How to Boost Your Immune System Naturally

The terrain theory was the brainchild of French scientist, Antoine Béchamp. His philosophy was that disease occurs from within the body as a result of an acidic and poorly oxygenated ‘terrain’ (the body’s internal environment), not from external factors. Béchamp suggests that bacteria and viruses are simply ‘after-effects’, rather than the cause of disease.
Béchamp believed that a healthy terrain is a result of a nutritious diet, healthy lifestyle practices, hygiene, fresh air, clean water and exercise. With a healthy terrain, pathogenic germs cannot flourish and manifest into disease states. An unhealthy terrain, on the other hand, makes a person prone to infections and disease.
These are the same principles we teach today as part of our naturopathic nutrition diploma. Naturopathy is a system of healthcare which encourages and promotes the body’s own self-healing mechanisms. The body is able to heal itself given the right conditions and treatment.

Quit smoking and reduce alcohol consumption as these toxins have a negative effect on your Immune System and make you prone to infection.

Avoid soft drinks and junk food including chocolate, takeaways and convenience foods as they are high in sugar and processed fats, disabling the Immune System and contributing to toxicity.

Eat a healthy diet full of fresh organic vegetables and fruit, good quality proteins (legumes, beans, sardines, mackerel, eggs) and healthy fats (avocados, nuts, seeds). We’ve listed some Immune-boosting foods below.

Reduce sugar intake including sweeteners (even the natural ones) and refined carbohydrates such as bread, pasta and pastries. Sugar negatively affects the Immune System and prevents your phagocytes (the Immune cells which eat up the pathogenic germs) from working efficiently.

Limit pasteurised dairy products (milk, cheese, yoghurt) as dairy is very mucus-forming and can aggravate the gut.

Reduce your toxic load by using natural cleaning products, cosmetics and beauty products. The average home contains over 62 harmful environmental toxins which we absorb through the air we breathe and the products we put on our skin. Avoid spray products, use gloves where possible, keep the house well ventilated and only use products with natural ingredients.

Detox your body:

• Cleanse your liver and kidneys by drinking lemon or organic, unpasteurised (raw), apple cider vinegar in warm water.
• Do a colonic to clear out toxin build-up in the gut.
• Take liver and kidney cleansing herbs and nutrients.
• Have an Epsom salt bath which helps draw out toxins from the body.
• Practise dry skin brushing to eliminate toxins, improve circulation and stimulate the lymphatic system.
• Use a sauna to gently sweat out harmful toxins through the skin.

Engage in regular movement and exercise to get your body moving; movement promotes circulation and stimulates your Immune System.

Stay hydrated by drinking filtered water and herbal teas.