Old Man Winter is certainly making a statement this year!

The picture above is the view out my front door this morning—we are buried and not a plow is in sight!

And in addition to snow in the forecast for the next 48 hours, it’s downright frigid out there.  Right now it’s 2° and our high is only supposed to be 4°!

Unfortunately, this is the perfect recipe for people to get SICK!

Here’s why:

The perfect recipe for sickness

Our gut microbiomes have taken a hit from all the sweet and rich holidays foods we’ve had recently, and this depresses your immune system functioning, making you more susceptible to colds, flu and infections.

Plus even though being in the cold doesn’t directly cause you to catch a cold, hypothermia (the lowering of your body's core temperature) suppresses immunity, which makes you more vulnerable to sickness.

And Heaven help you if you’ve recently been sick and have taken antibiotics!  While antibiotics do kill a bacterial infection, they also obliterate your friendly gut flora which also impairs your immune system, increasing your chances of getting sick again!

Lastly, if you got a flu shot, it’s likely doing you more harm than good.  This year’s flu shot is only about 10 percent effective (or in other words, 90 percent useless), plus ALL vaccines depress your immune system function for several weeks—that’s one reason why people end up getting the flu even after they’ve gotten the shot!

Fight back at this nasty winter by supercharging your immune system!

Here are 7 very effective ways you can fight back at Old Man Winter and supercharge your immune system:

1- Limit sugar and refined carbs

Sugar and refined carbs (which turn to sugar upon digestion) feed cancer cells, harmful yeasts and parasites and depress your immune system functioning.

So avoid the white breads, pastries, cookies, donuts, cakes, bagels, rolls, white rice, crackers and snack chips as much as possible.

And stay far away from the #1 health poison in existence—SODA. 

2- Have a good laugh

Laughter exerts positive influences on your immune system! 

3- De-stress and get some rest

Both stress and lack of sleep are harmful to your intestinal gut flora, which houses 70-80 percent of your immune system.

Do what you must to lower stress in your life (regular exercise works wonders!), and make sure you get enough sleep each night. 

4- Get nutritional support with vitamin B12, probiotics and vitamin D

Here is how each of these three superstars supports your immune system:

Vitamin B12:

Vitamin B12 is crucial for the formation of red and white blood cells, which boost your immune function. 

Although B12 can be found in foods like meats, fish, eggs yolks and cheese, its absorbency in the GI tract can be limited, especially if you use acid reducers.

So an oral vitamin B12 spray like Hydroxaden 2.5 can help make sure you’re getting the B12 you so desperately need, since it’s absorbed through the mucus membranes in your mouth and bypasses the GI tract!

Probiotics:

Since most of your immune system resides in your gut, it's essential to make sure that you have a healthy population of beneficial gut bacteria to support it! 

Supplementation with a top-notch probiotic like Super Shield multi-strain probiotic formula is the single most effective step you can take to encourage a healthy intestinal flora balance.

Super Shield contains 13 robust, well-studied strains of beneficial bacteria that not only help support strong immune function, but also help reduce gas, bloating and constipation too!

Vitamin D:

Vitamin D helps tame your immune system’s inflammatory reactions, and therefore it is especially helpful for autoimmune conditions, asthma and allergies. 

One of the easiest ways to get vitamin D is through unprotected sun exposure…but that’s a pretty difficult thing to do this time of year unless you’re a polar bear!

But a top-notch supplement like Optimum DK Formula with FruiteX-B can help ensure your body has the vitamin D your immune system so desperately needs, 365 days a year.

In addition to a therapeutic 5,000 IU dose of vitamin D3, Optimum DK Formula also gives you a health supporting dose of vitamins K1 and K2, plus the mineral boron.  All of these nutrients work in harmony to support sound immune function, and also strong bones and a healthy cardiovascular system too!

5- Drink 8 glasses of water a day

Water is vital for cell and lymphatic system health—both of which are crucial to proper immune system functioning.

6- Ditch the antibacterial products

Exposure to various microorganisms actually makes your immune system stronger! 

So ditch the anti-bacterial soaps and hand goop.  Ordinary soap and water are all you need to keep yourself clean.

7- Nourish your gut

Be sure to include lots of vegetables and fermented foods in your diet.  Nothing nourishes your friendly gut bacteria better than these nutritious foods!

If you need some ideas on ways to enjoy healthy, good-for-you foods, check out my Great Taste No Pain health system!  In addition to showing you how to structure easy to digest meals that help curb heartburn, gas and constipation, Great Taste No Pain also gives you a collection of positively luscious recipes that will soon become your family’s favorites!

Take care of your body’s gold—your immune system—and help it to protect you like it should this winter and all year round!

To your health,

Sherry Brescia