L0L, COLD, fUNGI, GREENS
LOL
Dark GREENS Matter
COLD Therapy
- According to this review article from the National Library of Medicine, we see that laughter does wonders for your immune system! It helps lower stress hormones and boosts immune cells. Plus, laughing releases endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin- your body’s natural feel-good and pain-relieving chemicals.
- This article reveals that laughter
- According to this review article from the National Library of Medicine, we see that laughter does wonders for your immune system! It helps lower stress hormones and boosts immune cells. Plus, laughing releases endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin- your body’s natural feel-good and pain-relieving chemicals.
- This article reveals that laughter can reduce stress and boost your body’s natural killer (NK) cells, which are crucial for fighting off diseases. Low NK activity is bad news, especially for people with cancer, leading to lower disease resistance and higher illness rates. This article from Time covers the topic, too.
- This article from Forbes states that laughing -- even fake laughing for just one minute a day – stokes our immune system and brightens our mental health. So, laugh. Now! (Or actually laugh when you type Hahaha or LOL)
COLD Therapy
Dark GREENS Matter
COLD Therapy
- A study published in 2021 discusses the relationship between cold water immersion and improved mood in students from the University of Chichester. The students completed the Profile of Mood States questionnaire before and after cold water immersion and reported lower levels of tension, depression, and fatigue, and increased levels of vigo
- A study published in 2021 discusses the relationship between cold water immersion and improved mood in students from the University of Chichester. The students completed the Profile of Mood States questionnaire before and after cold water immersion and reported lower levels of tension, depression, and fatigue, and increased levels of vigor and self-esteem.
- Economic Times covered 3,000 people split into control (warm shower) vs experimental group (cold shower).. After 3 months, the cold water shower group had a 29% reduction of self-reportd sick leave from work.
- This column published on UCLA health suggests that cold showers might protect you from circulating virus. The shock of cold water stimulates the leukocytes that fight off infection.
Eating FUNGI
Dark GREENS Matter
Dark GREENS Matter
- This article from National Library of Medicine reviews how "mushrooms have been widely used as medicinal products for more than 2,000 years, but globally the potential...of wild mushrooms has been untapped."
- This CNN article highlights mushroom’s potential ability to boost the immune system.·always cook your mushrooms to get their immune-
- This article from National Library of Medicine reviews how "mushrooms have been widely used as medicinal products for more than 2,000 years, but globally the potential...of wild mushrooms has been untapped."
- This CNN article highlights mushroom’s potential ability to boost the immune system.·always cook your mushrooms to get their immune-boosting benefits, as cooking destroys any toxins that may be present in edible mushrooms such as shiitake and morels (tho not poisonous mushrooms like death caps).
- This Guardian article covers the benefits of reishi, shiitake, and maitake, which fight cancer and boost the immune system. Reishi contain F3 polysaccharides, which can tell our immune systems to make antibodies that fight off tumor or cancer-causing antigens. Maitake, combined with vitamin C, are effective in reducing the growth of cancer cells. Shiitake contain lentinan, which killed tumor cells.
Dark GREENS Matter
Dark GREENS Matter
Dark GREENS Matter
- Science Daily writes about how "green vegetables -- from bok choy to broccoli -- are the source of a chemical signal that is important to a fully functioning immune system. They do this by ensuring that immune cells in the gut and the skin known as intra-epithelial lymphocytes (IELs) function properly."
- Medical News Today on leafy greens:
- Science Daily writes about how "green vegetables -- from bok choy to broccoli -- are the source of a chemical signal that is important to a fully functioning immune system. They do this by ensuring that immune cells in the gut and the skin known as intra-epithelial lymphocytes (IELs) function properly."
- Medical News Today on leafy greens: Beyond being low in calories, they are rich in fiber, vitamins, and other nutrients such as folate, niacin, sulforaphane, carotenoids, and omega-3-fatty acids.These reduce the risk of developing conditions such as diabetes, stroke, and certain cancers, and improve bone, gut, and immune health.
- This article from American Academy of Neurology advocates that consumption of green leafy vegetables may help to slow decline in cognitive abilities and improve brain health due to the neuroprotective actions of lutein, folate, β-carotene, and phylloquinone present in green leafy vegetables.
gut, lymph, detox, REST
Consume Probiotics
Consume Probiotics
Consume Probiotics
- This article from The BMJ has shown that gut microbiota influences many areas of human health including innate immunity. Targeting the gut microbiome with probiotics and dietary fiber benefits natural immunity.
- This article from Cleveland Clinic suggests that if you had an illness or treatment that weakened your microbiome (such as after the course of antibiotics), taking or eating probiotics helps build up immunity.
- Some of the most frequently studied and recommended probiotics are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Get your probiotics in foods like kimchi, yogurt, sauerkraut, and non-brined pickles. Or, consume cultured/fermented drinks like kombucha or kefir.
Lymph!
Consume Probiotics
Consume Probiotics
- Our lymphatic systems filter and eliminate toxins from the body, and are a critical part of our overall immune system. It works by circulating lymph, which is a colorless fluid that picks up waste and toxins in the body and transports it to the bloodstream where it can be removed by urination. We can stimulate this process with movement!
- Yoga is a great way to improve lymphatic drainage, since focusing on the breath serves as a pump of sorts for the lymphatic system; certain poses stimulate lymph nodes in the body, and works to calm the immune system by reducing stress.
- Other types of movement that supports your lymphatic system are any type of physical exercise, and body massages.
Detox & Hydrate
Sleep and Take Breaks
Sleep and Take Breaks
- This article talks about how chronic drinking disrupts your immune system by killing T-cells (white blood cells that helps your body fight off infections, they act like soldiers who identify and attack harmful invaders like bacteria and viruses). It also decreases B-cells. This makes a person more prone to infections, weakens vaccine responses, increases cancer risk, and interferes with allergy reactions.
- This article claims dehydration is the likely cause of decreased innate immune function.
- This article from Columbia University recommends not smoking, which "reduces immune defense" and drinking less, "as alcohol disrupts immune pathways that can impair the body’s ability to defend against infection."
Sleep and Take Breaks
Sleep and Take Breaks
Sleep and Take Breaks
- Although our modern world isn’t always conducive to getting enough sleep, the benefits of adequate sleep cannot be overstated. Chronic sleep deprivation is linked with the development of many chronic diseases since it is strongly associated with immune function. This is because with sleep deprivation, our immune systems are not as well regulated, which leads to more inflammatory activity in the body, which leaves us vulnerable to infection, or worsens existing infections.
- This article states that sleep and the circadian system exert a strong regulatory influence on immune functions.
- Mayo Clinic: During sleep, your immune system releases proteins called cytokines. Certain cytokines need to increase to help fight infection or inflammation. Sleep deprivation may decrease production of these protective cytokines.
VITAMIN D, MOVEMENT, Mindfulness, PLAY
Vitamin D
Move With Music
Move With Music
- This article covers how vitamin D, on top of being responsible for calcium and bone health, is also important for immune health. This is because immune cells, such as B and T cells, are responsive to vitamin D levels in the body. The article also cites multiple studies suggesting an inverse relationship between vitamin D levels and autoimmune disorder severity. We say: invest in high-quality vitamin D supplements, and find more ways to get sunshine in your life.
- This Forbes article explains that vitamin D, a fat soluble vitamin, plays an important role in strengthening your immune system along with preventing osteoporosis and bone loss.
- This article encourages midday sun exposure to help reach your recommended amount of vitamin D in less time. A handful of foods, such as cod, liver, oil, swordfish, salmon, canned tuna, egg yolks and sardines. contain significant vitamin D and are especially helpful if your area or activities don’t let you get enough sun.
Move With Music
Move With Music
Move With Music
- Researchers understand that immune system function is strongly linked with psychological well-being and hormone balance, and this can be modulated with music! In particular, music can calm the cardiovascular and endocrine system and reduces overall stress in the body. This relationship is even stronger if you’re the one playing the music as opposed to listening only.
- This article states that music has shown changes which have been observed across various immune response biomarkers including leukocytes, cytokine, immunoglobulins, and hormones associated with immune response. The music’s effect on psychoneuroimmunological response is strongly supported.
- This article posted on the Washington Post states that dancing is better for brain health, mind body and soul by creating formation of social connections during dancing.
Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness Meditation
- Mindfulness: The two essential components of mindfulness are awareness and acceptance. It is through non-judgmental observation of our thoughts and sensations that we are able to live in the moment and manage our emotions. This article reviews how to practice mindfulness (which can begin with something as simple as breathing and noticing what you notice), and its benefits, which include lowering stress, reducing harmful ruminating, and coping with social isolation.
- Spirituality: In a Polish study, researchers found a positive association between spirituality and well-being, and that this relationship is assisted with being more conscious of health-seeking behaviors. They distributed a self-report questionnaire to Polish university students that quantified how spiritual someone is by gauging one’s religious attitudes (e.g. their relationship to God), ethical sensitivity (e.g. how much weight one places on ethical values), and harmony (e.g. seeking harmony with the world).
- Gratitude: This research article discusses an experiment that examines the mental health of those attending psychotherapy. People were randomized into one of three groups: (a) psychotherapy only, (b) psychotherapy plus expressive writing, and (c) psychotherapy plus gratitude writing. Those who participated in gratitude writing reported significantly higher mental health scores after 4 weeks compared to the other groups, suggesting it is a valuable addition to psychotherapy in improving well-being and overall mood.
PLAY
Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness Meditation
- The importance of play is generally well-understood in young children, but what about for young adults? The researchers of this cross-sectional study of undergraduate students in Hong Kong found that participation in play indirectly improves emotional resilience and intelligence by the experience of positive emotions. It is theorized that participation in play gives people an outlet to explore the highs and lows of self-expression in a safe way, thereby increasing their capacity for emotional intelligence and positive affect.
- An article from PsychCentral reinforces how important play is for adults. They mention benefits such as coping with stress, and being more intrinsically motivated to do things you may normally struggle with (like enjoying exercise) as reasons for engaging in play. They also talk about ways to incorporate more play in your life, including tips on how to find your “play personality”. Anything that brings us joy or excitement can be considered play, and if it has the potential to improve our mental health and appreciate life, why aren’t we playing more?
- A study on the effects of interactions with dogs or cats and stressed college students before final exams found that even 10-minute interactions caused statistically significant higher contentment levels, and lower anxiety and irritability.