Fats are essential for health, but many of the fats we get from packaged foods, fast food, and restaurants are inflammatory in nature and impair the natural functions of the body. 

These fats are typically highly processed but they can also be found in naturally occurring oils such as soy or corn oil, which are high in omega-6s, and even red meat, which is high in arachidonic acid. 

Stress is a functionally healthy response that provides the ability for living beings to survive extremely challenging situations, it saps the body of its vitality when it becomes chronic in nature

Long-term exposure to stress will directly decrease immune cell function and overall immune system balance which allows it to properly react with organisms or toxins it may experience in the environment. 

Chronic stress is also associated with depression and anxiety which are also known to impair the immune system’s ability to function properly. 

Try reading, writing, meditating, exercising, or any common form of de-stressing technique out there to find what works for you. 

An extremely inflammatory toxin that disrupts the whole digestive system including the liver which helps clear toxins from the body. 

As toxins build up in the body, inflammation increases and impairs the body’s ability to fight microbes.

To avoid drinking alcohol, try finding a fulfilling alternative such as tea, sparkling water, or kombucha and try to remove as much alcohol from the household as possible. 

Simple carbohydrates are naturally occurring plant sugar and can be considered anything ranging from pure refined white sugar to a hot baked russet potato or highly refined pasta.

Microbes thrive in high sugar environments and paired with the inflammatory nature of sugar, it creates the perfect opportunity for microbes to attack or infect the body. 

Avoid sweets and treats, snack foods, crackers, and drinks and can easily be identified on the ingredients label of the packaging. 

Vegetables and plants are generally considered to be prebiotic foods, so this ties in nicely with a plant-based diet. Prebiotic foods, or fiber rich foods, provide the majority of a gut bacteria’s fuel to ensure that beneficial gut bacteria are healthy and thriving.

Sometimes healthy gut bacteria need to be supplemented with probiotics, such as sauerkraut or yogurt, to support the overall function of the gut microbiome.

Healthy bacteria in the digestive system help fight off infectious microbes, protect the gut lining, produce enzymes that help break down food, and also provide important nutrients like vitamin K. 

30% of life is spent in the sleep state and it may be one of the most vital things that humans do as it is when the body does the bulk of its healing and recovery from the stressors it is put through each day. 

Unfortunately many people today are getting not only less sleep but worse sleep than ever. With poor sleep comes poor healing, which burdens and compromises all systems of the body, including the immune system.

To get better sleep avoid blue light for at least an hour before sleep, ensuring the room is dark and cool while going to sleep at a consistent time every night. 

Eating a diet rich in plants is something every human on this planet should strive to do as they are extremely abundant in vitamins, minerals, and compounds that are essential for optimal immune cell function. 

Overall plant-based diets, in general, support the health of our vital organs and provide the type of nutrition that can reverse years of damage and dysfunction and should be considered as part of any treatment regiment. 

There are lots of great and flavorful plants that are often forgotten when it comes to cuisine, so adding more vegetables to one's diet can be a great way to explore culinary abilities in the kitchen while discovering new meals that are quick, easy, and still extremely nutritious. 

Exercise, be it running, surfing, or gardening helps drive more blood to our tissues to flush toxins and metabolic byproducts that may be causing inflammation or pain. 

Furthermore, it stimulates the release of hormones throughout the body that boost cellular activity and directly increase white blood cell function.

The more a person exercises the healthier they will be, with an immune system that is primed to fight off infections anywhere in the body. For beginners, 30 minutes of brisk walking a few times a week can be a good place to start, but finding a hobby or enjoyable sport to play with a community may be one of the funniest and motivating forms of getting exercise.

The skin, which is the body’s largest organ, produces and stores the highest concentrations of vitamin D precursor molecules (7-dihydroxy-cholecalciferol) in the body. It is this precursor molecule that needs to be stimulated by sunlight to begin the process of conversion to activated vitamin D (25-hydroxy-cholecalciferol). 

The body uses activated vitamin D for various functions that include serum calcium and phosphorus regulation which plays a huge factor in bone health and development, immune function, heart function, muscular function, and enzyme production such as insulin (11). 

Unfortunately most people today have low vitamin D levels which have extensively been shown to render these individuals more susceptible to bacterial and viral infections, poor organ function, and poor mental health (10). 

Many skins and general health experts will recommend that vitamin D should be supplemented on a daily basis, as more than half of the hospitalized and chronically sick patients have insufficient vitamin D levels. 

Ashwagandha is an ancient herb with a long history of use in Ayurvedic medicine. Recent studies have shown that it has the innate ability to build resilience to stress, lower inflammation, and regulate the immune system. (1,2). 

Two compounds in ashwagandha seem to inhibit overactivity of the immune system by preventing immune cell migration and the release of inflammatory enzymes that ramp up immune system activity. 

Furthermore, there is good evidence to suggest that it supports bone marrow function which results in healthy red and white blood cells necessary for the body to function at its optimal level. 

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin that is naturally present in many foods. Humans, unlike most animals, are unable to synthesize vitamin C endogenously, so it is essential that it is either supplemented or introduced to the diet via a number of fruits and vegetables. 

Vitamin C is extremely important for developing healthy connective tissue, producing neurotransmitters, and acting as a powerful antioxidant. It is thought to benefit the immune system by replenishing vitamin C levels in white blood cells that are typically found to be drastically reduced in acute and chronic infections or disease processes. 

Anti-oxidants are essential for neutralizing toxic compounds released by infectious agents while the body is trying to combat them (4,5). Vitamin C is one of the most important and essential antioxidants in the body making it a great choice for anyone dealing with immune-related issues. 

Zinc is a trace mineral that is necessary for the functioning of more than 300 different enzymatic processes in the body and plays a vital role in a large number of other biological processes. Zinc is necessary to generate major anti-oxidants and is involved in a number of enzymatic reactions involved in metabolism, immune function, and toxin clearance from the body. 

Considered the “Gate-Keeper of Immune Function”, its immune-enhancing activities include regulation of a variety of immune cells and chemical messengers, it has also been claimed that zinc possesses antiviral activity (6,7). 

Zinc has been known to lessen the severity and duration of respiratory infections while also strongly preventing reinfection, or other respiratory infections, for up to 6 months or more following proper supplementation. It is an essential mineral that should be considered as part of any healthcare routine.