Supporting Your Microbiome Ahead of Cold & Flu Season
This post specifically addresses the relationship between your gut and your immune system. If you’re interested in more generalized tips on getting through this season, I recommend checking out Getting Through Cold & Flu Season.
It’s here folks, whether we want it to be or not: cold & flu season. Although, since COVID, it doesn’t really seem like a season anymore, it’s just viruses year-round. But anyway, with kids back in school, fall activities starting up, and things slowly starting to move back inside, it’s important to give your microbiome a little extra TLC.
What is the Microbiome?
The microbiome, also referred to as microbiota, is the trillions of microorganisms living on and in the human body, primarily in the gut. For simplicity’s sake, when you hear microbiome, just think gut bacteria.
If you’re new to the microbiome you may think that associating bacteria with your gut sounds kind of gross, but here’s the thing: not all bacteria is bad! Just like everything else in your body, there needs to be the right balance of good (a.k.a., commensal) and bad (a.k.a., pathogenic) bacteria, and when the scales tip in favor of the bad, that’s when you start having issues. This is also referred to as “gut imbalance” or “gut dysbiosis.”
The Intricate Relationship between Your Gut & Your Immune System
Like many other areas and systems of your body, the GI tract is incredibly complex. It not only digests the food we eat, but it also houses the greatest number of bacteria in our body. What do these bacteria do, you may wonder? A lot! For this post, I’ll highlight just a few key functions which include:
Maintaining the gut lining (more on that below),
Extracting nutrients from the food we eat,
Defending against pathogens, and
Helping build the immune system
The GI tract & microbiome together are fierce protectors in keeping the good stuff moving through your system, absorbing what it needs, and discarding the rest. If healthy and “tight,” your intestinal lining also keeps particles from escaping into your general circulation. But if that lining starts breaking down, which is remarkably only one cell thick (!!), those detrimental particles can escape, causing an immune reaction.
Here’s an example: You eat a bite of chicken and through the natural digestive process it’s broken down into an absorbable protein. Your GI tract is made to break that chicken down and absorb it, delegating its byproducts to where they need to go. You can go about your day and not worry about anything.
However, if your intestinal lining is weak or you have “leaky gut,” that same protein, which is harmless in your GI tract, can escape into your bloodstream where it is considered an unknown invader. Your blood isn’t supposed to interact with proteins, at least not in that way, so your body goes into attack mode. Your immune system kicks in and starts waging an assault on this little unknown particle.
Similarly, if your microbiome is imbalanced and you have too many bad bacteria, you likely aren’t absorbing nutrients properly which is a detriment to your health in general. Further, it’s less likely that you’ll adequately fight off any true pathogens you come across (i.e., a virus).
And as if this weren’t enough, if your microbiome is imbalanced and you have too many bad bacteria, you’re also setting yourself up for an autoimmune situation, whereby your immune system starts attacking your own body. Not a good place to be.
Supporting Your Microbiome (and Immune System)
What are some things you can do to give your immune system a boost and make sure you have a healthy microbiome?
First, if you think/know you have leaky gut, IBS, SIBO, or any other gut dysbiosis, you need to get that under control. It’s best to work with a trained professional to determine the appropriate protocol for your specific needs.
Otherwise, make sure to incorporate the following regularly to feed and promote the healthy bacteria:
Short-chain fatty acids
Vitamin A
Vitamin D
Pre- and probiotics
Fermented foods
Where are these found, you may ask? Not in the Standard American Diet, I can tell you that much! Instead, opt for a whole foods diet with a focus on:
Grass-fed butter
Grass-fed (or raw!) dairy (yogurt, milk, hard cheeses)
Meat (grass-fed beef, pasture-raised chicken, pork, bison, etc.)
Kimchi, sauerkraut
Kefir
Kombucha
Cruciferous vegetables (Brussels sprouts, broccoli, asparagus, kale)
Green leafy veggies (spinach, bok choy, mustard greens)
Legumes
Fruits & veggies!
There really aren’t any foods that can give you the proper amount of vitamin D, so the best option is to get some sun. Ideally, you’d get about 5-20 minutes of sun before 10 a.m., exposing as much skin as possible without any sunscreen. Start small here and work up, because you don’t want a sunburn. It’s all about balance!
You should also avoid sugar and processed foods as much as possible.
Outside of food, always ensure proper hydration, adequate sleep, appropriate stress management, and plenty of intentional movement and exercise.
Final Thoughts
No one likes being sick, but it is an inevitable part of life. Every time we come into contact with a virus, our immune system is building strength to fight it off better the next time. Ultimately, the goal at the end of the day isn’t to never get sick but to recover from it as quickly as possible. And a healthy gut is your biggest ally in that fight!