“Sick Season” or a Weakened Immune System?

Is it really a “sick season” or are there things we may be overlooking that are contributing to an uptick in sickness over the fall/winter months?

It is important that we take time to consider why we are more prone to falling ill from September to February. Some speculation might be less time outdoors, more contact with people as we return to school and activities, less sunlight, and less movement in our day to day. Other ideas include our change in diet, uptick in sugar intake and more time gathering with others for holidays. Regardless of what fall/winter brings, what we do know is supporting a strong immune system is going to give the best opportunity to keep you and your family healthy through it all.

One thing we can all agree on is that our immune system is what “fights” to keep us healthy. It protects the body from harmful substances by recognizing and responding to antigens that don’t belong. Part of this is our bodies innately designed natural barriers that help keep these things out such as our skin, mucus and stomach acid. When we have a healthy immune system, we should be able to fight off many of the germs and sicknesses that we encounter. When our immune response is suppressed, we become more susceptible to sickness.  If we can investigate, and better understand some of the factors that weaken our immune system, we can become better equipped to support our body naturally and decrease our chance of becoming ill. 

Your immune system can be weakened by alcohol consumption, sugar, poor nutrition, not enough sleep and stress. When we are consuming things that cause added stress to our body, it must work harder to function optimally.

Now, let’s take a minute to reflect on what the fall/winter season brings. We start in October with a holiday filled with candy. Following that comes a holiday celebrating food and pie. As we prepare for Christmas we attend work parties, family gatherings and friendly get togethers all filled with various foods and desserts. We end the “holiday season” with the New Year celebration that often involves increased alcohol consumption and more sweets and treats. All of this on top of less sun exposure (vitamin D), less fresh air, less movement/exercise, and more stress with planning get togethers, traveling, and hosting.

The more we know about what impacts our immune system, the better informed we can become on supporting it.

The great news is we can make small daily changes that make a big impact on our health. Consistent chiropractic care can help to boost our immune system and is a perfect place to start. In addition, eating foods rich in zinc and vitamin C such as red bell peppers, broccoli, spinach and citrus fruits can help fuel our body to function well. Incorporating movement into our schedule, such as a 30-minute walk, setting a bedtime that allows you to get enough sleep each night, drinking enough water, and the hardest one, doing your best to manage stress levels are other helpful tips to supporting your immune system.

By taking a more proactive approach to our overall health we can work hard to keep sickness at bay. After all who doesn’t want a happy healthy holiday season? The better we care for us, the better we can care for those around us and help us make it through “sick season.”