When it comes to the immune system, we are being taught wrong! The commonly held belief that you are born with a strong immune response that weakens as we age is simply not correct. The reality is, we are born with a weak and immature immune response that strengthens as we age and are exposed to more and more things. At least, that’s how it should be.
However, the lifestyle choices we make on a day-to-day basis can weaken and deplete our immune response, making us more susceptible to a wide variety of external pathogens as well as increasing rates of allergies, asthma, and cancer. We all saw this firsthand over the last several years during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, the prevailing narrative is focused more on fear than on giving people useful advice about how to support their body’s natural immune response. If we want to start to take back control of our own health, we must first understand how the body works. At The Wellness Way, we are deeply committed to understanding your body’s normal physiology and how to best support its responses. Instead of taking a disease approach, we focus on understanding what the stressors are that your body is responding to, what type of adaptations they have caused over time, and how we can work to restore your body’s normal responses. One of the key factors that affects our immune system is inflammation. Inflammation is a normal and healthy response of the body to injury or infection. It helps to fight off invaders and heal damaged tissues. However, when inflammation becomes chronic or excessive, it can cause more harm than good. Chronic inflammation can damage healthy cells and tissues, disrupt the balance of the immune system, and contribute to various diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and cancer.
To reduce inflammation and support our immune system, we need to make some changes in our diet and lifestyle. Some of the things that we can do are eat more anti-inflammatory foods, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and fish; avoid or limit pro-inflammatory foods, such as sugar, refined carbs, processed meats, and trans fats; exercise regularly and moderately; manage stress and practice relaxation techniques; get enough sleep and rest; and avoid smoking and excessive alcohol consumption.
These are just some of the basic tips that can help you improve your immune system and your overall health. However, if you want to learn more about how the immune system works and how it can be affected by aging and lifestyle, These are just some of the basic tips that can help you improve your immune system and your overall health. However, if you want to learn more about how the immune system works and how it can be affected by aging and lifestyle, please schedule a time to visit with our doctors!
