or two ago. This disconnection from humanity has led to an increase in emotional and mental disorders. Depression is one of the most frequently diagnosed conditions, effecting every age group. These emotional and mental stresses are more energetically expensive and utilize significantly more resources than physical stresses do. This use of resources takes a toll on our immune system much the same way that sugary and refined foods do. In addition, it is becoming more and more common to see people display behaviors that are toxic and manipulative because a subculture has developed that seeks to excuse behaviors by casting blame rather than requiring accountability and responsibility from that person. Interaction with these types of people is becoming more and more prevalent, even as we have access to more and more resources to educate and empower us as we deal with situations with involving toxic and manipulative people. The emotional and mental stress associated with this type of interaction is energetically expensive as well. As a result, it is important to surround yourself with people who are in your corner to be your cheerleader and support you in reaching your goals. People who provide an honest outside positive reinforcement. These people are the kind who can take ownership of their choices and for the consequences of those choices. They are also the kind of people who can speak directly and honestly with you about your choices, hold you accountable and encourage you to grow as a person, rather than pointing out mistakes in a way that is belittling or destructive.

7. Engage in Positive Social Interactions

This is part of creating that positive support system and yet a bit of its own entity. We are pack animals. As such, being isolated can lead to depression and anxiety and the development of unhealthy methods of coping with life's challenges. Likewise, negative social interactions can lead to the same. We will always have disagreements with people, that is part of being human (in my opinion, one of the most beautiful parts of being human is the opportunity to learn from other people because of our differences.) That being said, for the sake of our own well-being we must consciously seek out social interactions that do not drain us. Much like taking the time to do nothing, these interactions are needed to help us recharge. Constantly subjecting ourselves to energy drain situations also drains the resources needed by the immune system to function optimally. Be aware of how you are feeling in social situations and purposely limit the number of interactions that take your energy from you, while also purposely seeking out and engaging in social situations that support and recharge you.

8. Cultivate Positive Self-Talk

The way that we speak to ourselves can be downright cruel and dis-empowering. How many times have you said, 'I should have...' or I shouldn't have...', or 'That’s what I get for...', or other phrases that are perhaps more self-degrading. Have you ever said - 'oh! I'm so stupid', or 'I'm clumsy', or 'I'm not good with/at..., 'I'm lazy', etc. Think about the energy in those words. Do they feel empowering? Do they feel discouraging and judgmental? These phrases are full of judgment and shame, two emotions that drain us of energy and resources.

Don't should on yourself. I encourage you to eliminate the words should and can't in any form from your vocabulary and replace them with phrases like; ‘Next time I could...', or 'I could have...', or another phrase that honors the journey you are on and does not shame you for the learning experiences that come with that journey. You are currently exactly where you need to be in your journey, and you are the current best you that you can be in this moment. You are also growing and will become the best version of you in the upcoming chapters of your life.

Acknowledge the journey you are on with confidence in your ability to reach your goals. Embrace the lessons on that journey with gratitude since those lessons help you to grow into the next incarnation of your best self. To start doing this, try the following;

● Take a week or two to simply become aware of how you are speaking to yourself. It may only take you a day or two to recognize the pattern, but take at least a week to become more aware of your self-talk and how you feel when you say those phrases (even if you only say them in your mind.)

● Make a list of the things that you say to yourself that are guilt and shame ridden. You can do this by keeping a notebook with you and writing things down as you notice them. Do you disrespect yourself? Do you minimize your feelings, or do you insult your intelligence? Maybe all of the above and more.

● Find a picture of you between the ages of 1 and 3. Place that picture on your mirror and look at Little You.

● Now try to tell Little You the things that you have been saying to Now You. If you cannot say those things to Little You without eliciting pain, then you ought not say them to Now You because both are the same person.

● Next, say the things that you would like to tell Little You to the picture in the mirror and to your reflection ( they are one in the same, so you are really just saying this to you) and repeat this part of this exercise each time that you notice yourself engaging in negative self-talk. This action, consciously acknowledge the habits from self-sabotaging, degradation infused language that is defeating and depresses you on physical, mental, and emotional levels, while simultaneously replacing those habits with ones that are encouraging, supportive, and shift the energy of our language to restore us, rather than draining us.

9. Spiritual Support and Practices

Because we are an integrated organism - mind, body, spirit- and, because we cannot truly separate the three, we must invest energy into supporting our spirit. Looking at the graphic below, notice that the spirit is placed at the top and is connected to the mind and body. If the spirit/soul (the seat, and place of origin for our emotions) is neglected, the legs holding it up will weaken and become unstable or completely break away. This will affect us mentally and physically. Think about a time when you had a particularly rough day emotionally or an intense day of mental exertion, chances are you felt very drained at the end of that day. This draining requires care of your spirit or soul.

This is part of creating that positive support system and yet a bit of its own entity. We are pack animals. As such, being isolated can lead to depression and anxiety and the development of unhealthy methods of coping with life's challenges. Likewise, negative social interactions can lead to the same. We will always have disagreements with people, that is part of being human (in my opinion, one of the most beautiful parts of being human is the opportunity to learn from other people because of our differences.) That being said, for the sake of our own wellbeing we must consciously seek out social interactions that do not drain us. Much like taking the time to do nothing, these interactions are needed to help us recharge. Constantly subjecting ourselves to energy drain situations also drains the resources needed by the immune system to function optimally. Be aware of how you are feeling in social situations and purposely limit the number of interactions that take your energy from you, while also purposely seeking out and engaging in social situations that support and recharge you.

That care comes in the form of spiritual practices both in private at home and in group gatherings. These practices can be anything that feeds your soul and helps to recharge you emotionally. As I stated earlier, we are pack animals, we need the 'pack' as part of the practices that feed our soul, so gathering with others that join us in our spiritual practices revitalizes and renews us. Equally important are the regular practices that we use in private to help feed our souls. Daily meditation, prayer, journaling, or other such activities are great ways to achieve this.

10. Walk in Your Faith

This is something that can be very difficult for us because the culture that we currently live in is very industrial minded and driven by industrial standards than can make it challenging to practice soul-feeding, personal faith actions. So, what exactly does walking in your faith mean? The basic principles of human kindness that we apply externally to others must also be applied to ourselves. This means employing the actions described in this post to ourselves consistently, and above all being kind to ourselves when we make mistakes or fall short of our personal expectations. Please notice that I said personal expectations, I say this because the highest expectations are typically the ones that we impose upon ourselves. Recognize that you are exactly where you are meant to be in this journey, AND you are still on that journey. Trust yourself enough to be content in where you are, while working to make changes and improve your life.

This really does effect immunity. If we say we believe that we will achieve a specific goal, but internally look for excuses or say things like 'maybe when...', or 'if only I had...', or 'when this happens, then...', we subconsciously tell ourselves that we cannot have, or do not deserve to have that which we are striving to achieve or obtain. In doing this, we sabotage ourselves and set ourselves up for failure and feelings of despair. These emotional stresses tax us physically and drain resources that are diverted from the immune system.

Closing

Every choice that we make affects us. Consciously choose actions that positively affect you, doing so directly effects the function of our immune system by improving its function.

Remember: Be kind to yourself! Be kind to others!

Dr. Danni