Build Your Shield

Amber Belt, ND

One of the most common questions that comes up again and again from my patients and from my online audience is, ‘How do I strengthen my immune system?’ 

When people ask this question I know that, many times, they want a magic remedy that keeps them from getting sick. And I would love that, too! But strengthening immunity starts with consistent lifestyle habits that might sound boring. Remember, though, that supplements and medications will never work as well if you don’t have good lifestyle practices in place. You can’t out-supplement or out-medicate a crappy diet and lifestyle!

Let’s start by talking about some of the consistent habits that will help with immune strength:

• Hydration
  • Adequate hydration keeps mucus membranes in the nose and throat moist, which keeps bugs from sticking in the nose and throat and multiplying.
  • Remember that hydration is water AND electrolytes. My daily, go-to electrolytes are Re-Lyte by Redmond Real Salt and I also will occasionally make this Homemade Electrolyte Formula to mix things up.
• Diet
  • Sugar. Sugar is going to tank the immune system, so keeping sugar intake low is an important dietary change that needs to be made. And I know that a lot of us love to bake, but eating those treats can really work against immune health.
  • Eat food that looks like it did when it came from the farm. Keep processed foods to a minimum and focus on meat, eggs, fruits, and veggies. Most people benefit from keeping their intake of grains and flour low, as well.
• Alcohol
  • Alcohol isn’t good for much of anything, including the immune system. Drinking disrupts respiratory immunity and is associated with a higher risk for pneumonia. Alcohol also has a negative impact on our gut bacteria and we house at least 70% of our immune tissue in our gut.
• Sleep
  • Ideally, we’d all be getting 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Not getting enough sleep leads to an immune system that isn’t as capable of fighting infection and is associated with a greater risk of upper respiratory infections and the stomach flu.
• Exercise
  • Exercise helps the immune system find balance, as well as increasing white blood cells.
  • Exercise also has a whole host of other benefits, including balancing hormones, regulating blood sugar, and improving cardiovascular health.
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Let’s move on and talk about some simple superstar supplements to support the immune system.

• Vitamin C
  • This classic immune support nutrient regulates immune function, improves white blood cell function, and helps B cells and T cells proliferate.
• Zinc
  • This mineral plays a central role in the immune system, helping with antibody production and white blood cell development.
  • If zinc is being taken daily for immune health, I recommend to my patients that they take it as part of a multi-mineral so that their minerals stay balanced.
• Vitamin D
  • This hormone helps to balance immune function, it impacts white blood cell function, and has direct antimicrobial effects.
  • Vitamin D performs best when given with Vitamins A & K2, as well as magnesium.
  • It’s best to have Vitamin D levels tested before taking a supplement. You can check your Vitamin D levels through my Lab Shops store.
• Mushrooms
  • Many of my patients do well with a mushroom-based immune support to help them, especially during the winter months. Medicinal mushrooms help support several types of white blood cells, while balancing inflammation in the body.
• Probiotics
  • Populating the gut with good bacteria will help modulate the immune system so it can respond correctly to infection. Probiotics also help the immune-based cells in the gut stay healthy.
  • Probiotics can be taken as a supplement or through ingesting probiotic-rich foods. I tend to alternate between the two.
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I have put these supplements together in a bundle that I called the Empowered Immunity Bundle. You can take a look at these supplements and this bundle in my Fullscript store.

Of course, there are many other supplements that can help with immunity. Some popular choices include elderberry syrup, echinacea, honey, and garlic.

Traveling and crowds

I wanted to include one more strategy for immune health This one involves not getting sick while in large crowds and/or traveling. Of course, the exposure to more people increases the number of bugs you’re exposed to and, if your system is vulnerable, you might pick up an infection.

What I do when I travel to help myself stay well is to include Iodine Nasal Spray and Biocidin TS (throat spray) in my routine when I travel. Since cold and flu bugs like to stick to the mucus membranes in our noses and throats to replicate, I find that using the Iodine Nasal Spray and the throat spray for 2-3 days after traveling wards off infection.

I wrote this detailed article on Substack about Iodine Nasal Spray if you want to dig in and learn more. Iodine Nasal Spray is available through Sage Sirona and Biocidin TS is available in my Fullscript Store.

Throughout my years in medicine, I have seen people put themselves on very complicated supplement regimens for immune support. What I have learned about these complicated protocols is that they don’t work very well without well-established foundations of health in place. So remember to prioritize lifestyle and dietary changes over taking a bunch of complicated and expensive supplements!

I have created a more in-depth immune support course called Empower Your Immunity and you can find it on my website. If you want to dive deeper into immune strength, you can click here to look at the course.

Stay healthy out there!

Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Dr. Belt is a doctor, but she is not YOUR doctor. Consult a trained naturopathic doctor/functional medicine doctor to ensure safety and suitability based on your health and history.