Top 5 Ways to Strengthen Your Terrain to Boost Immunity (Foods, Supplements & More)

In our last post, we explored the idea of terrain theory — that it’s not just the germs we’re exposed to that determine whether we get sick, but the state of our internal environment.

Your terrain is shaped by many factors: gut health, nutrient levels, blood sugar balance, stress, sleep, and more. When these areas are supported, your immune system is stronger and more resilient, meaning colds and flus don’t have the power to take you out for weeks at a time.

Today, let’s dive deeper into how you can actively support your terrain with food, lifestyle, and supplements — so you can thrive this fall and winter.

Gut Health: The Frontline of Immunity

With 70% of your immune system residing in your gut, a strong microbiome not only helps you digest food but also communicates directly with your immune cells.

How to support your gut terrain:

Include fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, or unsweetened coconut yogurt.
Focus on colourful, fibre-rich foods like veggies, fruits, starchy veggies and legumes if tolerated, to feed healthy gut bacteria and encourage microbial diversity.
Minimize processed foods and sugar that fuel harmful bacteria and deplete beneficial bacteria

Targeted supplement support:

Consider supplementing a high quality digestive enzyme to support the breakdown and digestion of foods and a probiotic containing lactobacillus and bifidobacterium to support microbial balance in the gut.

Always getting sick or have gut issues?

We highly recommend having your gut assessed with functional digestive testing to see how your microbes may be impacting your immune system if you’ve been dealing with chronic infections, allergies or other immune challenges. Contact us to learn more!

Nutrient Levels: Giving Your Immune System the Tools It Needs

Your body can’t mount a proper immune response without certain key nutrients. Unfortunately, many adults are low in these because of modern diets and long winters with limited sunlight.

Nutrients to focus on:

Vitamin D3 + K2 → essential for immune regulation and often low during the winter months. 5,000 IUs of D3 are generally suggested.
Zinc → supports the body’s ability to fight infection and shorten recovery time.
Vitamin C → powerful antioxidant that helps immune cells function effectively.
Omega-3 fatty acids → lower inflammation and support cell membranes.

Find our Top 3 Immune Support Products HERE.

Looking for ways to support your kids immune systems this season?

Check out our blog post HERE

Blood Sugar Balance: The Overlooked Immune Weakener

Spikes and crashes in blood sugar don’t just affect energy, they also impact immunity. High blood sugar can suppress white blood cell activity, leaving you more vulnerable to infections.

How to support balance:

Pair carbs with protein or healthy fats.
Avoid sugary snacks and drinks.
Prioritize whole, unprocessed foods.

Stress & Nervous System Health

Chronic stress floods your body with cortisol, which weakens immunity over time. This is why people often get sick right after a big deadline or stressful event.

Simple ways to reset your terrain:

Daily prayer or meditation.
Deep breathing or vagus nerve exercises.
Short walks in nature.
Gentle movement (yoga, stretching, or restorative exercise).
Support with adaptogens, vitamin C and magnesium

Sleep: Where Healing Happens

Sleep is when your immune system resets, repairs, and strengthens its defences. Skimping on sleep is one of the fastest ways to weaken your terrain. Optimizing sleep and circadian rhythms go a long way to promoting a strong, resilient immune system. Plus, supplements like magnesium bisglycinate (for sleep, hormones and whole body support) or Neumag (specialized for sleep disorders and brain health) can be extremely helpful also.

Don’t Forget The Basics

Hydration with Himalayan salt or electrolytes, regular movement, sunlight, nature and fresh are are essential foundations for a healthy immune system that we simply cannot overlook.