4 ways to naturally boost the immune system that doesn't involve diet and nutrition.

Now more than ever it seems the world wants effective means by which to naturally boost the immune system. We've already learned a lot about what strengthen our immunity before this pandemic and even more afterwards.

What we know is that functional impairment of antigen-specific T cells is a hallmark of chronic infections and viral disease. 

There are many considerations for boosting immunity and T cell function. Supplements most notable for this are:

• Vitamin D3 with K2
• magnesium
• zinc
• selenium
• melatonin

In addition to supplementation, staying hydrated and eating well are usually the first things people think about when wanting to boost their immune system. I mean, you are what you eat right. But what ways naturally boost the immune system that goes beyond what you put in your mouth? Here are 4 ways to boost the immune system naturally that doesn't involve diet and nutrition:

1. Reduce stress - when your mental health is attacked, inflammation is seen throughout the body because of your hormonal response to cortisol. Chronic inflammation causes an imbalance in cell function and can lead to illness and disease. Managing your stress levels by practicing mindfulness techniques, speaking to a licensed counselor, journaling your thoughts, socializing with friends, receiving a massage, reading a book, reducing screen time,  or enjoying a favorite activity can all help keep your immune system functioning properly.(1,2,3)
2. Restful sleep - most of us have experienced a time in our life when we consistently got less and less sleep and were more prone to getting sick. Adequate rest will significantly impact the ability to fight illness and infections. Our bodies need sleep to recover from everyday stressors, whether that be mental or physical. Aim for 7 hours of actual sleep time if you are an adult, 8-10 hours for adolescents, and 14 hours for young children and infants. (4,5,6)
3. Exercise - moderate intensity exercise will place a healthy amount of oxidative stress on your body that causing your immune system to adapt over time to this stress and slowly strength immune cellular function. It can be tricky because chronic high-intensity exercise can also cause enough stress to the immune system resulting in an unfavorable outcome of suppressing the immune system. Brisk walking regularly is one of the most often studied forms of exercise that shows consistent results for boosting the immune system. (7,8,9)
4. Chiropractic adjustments - okay this one I'm certain I will need research to support. Last thing I need is someone saying I said Chiropractic adjustments cure COVID-19. I am not saying that. In no way shape or form am I suggesting that chiropractic can cure, treat, prevent, or mitigate COVID-19 because the evidence to substantiate such a claim does not exist. The practice of chiropractic however focuses on the relationship between structure (primarily the spine) and function (as coordinated by the nervous system) and how that relationship affects the preservation and restoration of health.  There is a growing body of evidence showing a positive relationship between the chiropractic adjustments, the nervous system and the immune system. (10,11,12,13,14,15)

​Want more tips and tricks on keeping your body healthy and strong? Hit us up at Gaitway Chiropractic @ Spokane Wellness in Spokane, Wa. 509-466-1366

Request an appointment now!

References:

1. ​​Dhabhar FS. Effects of stress on immune function: the good, the bad, and the beautiful. Immunol Res. 2014 May;58(2-3):193-210. doi: 10.1007/s12026-014-8517-0. PMID: 24798553.
2. Cohen S, Janicki-Deverts D, Doyle WJ, Miller GE, Frank E, Rabin BS, Turner RB. Chronic stress, glucocorticoid receptor resistance, inflammation, and disease risk. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2012 Apr 17;109(16):5995-9. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1118355109. Epub 2012 Apr 2. PMID: 22474371; PMCID: PMC3341031.
3. ​Carlsson E, Frostell A, Ludvigsson J, Faresjö M. Psychological stress in children may alter the immune response. J Immunol. 2014 Mar 1;192(5):2071-81. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1301713. Epub 2014 Feb 5. PMID: 24501202.
4. Prather AA, Janicki-Deverts D, Hall MH, Cohen S. Behaviorally Assessed Sleep and Susceptibility to the Common Cold. Sleep. 2015 Sep 1;38(9):1353-9. doi: 10.5665/sleep.4968. PMID: 26118561; PMCID: PMC4531403.
5. Besedovsky L, Lange T, Haack M. The Sleep-Immune Crosstalk in Health and Disease. Physiol Rev. 2019 Jul 1;99(3):1325-1380. doi: 10.1152/physrev.00010.2018. PMID: 30920354; PMCID: PMC6689741.
6. Nagai N, Ayaki M, Yanagawa T, Hattori A, Negishi K, Mori T, Nakamura TJ, Tsubota K. Suppression of Blue Light at Night Ameliorates Metabolic Abnormalities by Controlling Circadian Rhythms. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2019 Sep 3;60(12):3786-3793. doi: 10.1167/iovs.19-27195. PMID: 31504080.
7. ​Simpson RJ, Kunz H, Agha N, Graff R. Exercise and the Regulation of Immune Functions. Prog Mol Biol Transl Sci. 2015;135:355-80. doi: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2015.08.001. Epub 2015 Sep 5. PMID: 26477922.
8. Abd El-Kader SM, Al-Shreef FM. Inflammatory cytokines and immune system modulation by aerobic versus resisted exercise training for elderly. Afr Health Sci. 2018 Mar;18(1):120-131. doi: 10.4314/ahs.v18i1.16. PMID: 29977265; PMCID: PMC6016983.
9. ​Khosravi N, Stoner L, Farajivafa V, Hanson ED. Exercise training, circulating cytokine levels and immune function in cancer survivors: A meta-analysis. Brain Behav Immun. 2019 Oct;81:92-104. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2019.08.187. Epub 2019 Aug 24. PMID: 31454519.
10. Fidelibus, J.C., An overview of neuroimmunomodulation and a possible correlation with musculoskeletal system function. J Manipulative Physiol Ther, 1989. 12(4): p. 289-92.
11. Teodorczyk-Injeyan, J.A., H.S. Injeyan, and R. Ruegg, Spinal manipulative therapy reduces inflammatory cytokines but not substance P production in normal subjects. J Manipulative Physiol Ther, 2006. 29(1): p. 14-21.
12. Lohman, E.B., et al., The immediate effects of cervical spine manipulation on pain and biochemical markers in females with acute non-specific mechanical neck pain: a randomized clinical trial. J Man Manip Ther, 2019. 27(4): p. 186-196.
13. Teodorczyk-Injeyan, J.A., et al., Elevated Production of Nociceptive CC Chemokines and sE-Selectin in Patients With Low Back Pain and the Effects of Spinal Manipulation: A Nonrandomized Clinical Trial. Clin J Pain, 2018. 34(1): p. 68-75.
14. Kovanur-Sampath, K., et al., Changes in biochemical markers following spinal manipulation-a systematic review and meta-analysis. Musculoskelet Sci Pract, 2017. 29: p. 120-131.
15. Teodorczyk-Injeyan, J.A., et al., Enhancement of in vitro interleukin-2 production in normal subjects following a single spinal manipulative treatment. Chiropr Osteopat, 2008. 16: p. 5. 

​Disclaimer
The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.