Autumn is the best time to prepare your body for the winter season. Your GP has probably already encouraged you to get your winter vaccine before flu season hits.
For those who don’t know, the flu vaccine contains the strains of the flu which have been predicted by the Department of Communicable Diseases to be the most likely strains effecting Australian’s this year. However, nowadays there are so many strains that it would be impossible to vaccinate against them all. In any case those who vaccinate often still get the flu.
When we also consider that antibiotics do not kill viruses and that “bugs” are becoming more resistant to antibiotics, we begin to realize that our immune system plays a crucial role in keeping us healthy!
The Body’s inbuilt Defence System
Developing immunity to the flu is a natural function of our immune system. By regulating and producing a variety of white blood cells the immune system is able to recognise the different bugs by their structure and shape and combat them accordingly. The white blood cells are made in the bone marrow and are most abundant in the gut and stored in the lymphatic system at different sites in the lymph glands. The main sites are the gut and respiratory system because these are in our first line of defence.
How to support the immune system with Naturopathy
Just like any other system the immune system needs the correct nutrition to function effectively. This can be achieved through eating fresh food as part of a balanced diet as well as with specific vitamin supplements to provide the building blocks for the manufacturing of these immune cells.
A balanced lifestyle that incorporates adequate exercise and rest, eating produce that is in season, ensuring proper sleep, adequate exposure to natural sunlight and avoiding stress are all ideal for optimizing your immune system. However it is not always possible to maintain this balance, which is where your health practitioner comes in.
Preparing for winter
The Winter and Summer seasons are so perfectly punctuated by Spring and Autumn which gives the body time to nestle down and prepare its defenses for the Summer or Winter. In Australia our climate is much more temperate than the extreme weather patterns of other countries, but it is still worth your while to prepare for the coming Winter and boost your natural immunity. Here are some great, yet simple things to include in Autumn:
- Supplements -Vitamin A, C and D and Zinc are the most important
- Herbs- Echinacea in liquid extract form
- Essential oils – Eucalyptus defused in an oil burner daily controls airborne bugs and strengthens the respiratory system
- Foods that nourish and cleanse – Soups made with good wholesome soup bones and lots of fresh vegetables especially celery, carrots and parsley
- Garlic, ginger, turmeric and lemon
- Probiotics are natural antibiotics
Keep yourself healthy this winter season by seeing our naturopath Therese Lew. With over 30 years clinical experience and an impressive history of patient success, find out what she can do for you! We are now offering phone consultations with Therese to keep up with demand and for those who can’t make it in to see her. All bookings can be made through reception 9597 7969.
