Yes, it’s true. And while it might sound like a brag, I promise it’s not. I’m genuinely curious about what’s been keeping me well.
In early 2023, I was travelling across India, hopping through Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra, basically eating my way through the country. From fiery street food to sugary chai, I indulged in it all. The weather kept changing, and by the time I reached the coast, my body gave in. A simple cold turned into a full-blown sinus infection. Eight days flat on my back—miserable, foggy, and frustrated.
But since then? Nothing. Not a single cold, not even a sniffle.
I’ve always believed our bodies are incredibly wise. They know how to heal and restore balance if we just listen. Growing up, I was one of those people who rarely got sick, even when everyone around me was coughing and sneezing. My only real weakness was sinus infections, those heavy headaches that sit behind your eyes and make you want to cry.
Fast forward to New Zealand winters: everyone’s lining up for flu shots, and I’m still fine without one. I even travelled through peak Covid times, from New Zealand to India to Dubai, and somehow never caught it (or maybe I did, so mildly I didn’t notice). Even with an autoimmune condition, my immune system feels balanced and resilient.
That got me thinking….Why did my body handle all that so well?
What makes an immune system strong, and can we actually train it to be that way?
I’ve realised immunity is built over time with a slow accumulation of daily choices. Here’s what’s worked for me and might work for you too.
Every time I pick up food, I ask: Will this nourish or burden my body?
Growing up in a Maharashtrian home, our plates were simple: dal, rice, roti, sabzi, curd. Fresh, balanced, and made with love. My mum intuitively knew what each spice did for the body.
That same principle still guides me: real food heals. Whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and nuts fuel your cells. Processed foods and refined oils, on the other hand, confuse the immune system and create inflammation.
Food is medicine!
In our home, meat was a treat, not a staple. I still remember helping my mum clean prawns for her famous kokum-coconut curry. The whole house smelled divine. Even now, I keep meals light, colourful, and plant-forward. Science backs this up: diets rich in plants and low in saturated fats are linked to lower inflammation and stronger immune resilience (Harvard Health, 2022; AJCN, 2021).
Remember, 70% of your immune system lives in your gut, and plants feed it best.
When I moved to New Zealand, I fell in love with the freshness of the produce. Working at Unitec, I’d sneak off to the community garden between classes to pick spinach for smoothies.
Nature gives us what we need when we need it. Citrus in winter to fight colds, cooling foods in summer to balance heat. Eating with the seasons keeps our inner rhythms aligned with the earth’s.
Movement is my medicine. From hot yoga to hiking, dance, or just walking. For eight years, hot yoga was my therapy: the sweat, the stillness, the quiet strength. I combined that with weight training, walking, swimming in the warmer months. Regular movement boosts circulation, flushes toxins, and keeps immune cells alert. You don’t have to train hard. Just move daily. Walk. Stretch. Breathe deeply. Remind your body it’s alive.
Okay, confession: my social life is… minimalist. I take the bus, work 3 days in the office, and sometimes go days without a hug. Maybe that’s why I dodge the colds! But jokes aside, connection matters. A landmark JAMA study (Cohen et al., 1997) found that people with more diverse social ties had fewer colds and faster recovery.
Laughter, touch, and shared meals boost oxytocin and lower stress hormones. So even if your circle is small, make it meaningful. Call family, walk with a friend, share a meal with neighbours. It all counts.
Nearly 70% of your immune system lives in your gut, so feed it well. I love my fermented foods: kimchi, kombucha, homemade idli batter, even a little raw garlic in the morning. My digestion has never been better.
Research in Frontiers in Immunology (2024) shows that prebiotics like garlic help good bacteria thrive and regulate inflammation. When your gut’s happy, your whole system hums.
In New Zealand, cloudy days are plenty, but when the sun’s out, I’m out too. Just 15–20 minutes of morning sun boosts vitamin D and resets your body clock. Vitamin D is like your immune system’s radar. It helps identify and fight off invaders (Aranow, 2011).
You can’t pour from an empty cup. For me, lack of sleep feels like a hangover: foggy, cranky, and craving carbs. After 35, it hits even harder. I now treat sleep like self-care: herbal tea, warm shower, no screens after 9 p.m.
Sleep isn’t luxury; it’s biology. It restores hormones, repairs tissues, and strengthens immune defences (Besedovsky et al., 2012).
Water keeps everything flowing. It supports nutrient transport, detox, and the lymphatic system, which carries immune cells around your body. I sip throughout the day, switching to warm water or herbal teas in winter.
You can eat all the kale in the world, but if your mind is in constant survival mode, your immunity will crash. Chronic stress is like silent inflammation. It weakens the body’s defenses. Mindfulness, yoga, and breathwork train your nervous system to return to calm.
Studies show meditation can lower inflammatory markers and balance immune function (Black & Slavich, 2016). Calm truly is a superpower.
Immunity is about supporting your body’s natural intelligence, protecting, repairing, and thriving. It’s built slowly, through rest, real food, movement, connection, and care.
You can think of it like a bank account: every nourishing meal, every night of good sleep, every deep breath adds to your “immunity bank balance.” When your immune system is balanced, life just flows better. You get to feel calm, energised, and free in your own body. And that, to me, is the real flex.
The immune system is a complex network of organs, cells, and proteins that defends the body against infection while protecting its own cells. It includes components like white blood cells, antibodies, and the lymphatic system, which work together to identify and eliminate harmful invaders such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Better Health Victoria – Immune System
Yes, certain lifestyle habits can support and strengthen your immune system. Regular moderate exercise, a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, adequate sleep, stress management, and good hygiene practices all contribute to a healthy immune response. Healthline – Immune Boosting Tips
The immune system operates through two primary mechanisms:
A diet rich in
These foods provide essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that support immune function. Healthline – Immune Boosting Tips
Adults should aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. Inadequate sleep can impair immune function by reducing the production of protective proteins like cytokines and antibodies, making the body more susceptible to infections. Healthline – Immune Boosting Tips
If you’re ready to design a lifestyle that supports deep, lasting health through nutrition, movement, and emotional wellbeing — I’d love to help you.
Reach out via WhatsApp or the Contact Form on Serenova Coaching and let’s create your personalised roadmap to unshakable health.
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