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In the news: Building Resilience: Move, Keep Calm & Eat Well for Immune Health

We are all doing our best to practice core behaviors that can help in the fight against Covid-19: washing hands frequently and trying not to touch our face, coughing or sneezing into tissues, and staying home, practicing social distancing, and wearing masks when directed. (As of this writing, many of us remain under stay-at-home directives).

Another thing we can do is work at building physical and mental resilience, and a good place to start is focusing on the inter-related actions that help maintain a well-functioning immune system.

What: Prioritize some form of daily exercise
Why: Regular, moderate exercise can play an important part in supporting a healthy immune system1. It improves defense activity, causing changes in white blood cells that fight disease. Evidence suggests that it likely helps delay age-related immune dysfunction in older individuals. Moderate exercise, for example, has been found to enhance the response to flu vaccination in elderly men2.
How: There may be no access to gyms and health clubs – and limited access to the outdoors for some – but there are still opportunities to exercise in isolation. Daily walks in the neighborhood may be possible (taking recommended precautions), and there are many online opportunities for participating remotely in exercise classes, including the gentle form of exercise, tai chi. Be creative – Mayo Clinical has some advice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9Dw-4ycMQQagraph

What: Manage Stress and Loneliness
Why: Stress and anxiety can reduce the immune system’s ability to fight off foreign invaders. The stress hormone corticosteroid can suppress the effectiveness of the immune system by lowering the number of lymphocytes, key immune cells. Loneliness leads to increased stress, which triggers the axis of hormones that can raise blood pressure and impact sleep.
How: We’re all facing uncertainty which can generate stress, and isolation which can be especially difficult for those who live alone. A few tips for countering stress: 1. Exercise is a potent stress-reducer. 2. Try deep breathing for a few minutes several times daily: breathe in slowly through the nose for a count of four, and exhale slowly counting to four. 3. Avoid looking at the news first thing in the morning to set a calmer tone for the day, and the last thing at night for better sleep. 4. Reach out to at least one person daily – by phone, text, social media or whatever online platforms are available to you – and listen. If appropriate, express your own concerns and emotions.

What: Eat as healthfully as possible
Why: What we eat plays a fundamental role in how we feel and in keeping the immune system healthy. While there is interest in taking botanicals for which there is some evidence of immune support such as Echinacea, Elderberry or Andrographis, any specific effects of the herbs on novel virus activity in humans is unknown. So, start with the basics: a well-rounded diet that provides the many vitamins and minerals that work in harmony to support a robust immune system3. Brightly colored fruits and veggies are key contributors for many of those nutrients, while seafood is a source of mood-supporting omega-3 fatty acids and zinc which is vital for immune T-cell function.

Vitamins A (meat or vegetables such as carrots, sweet potato), D (fortified dairy) and vitamin C (citrus, peppers) deserve special mention. Vitamin A plays a role in supporting mucosal immunoglobulin A (IgA)—the first line of immune defense against invaders. Vitamin D helps keep the immune system balanced, and low levels (common in the US) are associated with frequent colds and flu. Vitamin C, whose levels drop with infection, calls the immune troops (natural killer cells, interferons, T-cells) into action.
How: With the challenges of getting out to shop and grocery shelves often poorly stocked, you can choose frozen fruits and vegetables if fresh produce is scarce. Canned tuna, salmon and sardines are an alternative should fresh seafood be unavailable. Yogurt and fermented foods are also a good choice as both support healthy gut bacteria – important because the gut and lung biomes are connected4. Finally, it makes good sense to take a comprehensive multi-nutrient supplement to ensure good supplies of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.

References

1. Nieman D and Wentz L The compelling link between physical activity and the body's defense system. J Sports Hlth Sci. 8:201-17, 2019.
2. Elderly men with moderate and intense training lifestyle present sustained higher antibody responses to influenza vaccine. Age (Dordr). 37(6): 105, 2015.
3. Gombart A, et al. A Review of Micronutrients and the Immune System–Working in harmony to reduce the risk of Infection. Nutrients. 12:236, 2020.
4. Anand S and Mande S. Diet, Microbiota and Gut-Lung Connection. Front Microbiol. 9: 2147, 2018.