Hi there,

It's that time of year where colds seem to be in full swing.

Luckily, there are ways to support your immune system to help fight off infections, or make them last for a lot less!

So let's talk about the best ways to help strengthen your body's immune system.

Rule #1

Diversity of plants: this means eating a minimum of 30 plants per week! Research has shown this provides your body with the diversity it needs to allow our gut microbes to flourish.

Increased microbial diversity equals improved metabolic health.

The single greatest predictor of a healthy gut microbiome is the diversity of plants in one's diet. 70% of our immune system resides in out gut, therefore healthy gut = strong immune system.

Rule #2

Use your herbs. These are nutrient powerhouses and have anti viral and anti microbial properties. Added bonus: there are so many to choose from to really create a flavorful dish!

Rule #3

Include the following anti oxidant rich foods daily: turmeric, garlic, ginger and berries. Wild blueberries have more of a nutrition kick than regular, so buy those if you can. They will be a little more tart, but so worth those extra nutrients!

• Berries provide a ton of nutrients like vitamin C, manganese, and vitamin K1 which are essential to building immune health.

• Ginger is powerful for reducing oxidative stress. It's one of the biggest liver supporting foods, and your liver is one of your biggest detox organs.

• Turmeric modulates the activation of many cells in our body. It strengthens our immune system and down regulates various pro-inflammatory cytokines.

• Garlic helps the immune system to fight off germs. This is a great addition to any stir fry or recipe you are making!

Rule #4

Broccoli sprouts are small but powerful plants.

They contain sulforaphane which acts as a powerful agent in supporting our immune system. It shuts down pro inflammatory pathways, detoxifies free radicals, regulates the immune system and reduces pathogenic bacteria in the gut.

If you haven't already, head over to my instagram where I show you how to grow your own!

Rule #5

Movement and sweating it out! Do those daily walks to allow for lymphatic movement, which is essentially our body's "garbage disposal".

Sweating is one of the best mechanisms for mobilizing toxins out of our body. Besides a good workout, I love to use the Infrared Sauna to help with this.

Other benefits of sauna use include improving lipid profile, reducing blood pressure, reducing risk for CVD/stroke, and removing heavy metals/toxins from the body. Use code DRPEACOCK for $100 off at Sunlighten.

Recipe:

Now time for my favorite detox smoothie.

1 cup coconut water

1 frozen banana

2 cups frozen wild blueberries

1 teaspoon spirulina

1 cup fresh cilantro

1 orange

1 oz broccoli sprouts

1 cup spinach

Many of my clients love this smoothie and will incorporate this weekly to help pack in those extra nutrients!

Coaching

Heading into the holidays and worried about weight gain, over eating, and not being able to stick to your goals?

It can be overwhelming with the amount of food that surrounds us. Many people will just think "I'll wait until Monday to start". But the truth is, unless there's a plan set in place... this will become a cycle.

What if I told you that you don't have to give up your favorite foods to stay healthy and on track? It's about having a plan, creating the right macro/micronutrient profile meal plan, and still fitting in the foods you love.

Click here to learn more about how I can help and you can book a free 15 minute consult to discuss your goals with me!

Yours in health,

Stephanie