How to support your immune system
Are you doing these things to enhance your resilience and protect your immune health?
START WITH YOUR PLATE
A recent study on frontline healthcare workers found that a plant-based diet reduced the odds of severe COVID-19 by 73%, and a pescatarian diet by 59%.1 On the other hand, those following a low-carb, high-protein diet - were almost 4x more likely to experience moderate-to-severe infection. Granted, this is a correlation, not causation, and there are many limitations e.g. accuracy of diet recall/surveys, so we need more robust research to make definitive conclusions, and by no means is anyone saying a plant-based diet can 'prevent' you from catching it - BUT it does send an important message that what is on your plate matters to your health!
What you eat can either impair or enhance your immune system, and you cannot out supplement a poor diet... sorry to say.
The No.1 thing in our diet that impairs is REFINED SUGAR, and this is the number 1 thing I'm watching in my kids as they head back to school. Studies have shown that high blood sugar can hinder the soldiers in our immune system e.g. Natural killer cells, which are our first line of defense against pathogens.2 This is why people with diabetes are at higher risks of infections, and perhaps why kids seem to catch a cold/flu so much more easily after a birthday party.
In particular, studies have shown that elevated blood sugar can increase the risk of complications for Covid-19 e.g. cytokine storm, blood vessel damage, and multi-organ failure.3
Sadly, 7 in 8 Americans have poor metabolic health (e.g. high blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure), and most don't even know it. In my clients, I see so many people with red flags - an elevated fasting blood sugar, or HbA1c but because they are not in the diabetic range 'yet', their doctors say no action is needed.
An important window of opportunity is missed if we just sit and watch those numbers climb into the 'diagnosis' range. We don't get diseases overnight, there is always a gradient of derangement that starts way before we even get a disease.
The 'pre-diabetes, 'pre-disease stage is amenable to lifestyle changes.
Ok, back to some key action steps on how to optimize your diet for immune health.
1. Reduce refined sugar intake.
This includes white baked goods (processed flour is absorbed rapidly and leads to a high blood sugar soon after consumption), cereal, granola bars, and hidden sources like yogurt, sauces, drinks. Did you know a Starbucks frap has around 12 tsp of sugar?
I am not, however, talking about whole, fresh, fruits, which do not spike your blood sugar (unless you have insulin resistance, in which case, work on reversing that first). Fresh fruit has lots of fiber which holds onto and ensures a more controlled release of sugar, not to mention the antioxidants which our immune system needs to function optimally.
In fact, many of the flavonoids in fruits have been found to be beneficial (I have a whole section on this later).
Now that we've talked about what to avoid, let's talk about how to optimize:
2. Eat more plants
As the recent study showed, a plant-based diet has been associated with a significant reduction in the risk of severe COVID-19.
Also, fiber and polyphenols are essential for our gut microbiome to thrive, and we all know that gut health is crucial for immune health. In fact, studies have correlated poor gut health and an unhealthy balance of bacteria in our gut with more severe covid outcomes. So, ensure you have a healthy gut microbiome by feeding your friendly gut bugs lots of plants.
Each type of plant feeds a specific subset of gut bacteria, so the more plants you eat the more gut microbiome diversity, the more diverse your gut microbiome, the better your gut health. The better your gut health, the better your immune health.
If you need help getting more plants into your diet, check out my e-book How to Eat More Plants, filled with tips and tangible steps to incorporate more plants into your diet with 25+ yummy recipes. I also have a e-cookbook with 40+ delicious recipes (Plate For Health) and meal prep ideas to help you get delicious yet nutritious plant-based meals on your plates.
Read on below to get my Pro Tips on how I’m incorporating this in my daily life.