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Boosting Immunity NOW MORE THAN EVER, THE STRENGTH OF YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE. BY R A M O N A SAV I S S
F ROM GE T T I NG E NOUGH S L E E P A N D S TAY I NG hydrated to eating nutrient-dense superfoods—we’ve all heard about ways to bolster immunity. We spoke with some local experts for their best advice on caring for and protecting your immune system. and recommends eating alkalizing foods. “Stress causes inflammation and it weakens our immune system,” she says. “High levels of stress are no different than eating inflammatory foods and not getting any sleep. You can’t fight things as well in a fight-orflight system.” “Food and nutrition are the foundations of supporting immunity—making sure people are getting fresh, organic, live foods, with the least amount of pesticides and chemicals,” says Clement Lee, NMD, founder of Optimal Health & Wellness in Pasadena. For patients who are under high stress and deficient in nutrients and minerals, Lee suggests IV drips. “It’s a very quick, immediate boost of nutrients to strengthen the immune system,” he says. Lee customizes a protocol for each patient, whether delivering immune-boosting vitamins through IV drips, oral supplementation, injections, ozone treatments, or even lasers 26 PA SA D ENA H EA LT H
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“Supporting immunity is your best medicine against any sort of virus,” says culinary alchemist, reiki master, chef, and Pasadena native Serena Poon. “Daily support and doing things on a regular basis, as opposed to having a problem and now you’re going to add vitamin C, allows your body to do what it’s designed to do. You need the right fuel for your physical body and you need rest because that’s when your body heals.” Kreation Organic Juicery owner Marjan Sarshar echoes Poon’s advice: “Boosting your immunity has a lot to do with your diet, keeping the body hydrated, staying active, and getting enough sleep,” she says. “But it also has a lot to do with what’s going on in your mind. You can have green juice, salads, and bone broth every day, but if you’re constantly stressed and not being kind to yourself, you won’t feel well.” Poon explains that stress causes an inflammatory response in our bodies,
that use light and “colors to wake up different parts of your immune cells.” While nutrition is an easy way to strengthen your immune system, it can be challenging to eat all the fruits and vegetables needed in a day. “With coldpressed juicing, every drop of liquid is extracted from the fruits and vegetables while retaining their raw, nutritious properties and flavors,” says Sarshar, who oversees 19 Kreation locations, including one in Pasadena. “Each juice we produce contains 3 to 5 pounds of produce in every single bottle. We have targeted tonic shots focused on supporting the immune system, with ingredients like ginger and turmeric, which are also included in our soups and bone broths.” Poon agrees that high-quality, nutrient-dense foods are important to supporting immunity, though she acknowledges that always having these foods on hand can be difficult. “If you don’t have access to fresh juices or smoothies, raw or dehydrated superfoods are important,” she says—such as Just Add Water, a nutritionally dense powdered beverage that Poon created. Regularly maintaining a strong immune system, she says, “gives your body the tools to do what it is designed to do—heal and protect itself.”
