Immune Health Is Built Through Resilience, Not Fear
How to Crush Immune Challenges in the New Year
Every year around this time, many people begin to feel run down. ‘Tis the season right?
Colds, flu-like symptoms, lingering fatigue, sinus issues, coughs, sniffles, sneezes and immune-related complaints seem to rise all at once. The most common explanation is that something is “going around.”
But just becuase something is “going around,” doesn’t have to mean that you and your family have to be the next victim!
At LIFEstrength Health Center, Dr. Cade and Coach Cason see immune health very differently. Rather than focusing on invisible threats, we look at supporting the body’s ability to adapt to the environment it lives in.
Chiropractor Dr. Fred Barge summarized this truth beautifully when he said “There is but one cause of all disease; the body’s ability to adapt to the environment. There is but one cure for all disease; a healthy body strong enough to overcome the environment. And there is only one thing that any doctor can do for a patient. And that is to remove an obstruction to healing, thus facilitating it.”
This perspective shifts the focus away from fear and toward responsibility and empowerment. The real question is not what you were exposed to. The real question is how well your body can respond!
The Immune System Reflects the State of the Nervous System
The immune system does not operate in isolation. It is directly influenced by the nervous system, which controls how the body perceives and adapts to all things physical, chemical and emotional…including those little viral, bacterial, fungal and parasitic invaders.
Some of the tools we use in the office to help build a more resilient body include
Optimizing Sleep
Eating as Clean as Possible
Prioritizing Sleep, Rest and Peace
Minimizing Your Toxic Burden
Having Fun and Spending Time in Nature
Vagus Nerve Stimulation
Getting a snapshot of where your system is in it’s fight against stress is critical. Our office uses a combination of bloodwork and x-rays to get as accurate understanding as possible for each specific person.
Coach Cason uses the bloodwork to see if there any nutrional needs that your body may be missing, measuring your ability to absorb your protein, fat and carbs, how well organs like your liver and gallbladder are working, monitoring blood sugar stability, if there any bacterial or viral infections the body is fighting and much more.
Dr. Cade uses x-rays to understand if there is any stress or tension on your neurology. Afterall, “every organ in your body is connected to the one under your hat (credit to BJ Palmer!).” If that connection is healthy, everything else can work at it’s best too. If not, you’ll be spinning your wheels attempting to overcome it any other way.
Chiropractic care plays a foundational role in immune resilience because it focuses on restoring proper communication between the brain and the body. When spinal restrictions and nervous system interference are present, the body’s ability to regulate immune responses becomes compromised. This can lead to a dysregulated immune system that is easily over-stimulated and over reacts, underperforms and is sluggish or finally, chronic and stubborn inflammation that drains the body’s resources.
Chiropractic adjustments are not designed to treat sickness. They are designed to remove interference so the body can do what it was created to do. When the nervous system is regulated, the immune system functions more efficiently and with greater intelligence.
At LIFEstrength Health Center, bloodwork and chiropractic care are the cornerstones of building a body that can adapt, recover and remain resilient in a demanding world.
A Toxic World Requires Strong Foundations
Modern life places a constant load on the nervous and immune systems. Chronic stress, poor sleep, lack of movement, artificial lighting, excessive screen time, nutrient depleted food and environmental toxins all tax the body’s adaptive capacity.
When the body can no longer adapt effectively, symptoms appear. These symptoms are not failures. They are signals that the system is overwhelmed and needs support.
True immune health is built by strengthening the body’s foundations rather than chasing symptoms!
Time Tested Practices That Strengthen Immune Resilience
Movement is one of the fastest ways to support immune function. Getting up and moving improves circulation, lymphatic flow and oxygen delivery throughout the body.
High intensity interval training can be especially effective when done appropriately. Moving quickly for thirty to sixty seconds followed by resting long enough to “catch your breath.” Then, repeating that four to six times daily can decrease cortisol, improve blood and lymph flow, boost growth hormone from the pituitary, spark the immune system, increase oxygen levels and much more.
Joy and creativity are powerful regulators of the nervous system. Dancing, singing, laughing, and play stimulate the endocannabinoid system and improve the body’s ability to adapt to all forms of stress.
Spending time outdoors is another essential practice. Walking, hiking, swimming, gardening, and even eating meals outside help regulate circadian rhythms and calm the nervous system. Sun exposure supports the body’s natural production of vitamin D3, which plays a key role in immune regulation.
Quiet time is equally important. Prayer, reflection, and stillness help shift the body out of constant stress response. Research consistently shows that belief in a higher power is associated with longer life, better health outcomes and a greater sense of purpose.
Reducing screen time allows the nervous system to recover. Limiting digital devices, using blue light filters, and reading physical books can significantly improve sleep quality and immune regulation.
Supporting the Nervous System Supports the Immune System
Therapeutic inputs that calm and stimulate the nervous system appropriately can dramatically improve immune resilience.
Music therapy, whether listening or learning an instrument, can reduce stress and elevate mood. Massage and percussion therapy stimulate nerves while decreasing inflammation. Tapping and acupressure can be used anywhere to influence different health goals. Meditation supports healing brain wave patterns and improves mindfulness and connection.
Epsom salt soaks with magnesium chloride (our favorite brand is Ancient Minerals!) help to relax muscles, calm the neurological system and support skin health. Aromatherapy using essential oils (our favorite brand is Plant Therapy!) such as lavender, lemon balm and vetiver promotes calm and emotional balance.
Vagus nerve stimulation through humming, gargling, or chanting helps regulate the nervous system and improve immune coordination.
Additional supportive practices include journaling, grounding, pulsed electromagnetic field therapy, halotherapy, sauna use, cold exposure and light therapy. Each of these helps reduce stress load and improve the body’s ability to adapt.
Holy moly, lots of options, but if you’re willing to experiment, you’ll see some of these things will make a bigger difference than the others!
Product of the Month: Transfer Factor Multi Immune
We just shared a huge list of things that don’t include supplements. It would be weird if we didn’t talk about this one, especially when we are trying to do everything we can to give the body tools it can use to heal.
If we had to choose just ONE supplement to support your immune response any time during the year, it would be Transfer Factor Multi Immune. As the name suggests, it’s a “multivitamin” for your immune system. Here’s a link to this product through Fullscript but you can do some snooping on the manufacturer’s website Researched Nutritionals (though you’ll need a code to order from the latter).
Alongside lifestyle and chiropractic care, targeted supplementation can provide valuable support during times of increased stress or immune demand. The reason why Dr. Cade and Coach Cason trust Transfer Factor Multi Immune is that this clinically researched immune support formula contains a proprietary blend of bovine-derived transfer factors and whole colostrum, along with immune supporting herbs and mushrooms, zinc and selenium.
Transfer factors are immune messenger molecules first discovered in 1949 by immunologist H. Sherwood Lawrence. They naturally occur in colostrum and help “train” the immune system in early life. Research suggests these molecules are not species specific, allowing bovine derived transfer factors to support human immune function.
Transfer Factor Multi Immune supports the immune system’s ability to identify potential threats while promoting balanced immune responses rather than overstimulation typical in autoimmune disease, allergies and contagious immune threats.
We love that Researched Nutritionals puts a priority on actual research, not just regurgitating a “trendy” formula. This specific blend has been shown in clinical studies to increase natural killer cell activity, support healthy cytokine response and promote immune modulation. Going further, it also supports natural killer cell function, activate macrophages and T cells, provides antioxidant support and deliver essential immune nutrients such as zinc and selenium.
Transfer Factor Multi Immune can be used daily in small doses to help maintain immune health or during times of increased need and crisis with higher doses to provide additional support.
The Takeaway
Immune health is not about avoiding the world. It is about building a body capable of adapting to it.
Chiropractic care removes interference from the nervous system. Movement, nature, prayer, rest, joy, and nervous system regulation reduce stress load. Targeted nutrition provides the raw materials the body needs to function optimally.
Bloodwork identifies and prioritizes the organ systems that need proper nutritional support and removes any guesswork in your quest to optimize your healing.
When these foundations are in place, the body does what it was designed to do. It heals, adapts, and becomes resilient. If you would like to learn more about strengthening your immune system through chiropractic care, functional medicine, lifestyle foundations and targeted supplementation specific to your needs, call LIFEstrength Health Center and schedule your time to speak with Dr. Cade or Coach Cason.