Do you have a weakened immune system? You might if...
1. Your stress level is always high. This means your adrenal glands (your stress and energy glands) are shot and your cortisol gas pedal is pressed to the floor (stress hormone). You’re spending way too much time in flight or fight mode, leaving you exhausted. Your immune system will suffer greatly if you aren’t allowing your body to spend time in rest and repair mode.
2. You’re always sick. Typically when a person falls ill, the body’s adaptive immune system creates antibodies and learns how to defend itself against that intruder if it shows up again. If your body seems to “catch” everything that’s going around and continually does that cyclically, your immune system could need some serious attention.
3. You have regular stomach issues. Did you know that nearly 70% of your immune system is in your gut? Yep! There’s actually GOOD bacteria present there that supports a healthy digestive system - and immune system. If you’re noticing things like diarrhea or constipation becoming part of your normal routine, chances are your immune system isn’t functioning optimally and your gut health needs work.
4. You don’t heal quickly. When your body is injured - like a cut, bruise, or burn - nutrients within the blood rush to the area to help it heal. Quick healing requires healthy immune cells. If your immune system isn’t being properly cared for, your blood may not have the nutrients it needs to rebuild and regenerate like it should, leaving the wound susceptible to further injury or infection.
5. You battle frequent infections. If you’re noticing things like 5 ear infections in one year, pneumonia twice a year, several cases of sinusitis a year, or finding yourself constantly needing antibiotics… you could have a weakened immune system in serious need of some attention.
These are just some of the signs of an immune system in distress. It’s very important that you listen to your body and keep mental tabs on how your body acts and responds to the world around it.
Last, but certainly not least, has to do with how you live your life on a day-to-day basis. Do your best to manage the stress in your life. Stimulating the vagus nerve (the longest cranial nerve in your body) can help you relieve that stress. So how do you do that? Well, it’s really pretty simple. You can gargle water, hum, sing, meditate, get adjusted by a chiropractor, laugh, exercise, or immerse your face in cold water. Next up - get quality sleep! Get at least 7 hours a night and you will have a better chance at keeping your immune system running optimally. You may also want to consider your water and air quality. Tap water is typically laden with chemicals, an average of 7000, the last I heard... Drink filtered water and go outside to breathe in fresh air!
Your body is an amazing web of intricate systems, all working together for one goal - to keep you alive and well - and feeling amazing, of course. The immune system has one of the greatest jobs of protecting you from intruders. I think we can all agree that it deserves all the support it can get!
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