10 Things That Depress Immunity

A healthy Immune System ensures that the body can fight off virus or bacterial invaders, eliminate cellular and digestive waste easily, and eradicate other invaders before harm can be done to the body. We often focus on what we can do to boost our immunity, however it is equally important to understand and avoid exposure to immune depressors. Note that most of this list is dietary in nature. The adage ‘you are what you eat’ is valid, especially regarding immunity.

An Over Abundance of Animal Products

Animal products-meat, fish, dairy, and eggs -are especially antagonistic to the immune system because these foods are hard for us to digest and leave an acidic ash when burned off during the metabolic process. Animal products require a lot of energy for us to breakdown and utilize. The energy required to metabolize these foods exceeds that which is derived from them making them energetically expensive to consume. The ash left from burning off these foods during metabolism is acidic and decreases the body’s pH into a more acidic range. Pushing the body’s pH out of balance, especially into the acidic range elicits an immune response in which the body expends energy to protect the body form this acidic environment and to re-balance that environment. This acidic environment can produce inflammation and, when chronic, degeneration of tissues. This internal environment requires energy to be expended by the immune system to protect from the damaging effects of an acidic environment.

Too Much Protein

Proteins, whether plant or animal based, also leave an acidic ash when metabolized. Additionally, animal proteins are especially stressful on the immune system. These proteins are comprised of strings of chemically bonded amino acids which create the protein molecule. Protein molecules are unique to the animal which they belong, so a pig protein is different from a cow protein, a chicken protein, or a fish protein. All of those protein, while they contain common amino acids to a human protein, are different from human proteins. As a result, these proteins require us to break the chemical bond of these amino acids to extract out the specific amino acids that we require to combine with the amino acids that we produce to create a human protein molecule.

A protein rich diet leads to a chronically acidic internal environment, which as discussed earlier, produces immune responses. The drain of resources, over time, depresses the immune system. To avoid this, proteins should make up no more than 40% of the diet with the majority of protein coming from plant-based foods such as beans, legumes, broccoli, dark leafy greens, and such. Animal products should be kept to 10% or less of the total diet.

Chronic Stress

Stress of any kind produces acid internally. This stress depletes the body of nutrients such as B Vitamins, Zinc, and many of the electrolytes. These same nutrients are important for proper immune function. Chronically, stress can break down the body and produce symptoms of chronic-degenerative diseases, auto-immune disorders, and a host of other symptoms. Stress also depletes us energetically, leaving less resources available to maintain everyday activities much less diverting energy into defense.

None of us can completely avoid stress. Life is stressful no matter what we do. The key is to manage the stress and allow ourselves to take time to rest and recharge, rather than continually subjecting ourselves to stresses. Taking the time for this kind of self-care will help to make you more productive, improve the body’s ability to defend itself when necessary, and improve your ability to think strategically and creatively which makes it easier to resolve challenges that may otherwise overwhelm us and zap our energy. Try the following to manage stresses and help yourself rest and recharge.

● Practice saying No. You are not obligated to do many of the tasks that we agree to do. Practice saying no when asked to do things. You can also practice saying yes, for a time- only to the things that give you energy and help you recharge. This will mean that you will have to say no to lots of other requests for your time and energy.

● Journal, draw, color, or otherwise engage in activities that help you to release stress. These kinds of activities help you to decompress from the challenges that life throws at us and shift your personal energy. I have discovered some of my best solutions to life challenges painting or drawing. Find the creative outlet that best fuels you and spend time doing it frequently.

● Make time to do nothing. Whatever ‘nothing’ looks like for you. Maybe it’s being creative, maybe its napping in your back yard or on the beach, maybe its reading a book for fun, maybe its binge watching your favorite show. Whatever your nothing is, make time regularly to do so WITHOUT inflicting guilt or shame on yourself for not being productive during that time.

Sugar

Sugar is one of the most antagonistic substances that we consume in our diets. Not only is sugar devoid of any nutrients, but the consumption of as little as 5 grams of sugar depresses the immune system for up to 5 hours after consuming it. Considering the compounding effect of the amount of sugar in the foods that we consume on a daily basis, our Standard American Diet facilitates a perpetual attack on our immune system leaving us vulnerable to all manner of degeneration and disease.

Limit sugar consumption to the sugars present in whole, fresh, raw fruits and vegetables. The sugar in these foods is a form that our body can use easily without adding stress to the body, because it is natural sugar found in synergy with a plethora of nutrients needed to support, feed, and maintain the body.

Lack of Quality Sleep

When we sleep, our bodies repair damaged cells and replace cells that have reached the end of their life cycle or have died off due to other causes. If we are not getting into the deep, restful sleep where we dream, or if that sleep is interrupted frequently, the body will not be able to perform the functions of maintenance, repair and regeneration.

Take time to allow your body to decompress and shift gears from the bustle of your day into rest mode. Turn off electronics such as your phone, TV, iPad, etc. Turn on soft calming music or sit quietly. Read a book or some other activity that allows you to de-stress and unwind. Drink fresh celery juice, or relaxing herbal tea about 30 minutes before bedtime. Try to go to bed and get out of bed at the same times each day-even your day off.

Packaged and Processed Foods

The processing of these convenience foods leaves the food so devitalized, that the manufacturers must add in synthetic and isolate vitamins to claim any nutritional value at all. The forms of these vitamins are not necessarily the form that our bodies can readily utilize which leaves us chronically deficient. This deficiency leaves us lacking the tools and fuel needed to run our immune system when it must be called in for defense. In addition, the preservatives and other chemicals included in these foods in order to extend their shelf life add extra stress to our bodies because we must exert extra effort to cleanse these chemicals from the body as well as protect from the effects.

Limit processed, packaged foods, including fast food, to less than 20% of your total diet. Consuming only small amounts, rarely.

Caffeine

Caffeine in all of its forms has become a staple in the American culture. I have heard coffee referred to, only half-jokingly, as its own food group. Caffeine is utilized as a stimulant in many different preparations, however the damaging effects on the body far exceed any benefits presented in recent studies.

Caffeine is a neurotoxin produced by the plants it is derived from in order to discourage insects and animals from eating that plant, however, for some reason we have decided this makes a yummy drink. As a neurotoxin, it has narcotic effects on the brain and body, giving it an addictive quality. Additionally, caffeine has a stripping property on nutrients in the body. Caffeine, regardless of the form, strips the body of hydration, electrolytes, B Vitamins, Zinc, Magnesium, and Potassium. Caffeine, like all toxins, produces an acidic ash during metabolizing. The increase of acidity in the body triggers the release of calcium from where it is stored, and overtime, this leaching of calcium stores leads to lack of sufficient calcium to maintain bone density, and dental health. The acidic environment will also produce rigidity in the soft tissues of the cardiovascular system and digestive systems leading to disturbances and degeneration of the function in those systems.

Replace caffeine drinks with water, herbal teas, and high quality, fresh fruits and vegetables. Doing so will restore a proper pH balance as well as restoring and nutrient deficiencies that have been created by caffeine consumption.

Chronic Exposure to Toxic Substances

Our bodies are designed with natural mechanisms that help us defend against the onslaught of toxins that we encounter on a daily basis. Even with these defenses in place, we do have a threshold for how much we can withstand before being affected by those toxins. Continual bombardment of the body’s defenses by toxins leads to a toxic overload where in the body cannot keep up with the demand for defense and the need to cleanse, repair, and maintain normal daily function. This overload is compounded by consumption of foods that depress immune function.

No one can completely avoid these toxins, unfortunately they are simply part of life as we know it. However, you can be aware of what we are exposed to and consciously avoid those chemicals and toxins as often as possible. Look for ways to replace cleaning chemicals, and other substances that have toxic effects on your body with more natural and less toxic alternatives.

Dehydration

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.)

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.

As a rule of thumb, consume half of your body weight in ounces as a bare minimum to ensure proper hydration. To put that another way, take your current body weight and divide it in half, this is the least number of ounces you need daily to meet the body’s hydration requirements. A 100-pound person would need a minimum of 50 ounces daily. If you are dehydrated, active and loosing fluids via sweat, in higher temperatures, or in the process of healing, add 10-15% more to that number.

Pharmaceuticals

The damaging effects of pharmaceuticals are well documented and evident by the long list of side effects for each one. These drugs also suppress immune responses. The combination of suppressing immune function and the effects of the chemicals on the body takes a toll on the immune system, making it work harder to defend. Eventually immune function will decrease due fatigue from overwork.

Rather than using drugs to suppress symptoms, look for ways to support your immune function in completing the healing process that produces the symptoms to begin with. Seek out the guidance of a naturopath or other holistic health professional to guide you in supporting your body.

Our lifestyle and what we consume are important factors in immunity. Taking the time to be aware of what you are consuming and exposed to will help you make the best choices for supporting your immunity.

Always: Be Kind to Yourself! Be Kind to Others!

Dr. Danni