8 Natural Ways To Boost Your Immune System

You may have heard your chiropractor telling you countless times how amazingly smart the human body is. Did you know that everyone has their very own natural protective army? This first line of defence against microbes such as bacteria, viruses and other foreign bodies is called the immune system. Kids are now back at school; autumn is slowly settling in, life has just gone back to its normal frenetic pace and of course, it goes without saying that we have all heard about the recent worldwide coronavirus outbreak. Therefore, it is important to remember what to do when it comes to assist our innate immune system to fight effectively any opportunistic pathogens and reduce their chances to take over our health.  

1.     A well-adjusted spine and nerve system

Numerous research studies have shown that removing nerve system interference through spinal adjustments allow better coordination of the immune and endocrine system. White blood cells are the cells from the immune system that are involved in fighting infection. Scientific literature reports an increased biological activity of those white blood cells following a chiropractic adjustment.1, 2 Chiropractic also helps promoting the parasympathetic nerve system responses allowing our body to rest, digest, and repair which assists in building immunity.3

2.     Quality sleep

Make sure you fill your energy tank! Sleep is crucially vital to our physical and mental health and research show that people are more likely to get sick after being exposed to microbes, such as a common cold virus, when sleep deprived. While we sleep, the body produce proteins called cytokines that act as chemical messengers which will help modulating the body’s response to an infection. There is scientific evidence that sleep deprivation affects the production of those super messengers. The

Optimal sleep slightly varies from person, but generally consists of a total 14 to 17 hours for new-borns, 10 to 13 for infants and toddlers, 8 to 10 hours for children of 7 to 9 hours for adults in a 24-hour period for most adults.4

3.     Optimal hydration

Water represents 75% of body weight in infants to 55% in elderly. 5. To support a healthier immune system, it is important to provide our bodies with enough water to assist kidneys with the process of flushing out toxins, waste and bugs from our body. Water is also a key component in lymph production, the circulating fluid which carries white bloods cells to our body’s tissues. If you are thirsty, it is too late! To keep up with your hydration levels, the latest Institute of Medicine recommendations suggest drinking about 2 litres of water for a person expending 2,000 kcal per day.6 To prevent dehydration, it is also important to monitor our consumption of diuretic beverages such as tea, coffee or alcohol.

4.     Good diet

When it comes to fundamental healthy eating tip, it is recommended to reduce our processed food intake and promote a rainbow diet which includes foods of different colours by adding different kind of fruits and vegetables in our plates. Eating each colours of the rainbow ensure sufficient fibres, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants intake. Those nutrients are key to support our immune system in three ways: supporting the physical barriers (skin / mucous), cellular immunity and production of antibodies. The skin’s barrier function is particularly supported from vitamins A, C, E, while the protective activity of our immune cells and the productions of antibodies is actively supported by vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, E in combination with trace elements such as iron and zinc.7, 8, 9, 10

5.     Regular exercise

Exercising is one of the pillars of healthy living. It helps boosting our immunity by promoting good blood and lymph circulation allowing principal actors of our immune system to move freely in our body.11, 12

6.     Minimise stress

When under stress, the body triggers a fight-or-flight response through our autonomic nerve system, which functions like a gas pedal in a car. It has been researched that chronic stress (when we have our foot on the gas pedal for too long) affects our immunity in a detrimental way.13 While life stressors cannot necessary be avoided, taking time to manage our stress levels through meditation, regular exercise or deep breathing in our regular routine is greatly advised.

7.     101 Hygiene rules

Due to the recent corona virus outbreak, hand sanitiser supply is running short in New Zealand! However, do not succumbing to panic! Did you know that washing your hands vigorously with hot soapy water for at least 20 seconds is the most effective way to kills most germs? To protect yourself and others from getting sick, The World Health Organization recommends hand-washing after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose, before and after preparing or eating food, after toilet use or after handling animals.

8.     Get off social media

Social media has recently generated a wave of misinformation and fuelled panic. If you have any concerns related to your health, please address them one of our EBC chiropractors. As primary health care professionals, it is part of our duties to provide you with the adequate information.

 • References

1.     Brennan, P., Kokjohn, K., & Kaltinger CK, C. (1991). Enhanced phagocytic cell respiratory burst induced by spinal manipulation: potential role of substance P. - PubMed - NCBI. Retrieved 5 March 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1719112

2.     Welch, A., & Boone, R. (2008). Sympathetic and parasympathetic responses to specific diversified adjustments to chiropractic vertebral subluxations of the cervical and thoracic spine. Retrieved 5 March 2020, from

3.     Teodorczyk-Injeyan, J.A., Injeyan, H.S., McGregor, M. et al. Enhancement of in vitrointerleukin-2 production in normal subjects following a single spinal manipulative treatment . Chiropr Man Therap 16, 5 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-1340-16-5

4.     Hirshkowitz M, Whiton K, Albert SM, Alessi C, Bruni O, DonCarlos L, Hazen N, Herman J, Adams Hillard PJ, Katz ES, Kheirandish-Gozal L, Neubauer DN, O'Donnell AE, Ohayon M, Peever J, Rawding R, Sachdeva RC, Setters B, Vitiello MV, Ware JC. Sleep Health. 2015 Dec; 1(4):233-243.

5.     1. Nicolaidis S. Physiology of thirst. In: Arnaud MJ, editor. Hydration Throughout Life. Montrouge: John Libbey Eurotext; 1998. p. 247.

6.     Institute of Medicine (2004). Dietary Reference Intakes for water, potassium, sodium, chloride, and sulfate. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, in press.

7.     Mol Med. 2008 May-Jun; 14(5-6): 353–357. Zinc in Human Health: Effect of Zinc on Immune Cells.Ananda S Prasad

1. J Biol Regul Homeost Agents. 2013 Apr-Jun;27(2):291-5.Role of vitamins D, E and C in immunity and inflammation.Shaik-Dasthagirisaheb YB, Varvara G, Murmura G, Saggini A, Caraffa A, Antinolfi P, Tete’ S, Tripodi D, Conti F, Cianchetti E, Toniato E, Rosati M, Speranza L, Pantalone A, Saggini R, Tei M, Speziali A, Conti P, Theoharides TC, Pandolfi F.

1. Clin Exp Immunol. 1999 Apr;116(1):28-32.Immunomodulation by vitamin B12: augmentation of CD8+ T lymphocytes and natural killer (NK) cell activity in vitamin B12-deficient patients by methyl-B12 treatment.Tamura J, Kubota K, Murakami H, Sawamura M, Matsushima T, Tamura T, Saitoh T, Kurabayshi H, Naruse T.

1. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2006 Oct;60(10):1207-13. Epub 2006 May 3.Vitamin B6 supplementation increases immune responses in critically ill patients.Cheng CH, Chang SJ, Lee BJ, Lin KL, Huang YC.

11. Walsh NP, Gleeson M, Shephard RJ, Gleeson M, Woods JA, Bishop NC et al. Position statement. Part one: Immune function and exercise. Exerc Immunol Rev 2011; 17: 6–63

12. Habitual exercise improves immune regulation, delaying the onset of age-related dysfunction

13. Dhabhar FS, McEwen BS. Acute stress enhances while chronic stress suppresses cell-mediated immunity in vivo: A potential role for leukocyte trafficking. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. 1997;11:286–306.