Dr. Susan Slipacoff B.Kin, ND
Article written for the Caledon Enterprise Newspaper, Fall 2007

As the warmth of summer turns into the brisker temperatures of fall, you know what’s around the corner: cold and flu season. As such, there’s no better time to be proactive about your health. Your immune system needs strengthening. The following are ways to accomplish this:
Use fresh garlic for seasoning – Garlic is rich in antioxidants and can also increase production of natural killer cells.
Have 12 cherries, an orange, a green salad and some baby carrots every day –Brightly coloured produce is high in important vitamins that support the immune system.
Eat more mushrooms, and make them shiitake – these are great immune stimulators and have much longer-lasting disease-fighting nutrients then regular white button mushrooms.
Limit sugar intake – and don’t forget that fruit juice is loaded with sugar. High amounts of sugar are known to suppress the immune system.
Get adequate protein – High in zinc, iron and B vitamins. These are critical for a healthy immune system. Stick to one serving of alcohol or less a day – Alcohol is a toxin and also suppresses the immune system Instead of coffee, have black or green tea – Greater immune activity has been found in tea drinkers then in coffee drinkers. This is most likely due an amino acid in brewed tea called L-theanine, a known immuno-stimulant.

Naturopathic medicine focuses on prevention as well as stimulating and supporting the body’s natural defences. If you are a person who is susceptible to many colds and flu’s throughout the year, then it is a good idea to consult with a Naturopathic doctor to investigate the underlying cause of your susceptibility. It is interesting to note however that as counter-intuitive as it may seem, getting sick and then recovering soon after is not reflective of a weakened immune system. Just like our muscles, the immune system also needs exercise in order to remain strong. This is why it’s important not to suppress it. Balance is key.