By: Heather Vaughan, L.Ac, MSOM, C.Ay, CYT
One of the best ways to strengthen your body’s natural immunity is to drink plenty of water. So, here are 5 Ways Water Supports Your Immune System. This is always important, but there are times of year to take it extra seriously. Cold and flu seasons in Spring and Fall, when allergies hit, and while traveling are all times to prioritize drinking extra water. As a result, you’ll have have greater resistance to getting sick. It’s easy to forget how important water is for our health, something easily taken for granted.
“Keep your immunity up by drinking plenty of water to stave off infection. Staying hydrated helps your body naturally eliminate toxins and other bacteria that may cause illness.”
Rest & Drink Lots of Fluids
How many times have you heard this? From doctors, parents, friends, anytime you feel sick the first advice is often, “rest and drink lots of fluids.” Now, that doesn’t mean just ANY fluids. It means water. Not only does water flush out toxins (including pathogens!), it’s the building block for almost every single fluid our bodies make. Many of these fluids act as a first line of defense against getting sick. So, follow the sage advice of acupuncturist Dr. Sean Tuten, and “drink an enormous amount of water, specifically warm water.”
Ok, here we go!
5 Ways Water Supports Your Immune System
1. Stomach Acid kills Microorganisms
Our bodies use water to make stomach acid, AKA: Hydrochloric Acid. We think of hydrochloric acid mainly as a digestive juice that breaks down food into small particles that pass easily into the small intestine. However, a lesser known function is that hydrochloric acid “eliminates bacteria and viruses in the stomach, protecting your body from infection.” (Healthline). Water will not only help your body produce adequate hydrochloric acid, “but it can also flush viruses from the upper respiratory tract into the stomach where they can be neutralized by your stomach acid.” (Dr. Sean Tuten, DOM) So, drinking extra water helps with both steps: flushing toxins into the stomach and making HCL which kills pathogens.
2. Mucus: A Trap for Pathogens
Mucus gets a bad wrap, however, that slimy-sticky liquid lining of your sinuses, “contains antibodies and bacteria-killing enzymes to help fight off infections.” (Medicine Net) It also acts as a barrier that prevents pathogens like dust, smoke, and bacteria from getting further into your body where they can cause real harm. They literally get stuck in the goo, ready for elimination through a runny nose. When mucus gets too dry, it can’t do it’s job of catching pathogens before they enter your body. Make sure your mucus membranes stay healthy by drinking lots of water.
3. Sweat it Out
Sweating is one of the major ways our bodies remove contaminants from circulation. Sweating helps flush toxins, waste, and bacteria from your body, and as a result these pathogens never have the chance to become a full-blown infection. This concept is agreed upon by different models of medicine- in Traditional Chinese Medicine it’s called, “releasing the exterior.” (Deadman. A Manual of Acupuncture) How do you make sure your mucus membranes are properly hydrated? You guessed it: drink lots of water.
Sweating (and not sweating) is one way your body regulates temperature. (Healthline). All that sweating that happens during a fever is your body doing it’s part to bring down your core temperature and cool you off. Make sure to replace lost water (with a pinch of salt and squeeze of lime for electrolytes) right away to support this process.
4. Lymph: Your Immunity’s Transportation System
Lymph fluid carries T-cells (white blood cells) all over your body when an pathogen is detected. T-cells are your body’s army, so to speak. They attack viruses, bacteria, and other microorganisms that pose a threat to your health. If this fluid is dehydrated, it becomes more viscous and sluggish, reducing your body’s natural efficiency and ability to rush T-cells to potential sites of infection and flush them out.
5. Absorption of Essential Nutrients
Zinc, vitamin C, and other water soluble essential nutrients dissolve and are carried throughout the body for absorption. You may have a healthy, nutrient-rich diet, but without adequate hydration to make them accessible, it’s hard to absorb all of the nutrients from your food. Make sure to sip water with your meal, and have plenty in between.
Clean Water is a Necessity
In order for all this to work, your water must be clean. This may seem obvious, but with the ever-increasing amount of contaminants in our water, making absolutely sure your water is clean will help prevent illness. The liver, kidneys, sweat glands, and organs of elimination have to work extra hard when there are toxins in the water you are drinking, putting you at a deficit when trying to fight off a cold or flu.
“Toxins can be devastating for the immune system. For example, mycotoxins from mold are notorious for destroying the immune system. Many other toxins seem to have negative effects on immunity as well. So try to minimize exposure to chlorinated drinking water, pesticides, aromatic hydrocarbons (e.g., air fresheners), heavy metals, air pollution, and food additives.”
And remember, ice counts! Make sure you make ice with purified water. Freezing does not kill all infectious microbes.
We hope this article helps clarify why hydration is strengthens your immune system.
Stay healthy out there!