3 Ways to Boost Your Immune System this Winter!

Posted by: Ken Bennett

Before we get to the 3 ways that help boost your immune system let’s take a step back and think about why we get colds in the first place. Basically, when a germ or toxin we eat, drink or breathe gets past our defense system we get sick. Why aren’t we always sick, if we are always eating, drinking and breathing. Because our immune system usually has the resources to take care of germs easily. So maybe it’s a matter of resources…

At The Balancing Center we believe (and with each patient continue to see proof) that the body is designed to be healthy but programmed to survive. We know that the brain and nervous system control everything that happens in the body (digestion, breathing, immune system, pleasure, pain and the list goes on). There are a number of things that can put our bodies into survival mode such as: germs, accidents, spinal misalignments, injuries, stress, poor nutrition, environmental toxins and the list goes on. When our nervous system’s resources are being used to compensate for a problem, they aren’t available to do what they are designed to do; for example, if your nervous system has to figure out how to deal with a body that is structurally out of balance, digest poor food, deal with a deadline at work or a project at home. It is busy. This creates stress and uses up resources. Our nervous system can lose touch with the immune system. That’s the perfect time for a germ to take advantage and sneak past our defenses. Once the intruder alert goes off the most pressing matter for the nervous system is the germ. So it tells the immune system to get to work but it’s too late. The germ is in and we get sick.

A cold is actually a good thing. Our body is getting whatever shouldn’t be there out of our system. It might not feel good but it serves a very important purpose. What we call cold symptoms is really our immune system (under orders from the nervous system) trying to make our body as inhospitable as possible for the germs. Think about this, if the only water you have is contaminated with bacteria what are you going to do? Yes, boil it! Why? So the bacteria is killed off. Doesn’t that sound like a fever? I’d say so. Then why do people take Tylenol to lower a fever and let the bacteria live? I’m not saying don’t take medicine when you have a fever of 105. Next time you’re feeling a cold coming on, instead of running to the medicine cabinet you can run to your vitamin cabinet. Ride out the symptoms and try and do something to support the fever or congestion (it is there for a reason). Do something to make your body even more inhospitable.

Here’s what you can do.

The top of the list is to help your nervous system. The more resources your nervous system has, the more your nervous system is able to function as it is designed to function (healthy and well) the more resilient and vital every system in our body is, including the immune system. If your nervous system is primed from regular adjustments, when you do get sick (which is inevitable) but, the cold will rarely be bad and typically will be short lived. I know that’s true for my body and I’ve seen the same thing with thousands of patients. A well adjusted nervous system will help every organ, tissue and cell in your body. Immune system included.


#1 Way to Boost your Immune System = Get adjusted and let your nervous system do its thing.


Next, we get to nutrition. What we eat and drink and the vitamins and supplements we take either support us or hinder us. Not taking quality vitamins and supplements while eating processed foods, grains, sugars and dairy will weaken the body. These foods lead to increased levels of inflammation, acidity, glucose and insulin. All of which increase cortisol, stress hormone, levels. Cortisol directly inhibits the immune system.

Eating plenty of organic, fresh fruits and vegetables and organic and free range meat gives our body the vitamins, minerals, protein and good fats necessary to be healthy. These foods all help to decrease levels of inflammation, acidity, glucose and insulin. Hence, cortisol levels go down and the immune system is supported. It’s really not complicated at all.

The following supplements all help to support the immune system either directly or indirectly. I’m going to list the names of the products we have in the office and the main supplement in it. We are very careful only to carry to best products in the office, so everyone gets the most bang for their buck. If you have any questions about why just ask.

Orenda Immune - glucarate
Vitamin D
Detox Essentials – vitamin C with bioflavanoids
Orenda Balance – decreases cortisol
Alka Green – barley
Alka Pan – enzymes
Omega Sufficiency – omega 3 fats, fish oil
Thieves – essential oil blend

Instead of robotusin or Theraflu, when I’m feeling sick these are things I take to make my body more inhospitable and support my immune system. And I totally eliminate grains, dairy and sugar from my diet.

Another thing you can do to strengthen every system in your body is a detox diet but that’s a different blog entry.


#2 Way to Boost your Immune System – Eat a healthy diet and take quality supplements.


Last on my list is sweating. There are two ways to sweat that support your health in different ways.

First, passive sweating is sitting in a sauna or hot bath. As your internal temperature raises your body detox’s from the inside out. The cleaner we are on the inside, the fewer hiding places for germs. Sweating a couple times a week for 10 to 20 minutes is a great habit and it’s relaxing. You can sweat when your feel good or ill. It’s never bad to take a sweat.

Second, active sweating is exercise. You really don’t have to exercise until you are dripping wet. Just getting up and getting your body moving helps to increase circulation throughout your body but especially the circulation of your lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is similar to the circulatory system but your immune cells are in the lymph not red blood cells. Exercise doesn’t have to mean the treadmill or the gym. Those things are great but you can also walk, stretch, swim, bike, skate, etc. The specific activity isn’t important, the doing something is. You also gain the benefit of a stronger heart and lungs while losing weight…all while strengthening your immune system.


#3 Way to Boost your Immune System - Sweat


The bottom line is that the more things we do on a regular basis to support and optimize our body (nervous system) the more vitality and resiliency we will have. We are still going to get sick from time to time. However, a strong body and immune system will respond better and faster to germs and toxins. You can never have too much health. The more we do when we are healthy, the shorter and less severe our colds will be.