Balance & Restore: Immunity and Nutrition
Many life-shortening conditions are related to our lifestyle and the competence of our immune response. As Chinese medicine practitioners remind us, our lifestyle helps determine how well our body functions and how well our mind, body, and spirit are integrated—the three are inseparable and the health of one affects them all. When we don’t eat properly, our immune response is compromised but when we clean up our meals, we feel good, our immune response is robust, and our heart sings.
We are delighted that you are joining us on the path toward a long, happy, healthy life; we hope you will learn to enjoy and practice what you learn about nutrition and immunity this week and that you will incorporate these new habits into a new and vibrant lifestyle.
May you live long and may you live well.
— Dr. Mao
BUILDING IMMUNITY
Our immune response comes to our rescue when we are confronted by dangerous pathogens. However, when we are dealing with a tsunami of stress, continuing exposure to environmental toxins, iffy nutrition, and lack of exercise, it is necessary for our immune system to remain on high alert. Stress weakens the immune system and makes us susceptible to illness which is why people who are under excessive stress are likely to get sick.
According to research, sleep deprivation has an effect on the body that is similar to stress. Lack of sleep disrupts the normal production of white blood cells, a crucial component of healthy immunity. When our immune response becomes dysregulated, we are more likely to experience autoimmune disorders, inflammation of internal organs, blood disorders, and digestive issues… and who would want any of those?
In Chinese medicine theory, immunity depends on several factors: the kidney organ network supplies the fuel for all our metabolic functions. The spleen network including the digestive system is responsible for absorbing and distributing nutrients. The lung network governs defensive energy that protects us from external pathogens, and the liver network manages neurological responses and promotes the smooth flow of energy. All of these organ networks must function properly and work together in harmony in order to support healthy immunity.
NEW HABITS FOR BUILDING IMMUNITY
In Chinese medicine, the abdomen is considered to be the storehouse of our energy, so we need to keep it warm in order to replenish our energy bank and provide us with important immunity and longevity benefits. During the winter, a warm sweater, sweatshirt, or puffer vest could be perfect for the job.
We talked about managing stress last week, so this is a reminder that that separating ourselves from our worries, even momentarily, and moving into our body and our spirit can help us restore our equanimity. Practices that can reduce and help manage stress include walking, yoga, tai chi, qi gong, meditation, massage, acupuncture, hobbies, and staying in touch with supportive friends and family.
One of the simplest ways to stay safe from pathogens is to wash our hands when we prepare food; before we eat; after blowing our nose; before and after treating an open skin wound; after contact with someone who is sick; after using or helping a child use the bathroom; after changing a diaper; after touching animal waste; and after touching garbage.
Eating a healthful, balanced diet that is rich in vegetables and fruit can improve a person’s overall well-being. A nourishing breakfast starts the day off right, so we have the energy to do what is necessary to keep our bodies strong and healthy. To avoid food-borne illnesses, wash fruits and vegetables before peeling them; avoid undercooked meats, fish, and eggs; refrigerate leftover food promptly; and consume pasteurized juices and dairy products when possible. Foods that are high in vitamins A, C, D, E, iron, folic acid, and zinc will bolster immune function, so here are some ideas to get you started:
VITAMIN A: dairy, liver, sweet potatoes, spinach, carrots, squash, sweet red peppers, cantaloupe
VITAMIN C: citrus fruits, tomatoes and tomato juice, potatoes, red and green peppers, kiwi, broccoli, strawberries, Brussels sprouts, and cantaloupe.
VITAMIN D: Salmon and sardines; tuna; egg yolks; mushrooms; fortified milk, juice, cereals.
VITAMIN E: sunflower seeds, almonds, avocados, spinach, butternut squash, kiwi, broccoli, trout, olive oil, shrimp.
IRON: meat, seafood, and shellfish; liver; legumes, beans, and quinoa; leafy vegetables; tofu; dark chocolate; dried fruits; fortified cereals, breads, and pastas; pumpkin seeds.
FOLIC ACID: broccoli and Brussels sprouts; leafy green veggies; peas, chickpeas, and kidney beans; liver; fortified cereals.
ZINC: meat, shellfish, legumes; hemp, flax, pumpkin, or squash seeds; nuts; dairy; eggs; whole grains.
Exercise has the added benefit of causing the brain to release endorphins that in turn, reduce stress levels. There are many forms of exercise that are available to us even if we can’t go to a gym; we can take stairs; walk, run, or bike when doing errands; vacuum, rake, or sweep; dance or jump rope; practice yoga, tai chi, or qi gong. Wear a pedometer if you’ve got one, or activate the step counter on your phone, and then get going!
What lifestyle and environmental factors do you think maybe compromising your immunity?
Which aspects of improving your immune response are you going to work on this week?
BOOSTING NUTRITION
We can see that healthy eating helps support a robust immune response. As the old adage goes, “We are what we eat,” and that is why our food choices are an important part of living a long, healthy life.
For most of us, eating is a joyful human experience. We eat what we like, and we like what we eat …. but sometimes what and when we eat isn’t the best choice. Too often we skimp on breakfast and lunch, then pull out all the stops on we’re having to eat for dinner. We may consume too many highly processed foods. We might avoid veggies or fish because we’re not quite certain how to prepare them, or we may watch TV or scroll through texts without paying attention to the fact that we are eating a meal.
In the Chinese medical tradition, diet and nutrition have always been considered to be the cornerstone of healing. Ordinary foods that we eat every day and extraordinary foods that contain powerful compounds that are useful for preventing disease and can help us live a long, happy life.
Western tradition focuses on biochemistry; it breaks foods down to units of protein, carbs, and fats. Chinese medicine considers the healing properties of foods; it is better aligned with what Hippocrates, the following father of western medicine said, “Let thy food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food,” highlighting the importance of nutrition to prevent or cure disease.
NEW HABITS FOR BOOSTING NUTRITION
Overhaul your kitchen. A harmonious kitchen brings positive and nourishing energy to the meals you prepare. To keep energy flowing freely, clear clutter from countertops and repair or replace broken, chipped or cracked items because in Chinese philosophy they trap energy and indicate that something in your life is broken. Healthy growing things are a wonderful presence in the kitchen, so you might want to grow herbs on your windowsill, and make certain that your kitchen is well ventilated to keep energy flowing smoothly.
Embrace fish, fruit, and veggies for most of your meals and save meat for special occasions. Vegetarians and pescatarians generally suffer fewer degenerative diseases and cancers than their carnivorous cousins. If you must eat red meat, choose free-range, grass-fed, and hormone-and-antibiotic-free lean meat. Avoid fatty, processed, or fried foods and carefully control the amount of sugar in your diet.
Less food can mean more years of life. One thing that nearly all centenarians have in common is that they eat less. Sometimes they ate less because they were of modest means and had very little to eat during lean times but in modern times, we can stop eating before we are quite full and when we take the time to savor our food and enjoy it, our brain has time to register the fact that we are replete.
Our diet should follow the seasons, and we should eat locally whenever we can. Mother nature has the perfect plan for providing appropriate foods for each season; produce that ripens in the summer tends to be energetically cooling and winter foods tend to be warming. Also, when we eat locally produced foods, we are not contributing to the depletion of fossil fuels. Search out organic foods to avoid toxic residue and if you consume inorganic produce, wash it before you peel or eat it in order to minimize toxins.
What factors do you believe are affecting your food choices?
What new eating habits are you going to practice this week?