It's your immune system
As promised, here is the fourth email of the holiday emails that are dedicated to up-leveling our health as this year is coming to an end…and how to make it easy. The intention, as we’ve discussed, is to finish 2025 feeling empowered and equipped to make 2026 exceptional in terms of our physical, mental, and emotional health.
Today I would like to share with you the essentials for strengthening your immune system.
The fact is, your immune system is so very important for your overall health and longevity. It’s a vital part of the foundation for your quality of life.
Diet, exercise, sunshine, sleep, and stress management - it's all connected to your immune system. One of the greatest benefits of living a healthy way of life is your body becomes more resilient to disease and illness. It's not just something that kicks in when winter rolls around. It’s a 24/7 guardian.
While there's no guarantee you'll never feel under-the-weather, I can assure you that your body's immune system can become much stronger by just a few simple adjustments to your diet and lifestyle. The body is commonly underestimated when it comes to its innate ability to prevent illness. We live in a society where often the first recourse is to turn to modern medicine to fix what's ailing us. But a body well-taken care of has an astonishing capability to take care of itself. A strong immune system generated via a top-notch lifestyle is always the body's preferred remedy.
Consider that rather than the immune system being an actual object in the body it's more of an intelligence woven throughout the body that works hand-in-hand with the neurological system. The power of the immune system is truly awesome, given the potential it has to fight off invasive disease.
Essentials
During the past few years the world has begun to look at vitamin C in a new light. Clinically, vitamin C is proven to be essential for a healthy immune system. We are talking about vitamin C from pure foods - not ascorbic acid, a synthetic vitamin C often in supplements which, used long term, can actually do more harm than good.
The right plant sources of vitamin C include strawberries, papaya, oranges, and dark greens like kale and mustard greens and spinach. Some of the highest sources of vitamin C are acerola cherry, amla berry, and camu-camu berry. Providing access to these superfoods, that can otherwise be hard to find, is the purpose of the Infinity-C drink mix, Capsules, and Bars. And yes, I’m telling you about my products because immune health is exactly what these few are designed for.
Vitamin D is essential too. That's where sunshine plays a vital role. Ten to fifteen minutes out in the sun, in the middle of the day, with sleeves rolled up, is usually enough. Now that days are shorter, dedicating time in the sun each day will have great value.
Zinc is another one. The best plant sources include pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, and dark chocolate. Red meat has zinc too, but it comes with risks. So plant-based sources tend to be a better long-term choice. Zinc supplements are generally ok, but only on a short term basis since zinc supplements are not extracted from food - not favored by your liver when taken long term. But if you're feeling under the weather or have been exposed to someone else who's not feeling so hot, then I suggest taking it for a few days.
Other supplements that can offer immune support include echinacea, elderberry, and goldenseal. But these are best to be used only on a short term basis as well.
Equally important to getting the right nutrients is cutting back on the foods that can weaken the immune system. Processed sugar, animal protein, wheat flour, processed oils (like canola and hydrogenated oils), fried foods, artificial anything…basically all the foods that taste suspiciously good right before they make you feel suspiciously bad. These are the foods that offer no favor and can trigger inflammation that reduces blood flow resulting in everything in the body becoming weaker, including the immune system.
Stay warm. Your immune system likes warmth. So keep your home cozy, bundle up when you head out, and enjoy hot n' healthy drinks… factors to give more consideration now that we’re headed into the cooler season in some regions.
Gut health is a big part of your immune system too. Naturally the quality of your diet determines the quality of your digestive health. We will talk about the essentials for digestive health later this week.
There's another very important topic to address when it comes to maintaining a healthy immune system: stress. Last week we talked about how much stress hormones can impact the body. This definitely includes the immune system. We covered various solutions, and if you missed it you can read it here.
A truly healthy lifestyle cannot be emphasized enough when it comes to the immune system. The potential of the body's resilience to invasive diseases has been very underestimated. Improving your diet, including more exercise and sunshine, and mitigating stress is the grand recipe - tried and true.
Here for you,
Billy