“On the day the tree bloomed in the fall, when its white apple blossoms fell and covered the ground like snow, it was tradition for the Waverleys to gather in the garden like survivors of some great catastrophe, hugging one another, laughing as they touched faces and arms, making sure they were all okay, grateful to have gotten through it.”
― Sarah Addison Allen, First Frost
It is all sad outside. All of the trees are preparing for their long sleep, all animals are worried about their homes and food they have to take care of. It is the time when all we need is a hot cup of coffee, a window, and soft armchair to hold on and think about life and goodness. Autumn is like a page of a miracle, a fairytale where everything can be possible.
The greatest thing of the time is a long road full of trees where you can take a walk diving into memories that touched deeply your heart. It is like a dream you never wake up, it is your lifetime...
Now, with all that said above, I would like to mention the most important part which all of us should take care of. I would like to talk about our Immunity. Autumn is the season when our body suffers different changes along with daytime and climate. So, that's why many hormones in our organism suffer change too. In the shadow of our hormones is located the Immune System which undergoes several disbalance and goes down. Here is very important to make it stable and elevated as well, because only this natural way our organism can face with diseases which will terrify us.
So, what we have to do??? The answer is very simple, we just need to follow some steps.
Get enough sleep and manage stress. Sleep deprivation and stress overload increase the hormone cortisol, prolonged elevation of which suppresses immune function.
Avoid tobacco smoke. It undermines basic immune defenses and raises the risk of bronchitis and pneumonia in everyone, and middle ear infections in kids.
Drink less alcohol. Excessive consumption impairs the immune system and increases vulnerability to lung infections.
Eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds, which will provide your body with the nutrients your immune system needs. A study in older adults showed that boosting fruit and vegetable intake improved antibody response to the Pneumovax vaccine, which protects against Streptococcus pneumonia.
Consider probiotics. Studies indicate supplements reduce the incidence of respiratory and gastrointestinal infections. Fermented milk products have also been shown to reduce respiratory infections in adults and kids.Catch some rays. Sunlight triggers the skin’s production of vitamin D. In the summer, a 10-15 minute exposure (minus sunscreen) is enough. However, above 42 degrees latitude (Boston) from November through February, sunlight is too feeble and few foods contain this vitamin. Low vitamin D levels correlate with a greater risk of respiratory infection. A 2010 study in kids showed that 1200 IU a day of supplemental vitamin D reduced the risk of influenza A. However, a 2012 study that involved supplementing adults with colon cancer with 1000 IU a day failed to demonstrate protection against upper respiratory infections.
Go for the garlic. Garlic is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent and immune booster. Because heat deactivates a key active ingredient, add it to foods just before serving.
Eat medicinal mushrooms, such as shiitake and maitake (sometimes sold as “hen of the woods”). A recent study showed that a concentrated extract of shiitake enhanced immune function in women with breast cancer.
Try immune-supportive herbs. If you get recurrent infections, consider taking immune-supportive herbs such as eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticocus), Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng), American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius), or astragalus (A. membranaceus).
Make an echinacea tincture. This is good to have on hand when respiratory viruses overwhelm your defenses.
Wish you the best of your Immunity :) :)