The link between Digestive & immune Health

Did you know that 70% of your immune system lives in your gut? It’s true! Your digestive system is one of the first lines of defense for your immune system.

 Although the digestive system physically runs right through the center of our body, it’s actually in constant connection with the outside world. From what we breath, to what we eat or drink, everything that enters our body has contact with a part of our digestive system, and therefore our immune system.
So how do we protect our digestive system and in return, our immune system, from what we breathe (apart from wearing a mask all day), eat & drink?
We support the mucous membranes that line our mouth & sinus tract!
To accomplish this there are couple of key nutrients we should include in our diet.
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First off, Vitamin A. Vitamin A is crucial for the maintenance of epithelial cells which make up the mucous membrane.  Vitamin A can be found in liver, eggs, fish oils, milk. Precursors to Vitamin A (precursor indicate that the body must go through some extra steps to convert the nutrient into a usable form) include leafy greens, sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, cantaloupe, apricots.

Next, Vitamin C. Vitamin C helps build and repair connective tissue, which aids in preventing gum inflammation. When the gums are inflamed, they can more easily become infected, which can lead to systemic (wide spread) infection. increases the response of “front line soldiers” in our immune system and is a powerful antioxidants. Food sources – green leafy veg, citrus, berries, green peppers.
 
Finally, Zinc also plays a role in the tissue healing and also supports a strong mucous membrane lining. Additional, zinc is responsible for over 100 enzymatic reactions, including multiple roles within the immune system. Adequate intake can not only help prevent colds and flus but can also reduce both the severity and duration of colds. Good food sources include oysters, roast beef, venison, pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate, lamb, crab, ginger, peanuts.
 
While this is not an exhaustive list of required nutrients, including the foods that contain them in your regular diet should provide you with a good foundation to support immunity.
As a caveat to this, while I recommend everyone try to obtain the majority of their nutrients from foods, sometimes it is necessary to supplement, even just short-term.
 
Apart from vitamins and minerals, it’s also important to stay hydrated and include good sources or protein, fats & carbohydrates in your diet.
 
If you struggle with frequent colds or flues and find that a diet based around whole & minimally processed foods doesn’t improve this (or you need help navigating the world of whole & minimally processed foods!), I recommend you seek out the support of a qualified professional - like myself (email: [email protected]) - who can design a personalized food {and possibly supplement} plan to support your unique needs & goals.

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Check out the following links to learn what additional nutrients you may need to focus on to support your digestive & immune system, and what you can do to keep colds and flues at bay!

Enjoy The Holiday Gift of Immune Support

9 Healthy Habits to Keep Cold & Flu at Bay

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Resources

Bateson, C. (1994). Allergies: Disease in disguise. Summertown, TN: Books Alive.
Fortes, M. B., et al. (2012). Dehydration decreases saliva antimicrobial proteins important for mucosal immunity. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 2012, 37(5): 850-859, https://doi.org/10.1139/h2012-054
Perrault, D. (2015). Nutritional Symptomology: Handbook for CSNN students. CSNN Publishing: Richmond Hill, Ontario.
Ruscio, M. (2018). Healthy Gut, Healthy You. The Ruscio Institute, LLC: Las Vegas, NV.