Stay Stronger With These Immunity Routines

September 5, 2023 Dr. Anna Cabeca

While it’s just barely starting to cool off where I am, other parts of the US are feeling the change in seasons. Labor day is a distant memory, school is in session, and it’s also back-to-routine at work. Gone are those lazy days of summer.

Along with the cooler weather, the busyness of fall can leave you feeling tired and worn down if you’re not careful to manage your energy.

Besides eating healthfully, moving and getting good sleep, there are so many ways to add immunity routines that will help you stay well throughout the rest of the year.

Your first line of defense should be to find ways to manage your stress levels.

How Does Stress Affect Immunity?

Stress and immunity share a complex, intertwined relationship. When you get stressed, it’s not just a feeling – it’s also a physiological response to challenges or threats. Whether you react to a looming deadline or a sudden surprise, stress triggers a cascade of hormones, including cortisol and adrenaline.

A little bit of stress is actually a good thing. That’s because in the short term, stress actually boosts your immune system. It's like a rallying cry for your body's defenses, preparing you for "fight or flight." Your body shifts resources to prepare for potential injury or infection.

Chronic stress on the other hand is a problem. When the body is in a constant alert state, excess cortisol and adrenaline wears down the immune system, making it less responsive. Researchers have found that chronic stress reduces the body’s lymphocytes, or the white blood cells that fight off infection, weakening the immune system response. (1)

With the right immunity routines in place, you can tame the stress and support your immune system response.

Healthy Movement Immunity Routines

The health benefits of exercise and healthy movement are seemingly endless. When you move regularly, you increase your energy, agility, flexibility and range of motion.

Exercise is also great for your mental and emotional wellbeing. Getting active has been shown to increase gray matter in the brain, improve blood flow, and promote better memory. (2) Exercise also helps people with insomnia get better sleep, which means better moods the next day. (3)

It doesn’t matter what kind of exercise you do. What’s more important is that you choose a healthy movement that you enjoy so that you do it regularly. Here are some ideas for you:

Walking – This simple practice is a perfect addition to your immunity routine if you’re not used to exercising. It requires no special equipment except healthy walking shoes, and it can be done anywhere. Bonus – it protects against colds and flus! Research found that people who walked at least 20 minutes a day for 5 days a week had 43% fewer sick days than those who exercised less than once a week. (4)

Yoga – The physical meditative practice is a great immunity routine because it not only keeps you limber, it also reduces stress. In a study, researchers found that cortisol levels dropped and immune response improved with a daily 35-minute yoga practice over 12 weeks. (5) Yoga has also been found to help ease hot flashes, insomnia, memory issues, and other menopausal symptoms. (6)

Rebounding – Bouncing on a mini trampoline is a low-impact aerobic immunity routine with myriad benefits. It can help improve balance and coordination, and it supports healthy bone strength. (7) It can also stimulate the lymphatic system, flushing out toxins, bacteria and other waste products. (8)

Gut Health Immunity Routines

Believe it or not, most of your immune system is located in your digestive system. This is where your good bacteria live and thrive to fight off bad bacteria – that is, as long as they have the right fuel to stay strong.

Add these gut friendly foods into your daily meals as one of your immunity routines:

Eat fermented foods – Level up your healthy gut bacteria with fermented pickled cucumbers, kimchi, sauerkraut, miso, kefir, and kombucha. These foods have both the natural prebiotics and probiotics that your microbiome loves.

Enjoy leafy greens – Spinach, Swiss chard, kale, bok choy, collards and other leafy greens are high in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber that support healthy guts – as well as support cardiovascular and neurological health.

Go Keto-Green – Eating alkalizing, nutrient-rich foods can support your hormones while also keeping your immune system supported.

Boost Your Oxytocin Immunity Routines

Oxytocin, also known as the “love and bonding hormone,” plays a key role in social bonding, trust, and emotional connection. It's released during positive social interactions with friends, family and with the larger community.

Research has shown that oxytocin has anti-inflammatory properties that can support immunity. Studies have also found that it may also play a role in wound healing by reducing inflammation and stimulating tissue regeneration. (9, 10).

Having healthy levels of oxytocin helps keep cortisol in check. So here are some of the ways you can improve your oxytocin levels:

Meditate – It can be as simple as following your breath for 5 minutes or doing some conscious deep breathing. That pause will help lower your stress levels in just a few minutes.

Gratitude journaling – Giving gratitude is a great way to create more oxytocin and just feel better, overall! I personally journal each day for a few minutes about the things that make me grateful.
Get intimate – the “O” in oxytocin is also the “O” in orgasm. Making love is a great way to counter the negative effects of too much cortisol.
Laugh – Joke around with your friends or family, or watch a funny movie or comedy special. Big belly laughs give you a healthy dose of oxytocin.

Immunity Routines in The Kitchen

I’m often asked what I keep on hand to support my family’s health.

I love to cook healthy, delicious meals for my family. It’s wonderful to reconnect around the table while sharing a nourishing dinner together. Over the years, I’ve created a number of go-to recipes that are real crowd pleasers in my house.

But I also know that with our busy lives, it’s not always easy or convenient to sit down at the table for family meals. So I always have some options that we can whip up quickly when we’re busy.

I make sure our pantry is stocked with my Keto-Green Shake because it’s such an easy way to stay nourished and alkaline. You can blend one up in less than two minutes.

I also always have Mighty Maca Plus on hand as well, because maca is an adaptogen – a plant nutrient that literally helps your body to adapt better to manage stress. It’s a great addition to the shake or on its own as a morning green drink.

Other Nourishment Immunity Routines

Sometimes it’s hard to get all the nutrients you need from food to support immunity.

Instead of a medicine cabinet, I have more of a vitamin cabinet, stocked up with nutrients that help support our natural immunity.

So my vitamin cabinet contains my Mama Doctor Immunity Bundle Deluxe, five supplements that are specifically formulated to provide the nutrients your body needs to fight off infections:

Immune Champion. This is a superior blend of Vitamin C that you won’t find anywhere else. It provides antioxidant support, and helps synthesize connective tissue and blood vessels
Ray of Strength. This is a blend of vitamins D3 and K2. It supports bone health and cardiovascular health, as well as healthy blood clotting
AmaZinc. This special version of zinc supports wellness from within and helps you get glowing skin, a healthy metabolism, and normal hearing and vision
Detox Warrior. This supplement detoxifies your body, strengthens your immune system, and supports brain, kidney, and liver health, among other things
Mighty Maca® Plus. This superfood green drink has over 40+ amazing ingredients that increase stamina and boost energy

View the Mama Doctor protocol to prevent and feel better faster with these thorough steps.

Having been in medicine for three decades I have used many protocols and truthfully, this bundle is the best one for safe and fast results. Click here to learn more about the Mama Doctor’s Immunity Bundle Deluxe.