Have you wondered what your bloated belly has to do with your 3rd cold in a row?

Let me help and give you a little insight. Your immune system is located in the gut wall and is the primary defender in fighting the bacteria and viruses we encounter in our external environment and the bacteria, viruses, fungi and infections that we have going on internally, which is always a few! When activated the immune system is stronger than any flu shot or immune booster, so a goodie to remember with all the flu vaccine advertising going around in the Southern Hemisphere at this time of the year.

To have a healthy immune function we need to active the Immunoglobulin A protein strain the main chemical for immune function. It is activated various ways, the primary when given the nourishment for the chemical reactions to trigger.

There are a couple of primary nutrients we are usually insufficient in that supples this nourishment and these are the mighty Vit D and Zinc. Vitamin D that is obtained from the sun and can be stored in the body. Zinc a mineral from the earth once rich within our soils, unfortunately lacking in the soil now. Best found in meat, grains and beans though.

So why is your bloat connected with your cold? Do you usually get a cold or the flu in the middle of winter and think you are being exposed to a foreign bug, that is so strong it beats our bodies? Or maybe it has beat the body because our defence system – our immunity was too weak. We have run low on the critical vitamin D stores and usually zinc too, in maintaining the strength and defence against the bug, and so the bug has now broken through. Your gut flora has became imbalanced and also let the immune system fail further creating that soup of disruption as the bug settles in.

Keeping your Vit D and Zinc stores high during the Winter is not only going to help your immune system, but will nourish your mind and skin as well. Starting to supplement leading into winter is a perfect time to begin this practice. It’s also great to invest some thought to keeping the gut well, so it can be as nourishing and supportive to the immune system as much as possible over the coming months, and reduce that bloat.

So please consider the support you can give to your body first, to banish bloat and cold symptoms and allow the body to defend you as it was designed. Flooding the body with the right nourishment is your safe guard, not the latest flu strain from the flu vaccine.

If you are already compromised and need to apply other techniques on top, here is where you may be blown out of the water. Elevated emotions can also influence the immune system. Just as when you activate senses such as stress and this activates the stress hormone cortisol. The cortisol down regulates immunoglobulin A the chemical we want to be dialled up. If you have elevated feelings and emotions like joy and love you can up regulate your genes and the immunoglobulin A protein, giving you support and strengthening of the immune system.

So what do you think is the better option. Start to take Vit D & Zinc with gratitude each day. Or injecting the latest flu virus strain?