School’s in session! Covid is spiking. Cold and flu season is upon us. What to do?!
I just met with a client who’s a school nurse. She takes care of students in five local schools and, on top of having three kids of her own, that is a lot of germs. I was thinking she must have a rockin’ immune system.
I met with another client who’s a professor, and had just returned from international travel only to start her semester the very next day. She’s also dealing with some familial stressors, and plans to travel overseas again twice before the year is up. What a lot our immune systems can deal with!
This got me thinking about how we can tend and strengthen our immunity.
We know of course about sleep, good nutrition, exercise, and vitamins C, D, and zinc. There’s the potent elderberry syrup to incorporate into our medicine cabinets, I shared my favorite fire cider recipe in 2023, and adaptogens can help mitigate stress. But what about one of the hot topics these days in wellness: the connection between our microbiome and our immunity?
According to David Hoffmann, our teacher at CSHS and author of Medical Herbalism:
The role of the human immune system is not simply to resist the dangers present in the environment. Rather, it is part of the complex and beautiful dance of elements flowing back and forth between the human body and the rest of the world. Seen within the context of ecology, both human and environmental, immunity is about harmony.
So, how do we support this harmony? Our microbiome is “a community of microorganisms (such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses) that inhabit a particular environment and especially the collection of microorganisms living in or on the human body.” Basically, the little critters that live in and on us.
Rather than me regurgitating information about our microbiome and its connection to our health and well-being, I recommend this article. It’s so informative, and lays out the who, what, where, how, and why of this vital aspect of the human body.
With 70% of our immune system residing in our gut, it is safe to say that our diet is paramount in tending this system. Diet and hydration! Our mucosa likes to be slimy. Maybe it’s time for a glass of water.
Fire cider herbs await apple cider vinegar.
The health of the gut is positively affected by pre-and probiotics. When we feed ourselves a varied diet of whole, preferably organic foods, we are supporting our gut health as a building block of wellness.
Prebiotics are foods that feed the healthy bacteria in our gut flora. Probiotics are the beneficial bacteria present in the fermented foods and beverages we consume such as yogurt, kimchi, miso, and sauerkraut, and in our probiotic supplements–an area of wellness that has blossomed into a vast and varied aisle in the markets. We asked the folks in Wellness at Oliver’s to recommend a probiotic supplement after Jordy had to take a long and strong round of antibiotics for a bone infection. The lesson we received required a notebook! Ask for help; they are passionate about their supplements.
Supporting our microbiome with foods can be a delicious journey. I tend to fall into ruts with foods. Greens with carrots, celery, beets, maybe fennel if I think of it in the spring and summer. Roasted sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and radishes in the cooler months. But browsing the entire aisle (or better yet, the tables at the farmers markets) and trying to bring home something different each time is not only a more interesting way to eat, but more gut-flora-supportive as variety is important to build up a strong microbiome. It’s like what we used to hear: kids who eat dirt have a strong immunity.
If you don’t want to eat dirt, try some of these prebiotic foods instead: chicory root, dandelion roots and greens, leeks, onions, barley, oats, apples, burdock root, flax seed, wheat bran, avocado, seaweed, bananas, Jerusalem artichokes, and asparagus.
I happen to be drinking a cup of Dandy Blend as I research prebiotics. What a lovely coincidence! Dandy Blend contains chicory and dandelion roots, foods rich in inulin which is that prebiotic fiber that feeds the friendly bacteria in our guts, keeping our internal harmony in balance.
Jordy and our daughter like to tease me, calling me “Wisconsin White Cheddar,” because I hail from that great midwestern state–the only state that produces more cheese than California–and because of my intolerance for spicy foods. It’s not that I don’t like spicy foods. It’s just that it feels awfully uncomfortable on my tongue. I had a months-long case of thrush waaaay back in 2009. My first indication was an apple that tasted fermented in a bad way. Then a tabouleh in which the tomatoes, I was sure, were off.
Eventually, I figured it out. Months later, after a variety of attempts, I got rid of it. Ever since then, I feel like my taste buds have been sensitive to vinegars and spice. So when Jordy cooks, he’s sadly forced to hold back, spicing up his own bowl or plate.
Connecting this back to our microbiome: Jordy and Zu make kimchi! But it’s hard for me to eat much of it because of the red pepper flakes they add. I suppose I could adapt my own recipe, fully embracing this powerhouse of gut-supportive probiotics. Until then, here is their recipe. Adapt as needed!
At the end of each massage session, I place a hand on the client’s belly and a hand on their heart. I silently say this blessing, filling myself with breath and letting the energy move through us both: “Blessings on your belly; may you be in good health. Blessings on your heart; may you always know love. And blessings on your mind; may you always know peace.”
I send this blessing to you now. Thanks for reading, and let me know if you make kimchi, drink Dandy Blend, or find a new favorite probiotic food to enhance your microbiome!
