Build Up Your Inner Army

We are now fully into fall and winter isn’t far away. This is the time of year that many people delight in cooler temperatures and beautiful foliage colors, while others fear “flu season.” If you find yourself catching whatever bug seems to be visiting your community, you may be in the latter category. No need to fear. My purpose today is to empower you to build up your inner army to fight on your behalf.

Many of us pay little attention to our bodies until we are hungry. We take for granted the amazing, unseen internal work that is happening every moment. Did you realize that your heart is pumping around 2,000 gallons of blood through its chambers each day? Not only that, but your kidneys filter about 40 gallons of blood to produce 1-2 quarts of urine. And there are trillions of good bacteria – called the microbiome – on your skin and inside your body working tirelessly to protect you.

Bacterial Powerhouses

These bacterial powerhouses destroy harmful bacteria, help to digest your food and even produce beneficial vitamins and nutrients. They act like bouncers in your digestive system, surveilling what’s coming in and blocking invaders. Without these bacteria working with your stomach acid, bile and pancreatic enzymes, you would not be able to digest your food.

Another area that these microscopic powerhouses play a big role in is as the driving force behind most of your immune system. Without good bacteria, we wouldn’t survive, so I think you would agree that it’s time to pay closer attention to how we can support them.

When You Encounter a Virus

What happens inside of you that determines whether you catch the flu or not? Your body is designed to combat pathogens or viruses. A virus is a collection of tiny infectious genetic material packaged in a protein bag. It cannot reproduce without injecting their genetic material into the cells of living creatures.

It’s important to know that viruses are all around us, and they are not defeated by antibiotics or antibacterial products. When a virus is looking for a host, your body has special defenders ready to seek out a destroy it. Ensuring that you have plenty of good bacteria is key to keeping that defense strong.

If a virus enters your body and begins to gain ground, your immune system will call in special reinforcements – T cells and B cells. B cells create antibodies, which are special proteins that latch onto viruses and prevent them from replicating. B cells also tag viruses for destruction by white blood cells.

There are two types of T cells – the helper T cells act like military intelligence to coordinate the killer T cells hunting down and destroying cells that have been infected by a virus. A thriving community of good bacteria in your gut boosts T cell production and helps your body fight off viral infection.

How To Boost Gut Bacteria

If you have taken antibiotics, which can destroy both good and bad bacteria, your gut microbiome is likely weakened. But all is not lost. You can replenish the good bacteria by regularly consuming cultured, or fermented, foods.

Not familiar with the term? You probably have heard of, and perhaps even eaten yogurt, kefir, kombucha, kimchi, pickles or sauerkraut. These are all fermented foods that provide different bacteria to boost your supply.

One of the common bacterial strains found in fermented vegetables is Lactobacillus Plantarum. It binds to the mucosal lining of the gut, preventing pathogens and viruses from gaining a hold. L Plantarum has also been shown to support better mood, sleep and blood sugar control.

Fermented Foods

Kombucha, a fermented sweet tea, provides the benefit of Saccharomyces Boulardii. This is a probiotic yeast that is one of the most thoroughly researched probiotics. I recommend it for clients who struggle with diarrhea, and also for those who need to take a course of antibiotics. Sac B (my abbreviated name for it) when taken away from the antibiotic doses, can keep the bad bacteria from gaining a foothold in the aftermath of the antibiotic. Kombucha is available in grocery stores, but I recommend looking for the lowest level of sugar available.

Kefir is a fermented milk drink that can be made with dairy or non-dairy milks. Homemade kefir is brimming with living organisms, making it a powerful immune booster. Just one small glass a day can help fortify your body’s army of beneficial microbes. You have probably seen kefir in your grocery store. Commercially produced kefir tends to have higher levels of sugar and less probiotic benefit. I recommend making your own.

Fermented Honey & Garlic

Here’s a simple recipe that can get you started with fermented vegetables:

• Peel garlic cloves and place in a pint mason jar, filling it ¾ full.
• Pour raw, local honey into the jar until it just covers the garlic cloves.
• Cover the jar and place in a cool, dark place and shake daily, ensuring the garlic stays coated by honey. This will prevent growth of Kahm yeast, which is harmless but can make the garlic taste “off.”
• Let ferment for 2 weeks. Then it will be ready.
• The jar can be kept on a counter or in a cabinet for up to a year. The garlic will change color and the flavor will mellow.
• At the first sign of illness, eat a clove a day. Eat a spoonful of the honey each week to boost your good bacteria. Keep the garlic covered by the honey as the levels drop in the jar.

While everyone else is worrying about flu season, you can simply reach into your fridge and take a few bites of cultured foods to fortify your immune system. Food is medicine, especially if it is fermented. By starting now, you’ll be better prepared when flu season hits in full force.