Nobody likes being sick. This is especially true for pregnant women who are already plenty uncomfortable and can’t take many over-the-counter medications to help relieve symptoms.
Unfortunately, many pregnant women find they are more susceptible to common colds, tummy bugs, infections, and the flu due to a slightly weakened immune system during pregnancy. While it may seem contradictory, the weakened immune response is actually protecting the unborn baby. In fact, a regularly functioning immune system would likely cause the baby to be rejected by the mother’s body.
That said, there is absolutely no reason why a pregnant woman should welcome illnesses and infections into her body during pregnancy. In fact, it is a much better idea to stay as healthy as possible by eating well, sleeping as much as possible, drinking plenty of water, and helping the body fight off infections by offering the immune system as much support as possible.
There are many ways an expectant mother can help support her immune system throughout her pregnancy. Below we have compiled a list of our favorite natural ways to boost your immunity during pregnancy (or any other time in your life).
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is by far the most powerful and important vitamin when it comes to immune system support. Because of this fact, it is important to make sure you are getting a good dose of this vitamin on a daily basis.
As with any vitamin, your body is more easily able to absorb vitamin C when the source of the vitamin is the food you eat rather than taken from a capsule. Therefore, it is ideal to add foods rich in vitamin C to your diet. These include citrus fruits, broccoli, kale, and strawberries, just to name a few.
That said, if you simply cannot get enough vitamin C through your foods, a supplement is the next best thing.
Echinacea
Echinacea is a pretty little coneflower that packs a powerful punch. The flower works as an immune system booster and can reduce the user’s chance of catching a cold by up to 58%. It is also an incredible anti-inflammatory.
This herbal supplement can be purchased in capsule form, but it is actually recommended that the supplement be administered in liquid form. Either way, it is important to buy from a reputable company, as it is not uncommon for echinacea supplements to be falsely labeled.
When using echinacea, you can choose to use it as a simple immune system booster, or add it to your diet only when you feel the onset of symptoms. No matter how you decide to use it, this herbal supplement is one you definitely want to keep handy.
Elderberry Syrup
Often touted as the very best remedy for the flu and a great way to ward off common colds, elderberry syrup works best when taken as soon as symptoms begin or whenever you may be exposed to illness. The syrup then goes to work fighting off the illness and reducing inflammation.
Elderberry should only be taken for about 5 days in a row. It can be taken from a dropper or used as a topping for food. It actually tastes quite good, making the whole elderberry experience a pleasant one.
It is important to note that not all care providers recommend taking elderberry syrup during pregnancy. Of course, you will want to check with your doctor or midwife before adding this supplement—or any other supplement—to your diet, especially during pregnancy.
Colloidal Silver
Silver has been used as an antiseptic for literally thousands of years. In fact, the use of this metal for medicinal purposes only went out of fashion with the birth of modern antibiotics. Nevertheless, silver still gets the job done when it comes to fighting infection.
When using colloidal silver, it is important to make sure you are using the supplement in its truest form. Additionally, it is crucial that you follow dosage instructions carefully, and never use colloidal silver for more than 14 days in a row.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is key to helping your immune system work properly. Unfortunately, a huge percentage of the population has low vitamin D levels. This is because most of the vitamin D we absorb is transferred to us through the rays of the sun. When we don’t go outside—and even when we do go out, but do so wearing sunscreen—we don’t have the opportunity to absorb the vitamin.
Because vitamin D shortage is so common, it’s probably a good idea to up your dosage of this important immunity booster through the use of a dietary supplement. It is also important to keep in mind that in order for vitamin D to work properly, there need to be sufficient levels of vitamins K, A, and E in the body as well. Often you can find D3 with K2 added in for better absorption.