If not Antibiotics, then what?

Part 2 of 3: Boost your immune system
Your immune system is your best friend if you look after it. If you neglect or damage your immune system, it will also let you down or even fight back against you. If you look after your immune system it will help you prevent infections, fight off infections faster when they do happen and it is also a powerful part of your protection against cancer. In the same way that it is not sufficient for dental health to brush your teeth only the 2 weeks before a dental visit, you cannot look after your immune system health only a few weeks a year when times are tough.
Here are some things you can do to look after your immune system:
- Have fun often! Laughing and having fun boosts the immune system.
- Eat a great variety of colours and flavours from nature. The colours and flavours in vegetables, fruit, herbs and spices are often powerful immune system boosters.
- Avoid food additives, such as colourants, flavourants and preservatives that can irritate the immune system.
- Avoid sugar. Sugar interferes with almost every aspect of the immune system.
- Look after your gut: about 70% of your immune system is located in the gut. Check that you have a bowel movement 1-3 times a day and that it is mostly well formed.
- Keep your good gut flora strong. Take probiotics if needed and live a gut-flora friendly lifestyle.
- Avoid wheat and commercial dairy. Wheat and dairy have become quite severe immune system irritants for a variety of reasons.
- Drink enough water or herbal tea to help keep your body clean and alkaline. The immune system functions much better in a clean environment and when the pH is right.
- Help keep the immune system strong and in balance with Omega 3 fatty acids.
- Get a good nights’ sleep whenever you can. Sleep is recovery and repair time for the body and very important to keep the immune system strong.
- As a special boost, take herbal immune boosters, such as Echinacea or Olive leaf extract from time to time. This can be done for 2 weeks during the colds and flu seasons or when everyone around you seems to be coughing and sneezing.