Give your immune system a boost this fall
As people evolved on Earth, they used plants that grew nearby to survive and stay well. In Taos, indigenous people made use of wild plums, mushrooms, and herbs as food and medicine. Today we can follow those traditions and build on a foundation of good health to stay well into the coming fall and winter seasons.
Although traditional remedies have been tested through their use over centuries, now science is proving that many of these remedies are effective through clinical studies. Modern medicine also has much to offer for preventive care, with vaccines for familiar viruses, like the ones that cause colds and flus, and now for the novel SARS-CoV-2 as well. Traditional medicine is often referred to as “complementary,” meaning it can complement modern medicine to produce the best outcomes.
Building a foundation of health
To find out what local experts are recommending to stay healthy, the Taos News spoke to two longtime herbalists: Rob Hawley, cofounder of Taos Herb, and Lucy McCall, local herbalist and teacher. They agree on basic common sense ways to build a foundation of good health as a place to start supporting your immune system. Hawley says, “Alternative remedies are gentle medicines as a rule that produce changes in the body, but they are not like drugs. These remedies always work better when they are coupled with a holistic idea, which means things that we can do for the health of our bodies that support our immune systems that we don’t have to buy and don’t have to take as if they were medicines.”
Here’s a summary of their recommendations, backed by additional research from the Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health and others.
• SLEEP – Getting enough sleep is crucial to allow the body to repair cellular damage that happens throughout the day. Getting seven to nine hours of quality sleep is recommended for adults, and children need more. While you are deeply asleep, your body can repair cells, organs, and muscles. Chemicals that strengthen your immune systems start to circulate in the body while cortisol, a steroid hormone related to stress, goes down while you rest.
• EXERCISE – McCall recommends that we keep exercising into the cooler weather, which might mean walking or going to the gym. She uses a recumbent bike at home to keep moving. If you can get outside to exercise, you’ll also further reduce stress and increase your sense of well-being.
• HYDRATION – Hawley says, “As the weather cools, many people drink less cool liquid and get dehydrated, which can result in the thickening of mucous and cause blood to move more slowly, and the immune system to respond more slowly.” He points out that viruses remain suspended more effectively when the air is dry. When the air is moist, viruses tend to clump and fall so we don’t breathe them as much. That is why using a humidifier in our dry climate can help reduce suspended particle count in your home and prevent illness.
• DIET – A diet that is high in fruits and vegetables provides Vitamin C. Eating too much sugar can directly interfere with immune response by competing with uptake of Vitamins C by cells, according to Hawley. Vitamin C is crucial for the immune system to function properly. Reducing carbohydrates and processed foods can help promote health, along with eating lean proteins and whole grains. Probiotic food such as yogurt, kefir, and kimchi contain live helpful bacteria to support the immune boosting capacity of our digestive system.
• STRESS MANAGEMENT – When under stress, the immune system’s ability to fight off antigens is reduced, which is why we are more susceptible to infections, according to simplypsychology.org. The stress hormone corticosteroid can suppress the effectiveness of the immune system. If someone chooses unhealthy ways to deal with stress, such as smoking or drinking there can be an indirect negative impact on the immune system, as well. Positive ways to manage stress include exercise, yoga, meditation, enjoyable hobbies, and time outdoors.
Vitamins, herbs and foods for health
Vitamin C. Studies have shown that Vitamin C reduces the duration of colds, reports the National Institutes of Health (NIH). “You don’t have to take supplemental Vitamin C if you eat enough vegetables,” according to Hawley. All vegetables are high in Vitamin C, especially green vegetables like bell peppers, lettuce, and chile, which are higher in Vitamin C than many kinds of fruit.
Quercetin is a plant pigment that is also found in vegetables, fruits, grain, tea and wine. Research is showing promising effects of quercetin in reducing inflammation and allergy symptoms. One study showed statistically significant reduction in total sick days and symptom severity of upper respiratory infections among some subjects, according to the NIH.”
Vitamin D is crucial to activating the immune system,” says Hawley. Most people are deficient in it and the darker your skin the more likely you are deficient in it, so taking a Vitamin D supplement can be beneficial. Medicinal mushrooms including shiitake, reishi and lion’s mane possess powerful immune boosting compounds. Usually taken in powdered form, research is showing each mushroom possesses its own specific properties.
Echinacea has been shown to destroy influenza viruses. Taking while healthy or at the first signs of a cold offer the best chance of fighting off infection. The root combined with other herbs can be used to make a tincture.
Zinc. There is a long history showing that Zinc is important to supporting immune system against viral infections, says Hawley.
COVID considerations
Using more herbs and taking more supplements than usual may be helpful, according to McCall. In addition to zinc and quercetin, osha and elderberry, may be effective immune boosters and help reduce the length and severity of the illness, based on her observation. Hawley says, “There is no science that supports the direct treatment of COVID with natural products. But there is a body of science that shows there are natural products that support healthy immune response. Use herbs and supplements to build on already primary activities that support immune response like hydration, sleep etc. If that is all haywire taking supplements not going to give you as a big a leg up with immunity.”
For families with kids in school, McCall and Hawley agree that teaching kids to wash hands is crucial. “If I had kids that age, I would be teaching them about hand washing, awareness of common surfaces, and keeping hands out of the eyes, nose, and mouth, which goes for adults too,” says Hawley.
McCall emphasizes that kids and adults need to stay warm by wearing scarves outside and keeping ears, feet and lower back warm. “Bundle yourself and your kids and get as much sunlight as you can. Even in the Southwest, we are deficient in Vitamin D,” she says.
Use herbs and supplements to
build on already primary activities that support immune response like hydration,
sleep etc.
Creating your own approach to health
To figure out what approach will work best for you and your family, consult with a health care practitioner. If you do your own research, look for immunity boosters that have a long history of use and several studies that support their effectiveness. “When you use a plant for 3,000 years and the human experience says that it does a particular thing, it is pretty good evidence that it is effective,” says Hawley. “What we have thought empirically is beginning to be demonstrated through science.”
For more information
Contact Rob Hawley at Taos Herb; (575) 758-1991 or stop by 710 Paseo del Pueblo Sur, Suite J. Website: taosherb.com.
Reach Lucy McCall at (575) 6133502 or find her on Facebook.
For a guide to supporting a healthy immune system and a discussion on the effectiveness of herbal remedies visit: