Winter Wellness: Kinesiology for Immunity
Understanding and Supporting Your Immune System
During winter time many people find themselves more susceptible to illnesses such as colds, flu, and other infections. This increased frequency of sickness can likely be attributed to various factors including colder weather, spending more time indoors, and the seasonal peak of certain viruses etc.
Understanding how our immune system works and how it battles internal and external pathogens can help us stay healthier during these colder months.
What is the Immune System?
The immune system is our body's defence mechanism against harmful invaders and pathogens. It includes a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs, such as white blood cells, the lymphatic system, and antibodies, which work together to protect the body from infections and diseases.
The immune system battles both external pathogens like bacteria, viruses, and environmental toxins linked to climatic factors such as Wind, Cold, and Dampness in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and internal pathogens arising from emotional and lifestyle imbalances like stress, grief, poor diet, and lack of exercise, which can weaken the body's defenses.
Key Factors affecting Immunity
Chronic Stress: When we are in excess sympathetic nervous system our body produces cortisol. Whilst in the short-term cortisol reduces inflammation, if we are in chronic states of stress, we can become cortisol resistant, leading to long-term inflammation, which is linked to symptoms such as fatigue, sleep issues, pain, gastrointestinal issues, frequent infections etc.
Repressed and Suppressed Emotions: Emotional patterns that we have either consciously or unconsciously avoided and when left unprocessed these do not go away but rather show up in psychological and physical symptoms, and research has shown a link between repressed emotions and lowered immune system function. For example, grief can release neuropeptides that switch off immune cells, affecting our immune response.
Nutrition and Anti-Nutrients: Nutrients such as Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Selenium, Iron, and Zinc are crucial for immune system function, and anti-nutrients such as copper, mercury, and lead, can block nutrient function and weaken immunity. For example, even if your zinc levels are in the ‘normal’ range, high levels of copper can prevent zinc from being fully utilised by the immune system.
Toxins: Toxins are chemical substances from various sources such as heavy metals, pesticides, and sugar that can harm and weaken our immune system by damaging cells and tissues.
The Bucket Analogy
Think of your immune system as a bucket. Various stressors as abovementioned fill this bucket. When the bucket overflows, your immune system becomes overwhelmed, making you more susceptible to illnesses. Managing these stressors helps keep the bucket from overflowing, thereby maintaining a healthy immune system.
Holistic Approach to Reducing the Bucket Load and Supporting the Immune System
To maintain a strong immune system and prevent your "bucket" from overflowing, it is essential to address both physiological and psychological factors using a holistic approach:
Physical Health
Nutrition: Eat a balanced diet with plenty of unprocessed whole foods including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
Hydration: Drink plenty of clean water
Supplementation: Consider supplements like Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and Zinc, as well as any nutritional deficiencies.
Exercise: Engage in regular, moderate physical activity like walking or yoga to boost immune function and reduce inflammation.
Sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night to help your body repair and rejuvenate.
Psychological Health
Stress Management: Practice mindfulness, meditation, and deep breathing exercises to reduce stress and lower cortisol levels.
Emotional Well-being: Express emotions healthily, seek counseling and therapy if needed, and maintain positive relationships for emotional support.
How Holistic Kinesiology Can Help
Holistic kinesiology can play a significant role in supporting your immune system through the following ways:
Muscle Monitoring: Identifies imbalances and areas of weakness affecting the immune system, this includes structural, biochemical, psych-emotional or electromagnetic root causes.
Reducing stress and supporting the nervous system: Using various grounding and calming techniques.
Balancing Emotions: Employing methods such as counselling, emotional stress release, felt sense and acupressure to release emotional blockages.
Balancing Energy Systems: Techniques to smooth and balance energy flow throughout the body, including the following energy systems:
Meridians
Lung: Helps protect against external pathogens.
Spleen/Stomach: Supports the immune system through digestion and sleep.
Kidney: Regulates pH balance of blood and provides energy and vitality.
Large Intestine: Eliminates waste and defends against pathogens.
Chakras:
Heart Chakra: Governs the thymus, immune system, T-cell production and lymphatic system.
Solar Plexus Chakra: Manages stress and digestion.
Root Chakra: Governs the adrenals, fight/flight stress response, and provides grounding and overall vitality.
Neuro-Lymphatic (NL) reflex stimulation: Helps the body to ‘turn on’ the mechanisms which can aid lymph flow and release toxic build up in the body.
Personalised Care: Tailoring sessions to individual needs, including lifestyle recommendations for implementing sustainable changes.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional for any medical concerns or before starting new supplements or treatments.