8 Tips For Cold/Flu With Autoimmune

anti-inflammatory inflammation recipe supplements Oct 23, 2023

How do you protect yourself or your family? Is it ok to take immune-boosting supplements when you're also on medications? Which foods matter? What should you avoid or be cautious with?

Let’s start with the basics, and I gave a recipe at the end for you to try!

Hands down, good hand hygiene and overall healthy habits are your first line of defence to reducing your risk of illness. Good nutrition can also help your immune system fight off illness. Imagine your germ-fighting immune cells all hungry, overworked and tired, versus them being nourished and full of energy.

So here’s a breakdown of what can help the most, and under no circumstances ignore shortness or breath (consult with your doctor).

1 - Wash your hands.

A lot. Your hands can trap and transport all kinds of microbes that cause sickness.

Wet your hands and lather soap all over hands, in-between fingers, wrists, under nails.
Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds ("Happy Birthday" is a 20-second song you can hum TWICE to get to the 20 second mark).
Rinse and dry using a clean towel or air dry.

Soap will outperform hand sanitizer, so it should be your go-to action whenever possible. Don't have soap? Hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol is a second line of defence. However, it does not get rid of all germs and washing hands should be your go-to action whenever possible.

2 - Take precautions in public

You or your child may benefit from wearing a mask - ask your doctor if that is your situation and you can discuss what’s best for you. An additional concern - eczema or psoriasis on the hands can have open wounds. You may want to consider gloves in public spaces if this is your situation and you’re worried about picking up germs.

Some other tips:

Use your elbow to press buttons in the elevator, at cross walks, etc.
Use gloves to open doors, use the gas pump or touch other public items (I have a pair of gardening gloves in the backseat of my car that I use because I sometimes get eczema outbreaks on my hands).
Avoid close contact with people who have a respiratory illness.
If you have a cold/flu, stay at home as much as possible. Don't spread. Sharing is not caring. Cough into a kleenex and dispose when possible or your elbow, if need be.

3 - Up your nutrition at home.

Every cell in your body, including your immune cells, need enough of all the essential nutrients. The more nutrition you have, the better and stronger you will be, especially with vitamins A, C, E, selenium, zinc and Omega 3s.

Vitamin A-rich foods include carrots, sweet potato, and organ meats. I get it - organ meats can be tricky (adults and kids alike). Try adding small amounts of liver or kidney to homemade hamburgers or ground beef skillets. This is a great way to increase this superfood without overwhelming taste buds.

Vitamin C-rich foods include papaya, bell peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, strawberries, citrus and pineapple! Bonus - pineapple is also good for digestion and helps break down protein.

Vitamin E-rich foods include sunflower seeds, almonds, spinach, Swiss chard and avocado.

Zinc is found in red meats, seeds, nuts and even legumes.

The foods that are highest in selenium (an anti-oxidant) are fish, shrimp, Brazil nuts and turkey.

And the best sources of Omega 3s? Flax seeds, walnuts, fish, seafood and sea vegetables.

Medicinal mushrooms are another source of nutritional immune support. There is some discussion over whether they are immuno-stimulating or modulating. I don’t recommend it when in a flare. I've had many clients have adverse reactions when they are added to their supplements (or included in their multi). We remove them and they do much better. I recommend starting with food first, and then introducing them when you're feeling well to test to see how you do.

If you want to read an article on anti-oxidants in food vs supplements, you can do so here >> READ BLOG

4 - Probiotic foods.

Another thing to consider is support for your health-promoting gut microbes in order to help keep the immune system strong.

Some doctors do not allow probiotic supplements with certain medications - you must ask about your unique situation. However, probiotic-rich foods are a great option for everyone.

Try 1-2 servings/day of fermented foods and drinks like sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, kefir, or kombucha.

If you HATE the taste of sauerkraut (many do), try blending into a smoothie, adding to a stir fry or putting on a burger. It helps hides the taste. Here is a recipe I like that that strategically hides the kraut! It sounds gross, but it works. Trust me.

5 - Prebiotic foods.

Feeding those friendly gut microbes their favourite foods can help them to grow and flourish. They love fibrous foods like onions, asparagus, berries, bananas, sweet potatoes, whole grains, and seeds.

Aim for 2 - 3 servings/day. This is an easy one you don't need any tips on!

6 - Additional micronutrients.

Certain supplements like vitamin D, zinc, antioxidants, herbs and even garlic can help support your immune system.

When it comes to autoimmune, supplements must be approached VERY carefully as some can overstimulate the immune system (i.e., elderberry) or are contraindicated with your current medical plan.

Every person is unique in their situation, so you must work with a healthcare provider to ensure supplements are appropriate for you, your child, your medication. Each doctor is also different in their approach because each patient is unique in their situation.

Some basic supplements to inquire about: vitamin D, zinc, probiotics, vitamin C, quercetin.

Common "cold and flu prevention" or immune support supplements that can be contraindicated with autoimmune conditions and medications because they over stimulate include (but not limited to): echinacea, elderberry, elderflower, astragalus, st. john's wort.

7 - Water and bone broth

It's just as important to drink BEFORE you get ill. Fluids like water, chicken soup, and green tea are warm, hydrating comfort drinks.

Chicken soup is a source of electrolytes, especially if homemade from a real chicken with lots of vegetables. In fact, a cup of bone broth a day is an excellent goal and will not only support the immune system, it will help support overall gut health.

Here is a simple recipe for bone broth you can make at home. I save my bones from whole-roasted chickens, and make this once every two weeks. My kids will often have a cup in the morning for breakfast, or after school.

8 - Get enough sleep.

Did you know that your immune system cycles with your circadian system? When you sleep, your immune cells produce antibodies to fight infections.

The recommended guidelines can be anywhere from 9 - 12 or more hours daily for children and 7 - 9 hours for adults every single night, even when you're feeling great. Those with autoimmune often have increased need to rest or sleep. Listen to your body.

Natural tips to recover from that sickness

When you do get an infection, not only do you need more nutrients to fight it off, but your body also has a harder time absorbing and using the nutrients you take in. Sometimes this is because of reduced hunger, sometimes due to gastrointestinal reasons.

Either way, nourishing your body is even more important. When you do get sick, make sure you are implementing tips 1 - 8 plus giving yourself enough time to rest and recover.

When your body is fighting an infection, it’s busy working hard for your health. Give it a break and relax while you’re feeling under the weather.

Conclusion

There are lots of things we can do to stay healthy and reduce infections naturally. Washing your hands is a proven way to reduce your risk. And staying healthy in all other ways helps a lot. Getting enough nutrition, eating probiotic and prebiotic foods, and getting enough sleep are key year round.

If you do get sick, keep up all of your good habits above, and make sure to add some warm, healthy fluids, and extra rest.

Recipe (Throat soothing): Honey Lemon Ginger Cough Drops

½ cup honey

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp freshly grated ginger root

Instructions

Put ingredients into a small saucepan.
Stir frequently until it becomes foamy. Be careful because the honey can burn easily.
Remove from heat and continue to stir until the foam reduces.
Put the saucepan back on the heat.
Repeat this until a candy thermometer reads 300F.
Drop a bit into a glass of ice water. If the mixture forms a hard, crunchy ball, it's ready! If not, keep stirring and heating for another minute or two and try with the ice water again.
Once a hard ball forms from a drop into the ice water, let the saucepan cool until the foam has reduced.
Drizzle the candy into a candy mold or onto oiled parchment paper.
Let cool at room temperature until the cough drops are hard.
Pop out of the mold or break into pieces, and store in an airtight container.