By now most everyone understands that a hardy immune system – one that can defend as well as repair – is key to maximizing our health. It’s essential to minimize the risk of getting sick with an infection as well as preventing the development of chronic degenerative illnesses like hypertension, heart disease, diabetes and a host of other modern-day health problems that rob us of our vitality and quality of life.
Like most of the operating systems in the body, the immune system works on what I like to call the “Goldilocks principle” – not too little but not too much.
Our bodies are designed to work within a fairly tight range to create an optimum state of health. We rely on immune cells that know exactly what to do if we’re attacked by an unfriendly force or injury while at the same time expecting those same immune cells to know how to tell friend from foe. In essence, they must work “just right”. If the immune system is underperforming, then we tend to get sick frequently with colds and flu or have a hard time healing properly when injured. If certain components of the immune system are overperforming then we tend to experience more allergies, inflammation and possibly auto-immune challenges.
Everyday I work with clients who are dealing with “broken” immune systems that have lost the ability to protect and repair. It may show up as muscle and joint pain, repeated infections, poor wound healing, allergies, fatigue, brain fog or digestive disorders.
The good news is that its possible to rehab one’s immune system, to identify what it needs to restore and repair.
And I’m not talking about simply popping some extra zinc or vitamin C, although that’s beneficial. I’m talking about addressing the underlying imbalances that wear down or distract the immune system so that it’s not available or outfitted to perform when its really needed.
Most people don’t realize that inadequate food choices, poor sleep, unresolved gut problems, ineffective stress response and toxic exposures all contribute to an immune system that is incapable of high performance. But that can change. By thoughtfully assessing where the weak links in the system are, we can identify what changes need to be made to strengthen those connections.
And the tools needed to make those changes are within our reach.
We all start with the basics of our food choices, daily movement and stress resilience. Some may need to go the extra distance of following a detoxification protocol to reduce their toxic burden, others may need to address hormonal imbalances that impact their sleep and stress levels.
The important part is that we start somewhere. And sometimes having a guide can be helpful to determine the best place to start and what needs to be “fixed”. As a Functional Medicine practitioner, I have the clinical insight and experience to help you reset your immune health. I am ready and committed to doing this because I see too many people focusing on the wrong things. They think that they just need the right combo of supplements and/or making decisions out of fear instead of knowledge and informed choice. It is so easy to forget the fact that optimal health is an “inside” job.
WHAT'S THE STATUS OF YOUR IMMUNITY?
Are you incorporating the "7 Steps to Improve Immune Health"? If you are looking for more personalized guidance to managing your overall health, learn more about working directly with Dr. Gosselin.