I want to share with you several things for immune boosting gut health support today.
But first, my endless research, work, and writing over the past several years is being searched, found, and talked about.
Why? Well, because of the storm that includes the C-Virus. The virus lead to all things immune system.
70-90% of our immune cells can be found in the gut.
Gut health is where it’s at, my friend. And you are a step ahead of the game. I know it.
Virus – Immune – Gut: Trickle Effect
Like a trickle effect, one massive virus even traces back to the gut.
In fact, so much so that there is new research from ResearchGate, proving it.
Dr. Jolene Brighten, a well-known women’s hormone, health, and periods doctor, brought Prevotella to my Instagram surface. She has the C-Virus. And she’s now telling women who follow her — “take care of your gut.”
Well, then.
Within the gut are most of the immune cells.
So then, let’s do everything we can do boost our immune health while also making sure the gut lining is strong (i.e. tight junctions, i.e. not permeable).
Immune Boosting Gut Health Support
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I could go on for days with various ways to boost the immune system and gut health.
Every single one of my three pillars contains ways for doing this.
But you might also be interested in checking out the top 12 foods that double as medicine and also fight a virus by protecting your gut.
While there are a multitude of ways for boosting the immune system for gut health support, this post is focusing on practical food and supplements.
Curcumin
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Curcumin from dried turmeric root extracts is known for its poor solubility and bioavailability.
As a result, curcumin remains in its native complexed form.
When ingested, it leads to dramatically higher levels of beneficial, free, non-metabolized curcumin in the body (up to 40X as compared with standard curcumin extracts).*
Curcumin is a biologically active polyphenolic compound in turmeric. According to the NIH,
While there appears to be countless therapeutic benefits to curcumin supplementation, most of these benefits are due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
Incorporating Curcumin
- Creamy Turmeric Veggies (p. 129 in The Leaky Gut Meal Plan)
- make tea
- add to rice dishes
- enjoy it in a latte
- take it as a capsule supplement
Reishi Mushrooms
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Red Reishi is an herb they use to help the body maintain proper balance so that one does not get sick or balance once one has already become ill.
Reishi has many polysaccharides, antioxidant properties, and beta-glucans that can help with immune function.
Incorporating Reishi
- Mushroom immunity capsules (from Perfect Supplements, so if you want to try these you can use my code ‘GUTSY10’ at checkout to save an automatic 10%)
- sip on a Reishi mushroom elixir
- NOW® Rei-Shi Mushrooms (a blend of both Reishi and Shiitake Mushrooms) supplement
Astragalus Root
Astragalus Root is known as a “superior tonic.”
People use it for healthy digestion and metabolism. It holds many of the same benefits as the Red Reishi Mushroom. And many times you’ll find the two side-by-side. Astragalus contains flavonoids, polysaccharides, triterpene glycosides, amino acids, and trace minerals.
Dr. Weil puts Astragalus in the “immune system boosting supplement” category.
He notes that it is,
the source of a popular medicine called huang qi available in any drugstore in China for use against colds, flus and other respiratory infections.
Dr. Weil
Incorporating Astragalus
- take as a supplement
- add to smoothies or tea via powder
Bone Broth
Way back when I wrote a post called, 3 Ways to Never Get Sick Series Part I Bone Broth the Beautiful. And I still believe that.
Gelatin, which comes directly from the bones, has the ability to calm and sooth, provides an immune system boost, and is nutrient dense.
Incorporating Bone Broth
- obviously there are 7 million and five ways I’ve shared 🙂
- Chicken Bone Broth Recipe
- get a packaged one HERE (now, “no time to make it” is no longer an excuse)
Vegetable Broth
Yes, of course there is a time and place for Vegetable Broth.
Don’t think for one second that I only believe Bone Broths are good for the immune system.
Vegetable Broths are also essential for the immune system due to the amount of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that can be extracted from the vegetables, spices, and herbs.
Incorporating Vegetable Broth
- Instant Pot Vegetable Broth
- can boost the Vegetable Broth even more with THESE broth boosts
Manuka Honey
The importance of honey for medicinal purposes is in some of the world’s oldest literature.
And the antibacterial properties of it are being studied; different types of Manuka honey have differing effects. Gram-negative bacteria are more resistant than Gram-positive bacteria.
Honey is also reported to alter a bacterium’s shape and size through septal ring alteration, which affects cell morphology and growth.
Research has shown that Manuka honey of different UMF values has medicinal properties of interest and it can be beneficial when used as a combination treatment with other antimicrobial agents.
Incorporating Manuka Honey
- drizzle it over anything and everything
- Shop for Manuka Honey
- use it for my Honey Roasted Peanut Butter recipe (or better yet, the Honey Vanilla Bourbon Peanut Butter)
Note: Yes, honey is high-FODMAP. It’s also a monosaccharide and antimicrobial, though, so many with SIBO are still able to digest it.
Salmon
Salmon is an omega-3 fatty acid.
And the omega-3 fatty acids are great for inflammation reduction.
The NIH states,
Among the fatty acids, it is the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) which possess the most potent immunomodulatory activities, and among the omega-3 PUFA, those from fish oil-eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)–are more biologically potent than alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).
NIH
According to Harvard, salmon tops the list for amount of omega-3 fatty acids per serving size (1,900mg per 3 oz).
Need MORE OMEGAs? We have them!
Incorporating Salmon
- One of my favorite recipes in the book are the Salmon Patties (p. 111 in The Leaky Gut Meal Plan)
- make Wild Salmon, Roasted Beets and Apples
Lauricidin®
Once upon a time, I took a supplement (THIS one) called Lauricidin on a daily basis.
It is a natural, plant-based medium chain saturated fatty acid extracted from coconut oil that supports a healthy and hardy immune system- a strong defense even when you feel that your immunity is challenged.
Incorporating Lauricidin
- supplement
- consume regular, unrefined coconut oil, which is about 50% Lauric acid by volume
Oysters
Oysters? Why? Yes, I know you’re probably thinking that. Hear me out.
Oysters are one of the top zinc-containing foods.
Just 6 oysters contain 52mg or 472% DV of zinc. And zinc’s benefits include: faster wound healing rates and a boosted immune system against various infections and microbes.
Incorporating Oysters
- shoot them raw
- make Oyster soup (Fun fact: Growing up, having Oyster soup at my Grandma’s on Christmas Eve was always a tradition. I never at the oysters; just the broth. I’d go back and do that differently!)
Note: It is not recommended to eat too many oysters, due to their vast nutritional density (especially the zinc, copper, and selenium).
Liver
In addition to boosting the immune system and improving digestion, liver has been found to:
- boost energy
- maintain healthy cholesterol and blood sugar
- maintain cardiovascular health
Chris Kresser says that liver is nature’s most potent superfood. It contains high amounts of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients which help detox the body and boost the immune system.
Incorporating Liver
- Make THESE 3-Meat Greek Balls
- Supplement with Desiccated Liver (pill or powdered form)
Garlic
You’ll find garlic, a staple medicinal food, in nearly every kitchen. It benefits fevers and poor digestion, and helps the liver and gallbladder. Raw garlic is a prebiotic fiber (food that feeds probiotic bacteria).
It has many antiviral properties.
Incorporating Garlic
- I chop it up and put it in everything!
- Makes the perfect addition for broths – both bone and vegetable.
- Tomato and Basil No-Dough Pizza
Note: Even though it is high-FODMAP, garlic is used for SIBO oftentimes.
IgG Supplement Support
And last, but certainly not least, a supplement I take daily: Tummy Soothe.
It provides optimal immune support while strengthening your gut’s protective barrier.
There is only one way to incorporate this, and that’s by taking the supplement.
In our family (yes, even my little ones), we pour a scoop over food or add to a liquid every. single. day (especially this time of year!)
The main benefits include:
- Supports gut health
- Supports GI mucosal health
- Supports gut and systemic immune function
- Supports GI barrier integrity
Here are the product ingredient highlights:
- 2.5 g of ImmunoLin® SBI per serving to support gut health and promote a healthy mucosal immune system
- 1.1 g of IgG per serving from ImmunoLin® to support a normal immune response
- 1 g of N‐acetyl‐D‐glucosamine per serving to support normal immune function and mucosal health
- ImmunoLin® contains peptides and growth factors that may have a trophic effect on the GI mucosa
- Dairy‐free formula
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Vitamin C
Finally, of course all things Vitamin C. I have an entire list of foods high in Vitamin C HERE.
Sources: HERE, HERE, and HERE.
Are you also wondering about what I stated at the beginning, “gut lining is strong (i.e. tight junctions)?”
How can you do this?
I have 15 supplements that support the stomach lining.
15 Supplements for Stomach Lining Support
- L-Glutamine
From The Gutsy Girl’s Bible, Glutamine is an essential amino acid that is anti-inflammatory and necessary for the growth and repair of your intestinal lining. L-glutamine acts a protector and coats your cell walls, acting as a repellent to irritants. Check out 5 more L-Glutamine Benefits HERE.
- Zinc
Zinc deficiency can arise from several sources, and a major physiological effect of zinc deficiency will be to induce leakiness in tight junctional seals and consequently epithelial cell layers. You can learn more about why zinc is important for gut health HERE.
Grab the other 13 supplements HERE.
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Xox,
SKH
You will heal. I will help.
