1.- Eliminate dairy products. Which ones? All of them. This is one of the number one ways to increase your immunity to disease, and improve the overall health of your body. Dairy is the mammary gland secretions from another species. Cow milk is perfectly designed to turn a 65 pound calf into a 2000 pound adult animal. It has hormones, antibodies, and contains nourishment for cows, made by cows. Consumption of milk has been shown in countless studies to be linked to cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, heart disease, among many others. Milk causes an acidic reaction in our bodies, to buffer that acidity, our bones leach calcium into the system. The more milk we drink, the weaker our bones become. The countries with the highest rates of milk consumption in the world, have the highest rates of Osteoporosis and bone fracture. This is counter to what we were fed during the “Got Milk” era. What about hormone free milk? There is no such thing! There are hormones in milk produced. Young girls are developing breasts and menstruating earlier; a huge contributor to that is drinking cow’s milk. Milk increases mucus production, and exacerbates conditions such as asthma and allergies.
2.- Increase your water intake. 75 percent of Americans are chronically dehydrated. Even more than that have mild dehydration. Dehydration is the number one cause of fatigue. When our cells are dehydrated, they retain waste products and toxins. When our bodies are hydrated, everything is able to flush out properly. It’s the same principle as taking a shower. Can you imagine taking a dry shower without any water and trying to scrub yourself clean? It won’t happen. Add warm water and you can wash away the sweat and grime of the day. Water helps our cells to detox, move those toxins out of the cell, and eventually via our bodie’s rivers (the lymph and blood stream) move those toxins permanently out of our bodies. Only water can facilitate this. How much water? A 100 lb person should drink? Roughly an oz for every pound we weigh. If you workout, add an extra 2 cups of water. If you are breastfeeding, add 2 cups. If you are sick, add 2 cups. Increasing hydration boosts our immunity, decreases likeliness of kidney stones, detoxes our cells, increases cognitive ability, and helps with THOUSANDS of body processes.
3.- Supplement with Garlic. This has been vital to keeping our family well. Garlic is beneficial to every illness. It is antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and gives our immune system the love it deserves. The best way to consume garlic is crushed. Run it through a garlic press or smash with a knife and let it sit on the counter for 15 minutes. When you crush garlic, the enzyme alliinase converts alliin into allicin. This potent compound goes to work in our systems fighting disease, reducing inflammation, fighting free radicals, and protecting our health. You can use the garlic in guacamole, hummus, salsa, tossed in a veggie salad, or any way you like- just make sure it is raw. How much garlic? 3 crushed cloves a day is sufficient, unless you’re Emerill Lagasse, in which case; more is more. You can’t have too much garlic. Unless you’re a vampire. For all of you that are currently living, garlic will help you to stay that way.
4.- Sleep in complete darkness. When you leave the light on, even a small amount of light like a nightlight- it plays a trick on us. Our brain never fully goes to sleep, and is only partially asleep. This causes our bodies not to be able to fully recover from the stress of the day, and fully heal. Some people fall asleep with the television on, which is just as bad. Part of our brain stays awake and listens. Shut off your lights, shut off the television, and allow your body to fully recharge. This will increase your immunity, and boost your body’s ability to heal itself. If there is light streaming in through your window, use black-out curtains. You can roll a towel and place it where the door meets the floor if light comes through. The darker, the better. You’ll wake up much more rested with more healing potential.
5.- Raw fruits and veggies. It seems so simple, yet allows your body to do things that are really complex. Raw produce contains enzymes. Cooked produce does not. When you heat food above 115 degrees, the enzymes die. Enzymes are catalysts that allow your body to complete thousands of intricate processes from digestion to liver function to the beat of your heart. These enzymes allow your body to function on a cellular level, increasing immunity and protecting us from bacterial and viral invaders. The antioxidant activity helps to reduce oxidative stress on the body by neutralizing free radicals attacking our cells. Which are the best fruits and veggies for immune health? The more vibrant the color, the more antioxidants they contain. Choose vibrant hues and go for blueberries, kale, pomegranates, lemons, beets, broccoli, pomegranates, blackberries. Make a salad or smoothie every day. If you really want to boost your immunity sky high, make both.
