Happy New Year everyone! May the new year bring health and happiness to your life, and we hope you are as excited as we are to see what 2020 may brings.
Here at Hey Mama Kitchen, we want to start our new year with new goals, new visions, and plans. We are thankful for what we have achieved and learned in the last year, and we are so grateful for great support and love from all of you!
Having said that, we want to start this year by preparing our body and mind for the cold January season. Just as you wear layers to go outside in winter, your body also needs layers to prepare cold weather. By layers we mean the following: a strongly supported immune system, protection from toxins, and a mindfulness practice to decrease stress and anxiety.
Determined to be physically and mentally strong for all seasons, we reached out to a health expert, Katie Linden.
Katie is an amazing mom, a successful business woman, she is an exercise physiologist, social worker, nutritionist, and a health coach. She has helped so many people transform their life by helping them to choose the right products and food that are clean and free from toxin for healthier lifestyle.
In this interview you'll learn:
- how important the immune system is to our body.
- about symptoms of a weakened immune system.
- what can we do to fight cold.
- how to maintain energy.
S: Hi Katie, how important is our immune system to keep us healthy?
K: Your immune system can become compromised by dietary, environmental, and lifestyle factors. Compromised immune systems can lead to frequent illness, such as the common cold and flu.
Your complex and amazing defense system is made up of two parts. First, you have mucous membranes found in the nose, eyes, and mouth - which use white blood cells to fight infections before they can get any further. Second, you have T cells and B cells, which work together to create antibodies that fight off invaders and then destroy infected cells throughout your body.
S: That is amazing how our body works to fight infections! Is there any other part of our body that can do that?
K: Yes, your bone marrow and spleen also play key roles in making white blood cells which fight infections. Your lymphatic system transports lymph (a fluid containing white blood cells) throughout your body. Altogether, your immune system functions as an amazing team working to keep you healthy.
S: What are symptoms of weakened immune system?
K: There are seven key signs:
1. You feel continuously stressed. When the stress hormones are constantly being released into the body, they interfere with the immune system's natural functions, resulting inflammation, a reduction of white blood cells and a higher susceptibility to infection and tissue destruction.
2. You tire easily and wake up exhausted.
3. You always have a cold.
4. Not getting enough sunlight. If you're a night owl, work in an office or keep the drapes drawn all day, you might be compromising your immune system.
5. Wounds are slow to heal.
6. Underlying illness. such as autoimmune disorders, diabetes, heart disease and kidney disease.
7. Stomach troubles. Your intestinal tract has bacteria that is essential to the well being of your body. Good gut balance helps immune system balance. Diarrhea, nausea or stomach infections are signs that your immune system may be impaired. Healthy gut helps healthy immune system.
S: What can we do to strengthen our immune system so we can fight cold?
K: Our immune system is 80% generated from our gut. So start there! Fuel your body with whole foods, and avoid added sugar.
Here are some ideas for powerful foods:
- Fermented food such as kimchi, sauerkraut, tempeh, miso, yogurt, kefir, and natto (fermented soy beans)
- Prebiotic food such as jicama, chicory root, garlic, Jerusalem artichoke, onions, leeks, leafy greens and bananas.
- Supplement with Vitamin D3/K2 and magnesium.
- Bone broth from 100% grass-fed beef or humanely raise/pasture raised chickens.
- Vitamin C such as berries, citrus fruits like oranges, tangerines, lemons, grapefruits, organic apples and red peppers.
- Oregano Oil
- Elderberry. Check on how to make elderberry syrup at home in our blog post.
- Kiwi
- Garlic. Whole garlic contains a compound called allicin, which is known to enhance immune function. Crushed garlic also offers additional sulfur-containing compounds with healing properties.
- Onions
- Ginger
- Green Tea
- Cruciferous vegetables such as kale, collard greens, mustard greens, Chinese cabbage, box choy, kohlrabi, broccoli and brussels sprouts.
- Mushrooms
- Sunflower seeds
S: As a mom and a businesswoman, your life must be filled with activities, meetings and tasks. Could you give us tips on how to maintain our energy and be physically and mentally strong?
K: For me, eating is so important. Because with my 4 year old, sleep isn't always under my control. I always drink green juice for a quick boost of vitamins and minerals. My other energy boosts are plant based protein shakes, probiotics, vitamin C and vitamin D. My immunity booster by Arbonne are life savers in our household.
Sources:
- Dr. Amy Meyers; The leaky gut and autoimmune connection.
- Food revolutions; How to boost immune system.
- Sovereignsilver; Signs you have a weakened immune system.