November 2023

36
Wanstead Village Directory
IMMUNITY: what’s the fuss?
Colder and damper weather is here, which brings a seasonal shift
of health concerns. But before you reach for the usual cabinet of
remedies, examine your diet and lifestyle, says Fiona Flaherty
Immunity is the body’s resistance to
both pathogens and disease. It is a
sophisticated system of surveillance that
identifies and neutralises potential threats.
It needs to be effective, proportionate and
precise – too little and it may compromise
health and survival, and too much or
poorly targeted may result in chronic
inflammation, allergies or autoimmunity.
We are generally born with innate immunity,
which is passed on from our mothers when we
are in utero. Acquired or adaptive immunity
may arise as a result of exposure to pathogens
or vaccinations to promote antibodies to fight
potential pathogens. Here are five potential
causes giving rise to low immunity:
1. Poor nutrition due to diets high in refined
sugars, excess alcohol plus nutrient
deficiencies (namely Vitamin A, C and D and
the mineral zinc).
2. Medications, including corticosteroids etc.
3. Poor gut microbiome – due to low
consumption and diversity of vegetables
and fruit in the daily diet.
4. Impaired barrier defences – including poor
skin quality, pollutants such as nicotine,
over-training responsible for increasing
cortisol levels and therefore lowering
natural immunity cells, plus heavy metal
toxicity from contaminated foods and some
chemicals found in smoking products.
5. Poor sleep – reducing natural immune cell
memory and adversely affecting repair.
Attending to this list alone is the perfect road
map to improving your own health outcomes
and that of your family.
What’s Vitamin D got to do with it? Vitamin D
is technically a hormone and belongs to
a fat-soluble group of steroids needed to
absorb magnesium, calcium and phosphate,
alongside other roles, including strengthening
bones. It is also essential in its interplay
between managing cholesterol levels.
Vitamin D supplements should never be taken
unless a blood test is available to ensure an
adequate therapeutic dose is given. Optimal
levels are essential for strong immunity.
So, what else can we do? Here are seven
natural remedies that – when taken as foods,
spices, herbs, teas and tinctures – may help
boost your immunity: garlic, ginger, turmeric,
thyme, honey, echinacea and elderberry.
Taking our immunity for granted is a mistake.
It needs a little work, but the rewards are
immeasurable. There is nothing nicer than
feeling really ‘well’. That’s something we
should all work hard on improving every
single day. Remember, this is a general guide
and not intended to replace medical opinion.
Fiona Flaherty is a registered nurse and
nutritional therapist based in South
Woodford and Harley Street. For more
information, call 07973 601 862 or visit
meducatehealthcare.com
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