Wintertime Immune Support for Autoimmune Patients
Autoimmune patients often ask me, “What is the best immune support for autoimmune disease, especially during cold and flu season?” A lot of people with autoimmune diseases are afraid of stimulating their immune systems too much. After all, by definition, an autoimmune disease is when your immune system attacks your own body.
So, should autoimmune patients be taking steps to suppress or enhance their immunity in order to protect themselves against a cold or the flu? The answer is complicated.
In this blog post, we’ll take a look at how to prevent influenza virus and other seasonal challenges that autoimmune patients face.
Personalize Your Approach to Immunity
To find out whether it’s safe to stimulate your immune system with natural immune boosters, the best thing you can do is work with a functional medicine doctor to personalize your approach.
When I’m dealing with immune boosters in autoimmune patients, the issue isn’t black and white. In autoimmunity, some parts of your immune system are going to be more active than others, and it comes down to which parts of your immune system are suppressed and which ones are working well. If one aspect of your immune system is suppressed, it can be harmful to your health. Enhancing the suppressed part of your immune system can keep your immune system as a whole in balance. One approach is to use immune-stimulating dietary supplements.
Most of my autoimmune patients benefit from anything that prevents them from getting sick during cold and flu season. In fact, many of them come to us on immunosuppressant medications. These drugs, like prednisone for example, impact the entire immune system, not just the parts that are overactive and causing problems. Many, but not all, of these patients can benefit from immune-enhancing supplements like vitamin C, echinacea, and astragalus.
It’s ill-advised to experiment with supplementation until you really know what’s going on with your immune system. In our practice, we accomplish this by using a really cool test called the Lymphocyte MAP™ test. It breaks down all the different components of the immune system, such as Th1 and Th2 cells, natural killer (NK) cells, CD4 and CD8, and looks at the ratios between them. With this test, we can tell what type of immune support fits a patient’s unique needs, which drives our treatment plan.
Stay Hydrated to Protect Immunity
Drinking enough liquid is crucial for healthy immunity. Water keeps your body’s mucous membranes healthy. These moist membranes line the mouth, the gastrointestinal tract, the sinuses, the lungs, and the vagina, to name a few. Mucous membranes act as barriers to keep foreign invaders like viruses and bacteria out of the body.
Water can also help with nutrient absorption. It’s important for detoxification and good circulation. A hydrated body is crucial for fighting off foreign invaders. I recommend that my patients drink half their body weight in ounces each day. For example, if someone weighs 120 pounds, they should drink 60 ounces of water per day. Adding electrolytes to water and other beverages is also helpful. Potassium, for example, supports the immune response by suppressing inflammation. Magnesium, another electrolyte, is also important for immune system function and a healthy immune response.
Natural Remedies for Colds and Flus
If you’re wondering what supplements are good for autoimmune disease, especially in regards to fending off colds and flus, the answer depends upon the results of your Lymphocyte MAP™ test. We tailor our patient protocols to their immune system test results.
However, certain supplements are beneficial for most autoimmune patients. Vitamin D helps the immune system defend against immune threats. In fact, a vitamin D deficiency has been linked to increased risk of autoimmunity. Multivitamins offer foundational nutritional support and contain some key immune-supporting nutrients like zinc. Glutathione is another option. It’s a powerful antioxidant that supports immune function. For these immune-boosters, I usually recommend these maintenance doses: vitamin D 5,000 IU per day, zinc 30 mg/day, and glutathione 250 mg/day. Consult with a functional medicine practitioner to find out exactly how much of each is best for you.
Probiotic supplements may also be helpful since there’s a link between the immune system and gut health. Many autoimmune patients have issues with their gut microbiome, and a probiotic supplement can help resolve an imbalance in the microbiota. Seventy percent of the body’s immune system is located in the gut, and problems with the gut microbiome can impact immunity. I usually start patients off with probiotics at 50 billion colony forming units (CFU)/day.
Clear Your Respiratory Tract
Viruses and other pathogens enter your body through your lungs and sinuses. That’s why I recommend using a Neti pot rinse or other nasal rinse when somebody starts to feel sick. These types of home remedies for a cold or the flu should help stop the ailment from progressing or getting worse. It’s a good idea to boil and cool the water before using it, or to use distilled water. Add the salt packet that is included so that the water is soothing to your sinuses. You can put colloidal silver in the Neti rinse to help kill off pathogens.
You can also protect your lungs from irritants by using HEPA air filters in your home. That way you’ll be breathing clean air all the time.
Find Out Why You’re Not Sleeping Well
When you sleep, your immune system releases proteins known as cytokines that protect your body during infections or inflammation. If you’re not sleeping well, you should discuss your concerns with a functional medicine provider. This type of doctor can help you find out why you’re not sleeping well, whether it’s because of blood sugar issues, stress, or even sleep apnea.
Break a Sweat
Sweating clears toxins from your body and can support immunity. Sweat glands put out antimicrobial peptides that help protect our skin from infections. Consequently, anything that makes you sweat, such as a sauna, a gym workout, taking a walk, or an Epsom salt bath can build your immune defenses.
How to Stay Healthy During the Winter and Beyond
As a functional medicine practitioner specializing in autoimmune conditions, I can help you stay healthier and more productive during this winter’s cold and flu season. Sign up for a free 15-minute discovery consultation, and if you come on board as a practice member, we will look into the root causes of your condition and develop a customized treatment plan to get you feeling great again. We will focus on natural treatments such as diet, supplements, and lifestyle changes to regain your health. You’ll sail through the winter season and when the spring and summer come around, you’ll be feeling like a whole new person.
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