Weight Loss: Without Compromising Your Immune System

Doing your best to stay indoors and turning to carbs for comfort? It’s little wonder the world is putting on weight, a phenomenon dubbed “the quarantine fifteen”. If you want to shed your pandemic padding, it’s tempting to consider a crash diet, but you could be making a grave mistake. Rapid weight loss done in an unhealthy way will weaken your immune system and that’s the last thing any of us need right now.

Beware the crash

There’s no magic pill or a single superfood to ensure a healthy immune system. It’s intrinsically linked to your overall health. This means regular exercise, managing stress levels, getting enough sleep and – of course – eating a healthy, balanced diet is key. Also, crash dieting often deprives your body of the vitamins and minerals it so desperately needs for good health.

Studies have shown that when you deprive your body by eating too few kilojoules, it reduces your immune function. Also, research shows crash diets low in protein are the worst of them all. They inhibit the function of your T-cells, a kind of white blood cell that protects your body against infection. So, if you’ve ever wondered why you seem to catch a cold after going on an extreme diet, this is the likely reason.

Now let’s talk about sugar and weight loss

You’re stressed so you’re craving the sweet, delicious comfort of sugar. We get it. Thing is, consuming too much sugar increases the ease with which bacteria and viruses can breed. It’s the very reason why diabetics suffer more infections. Sugar also inhibits your body’s immune system and, as an added “bonus”, is a major contributor to chronic health conditions like heart disease.

Clearly, sugar is a no-no but what about artificial sweeteners? Does it make sense to switch to something artificial like aspartame? That’s probably not a good idea either, especially if you’re wanting a healthy immune system. Many doctors will tell you their patients with autoimmune conditions respond negatively to artificial sweeteners and improve when they cut them out. In fact, a study from the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists saw a patient reverse their Hashimoto’s disease just by eliminating artificial sweeteners!

If you’re going to do it, do it right

Happily, not every weight loss diet will compromise your health. The Renewal Institute Diet, also known as the RID, can help you lose kilograms while holding on to your immunity. A low kilojoule, low glycaemic index (GI) eating plan, it was specially created by doctors for sustainable weight loss. As the diet’s enhanced by supplements, you’ll get all the nutrition you need. Also, doctor-administered human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) injections can help curb cravings and boost your metabolism.

Being a low GI diet, the RID is very low in sugar, but you won’t be deprived of all things sweet thanks to its inclusion of Stevia. A natural, plant-derived sugar, it won’t spike your blood sugar.

Another RID diet plus? It’s high in protein thanks to the inclusion of delicious-tasting RID Whey Protein with MCT shakes. The fact that the source is whey is particularly good news for your immune system. Whey protein encourages the production of glutathione <link to glutathione story>, your body’s master antioxidant. It plays an important role in the proper functioning of your white blood cells, those that protect your body from any attack.

The last word on weight loss

If you’re wanting to shift those “pandemic pounds” in a way that isn’t going to harm your immune system, go slow and do it right. You don’t want to deprive your body of kilojoules or good nutrition. You’ll need to dramatically reduce your sugar intake and take it easy on the sweeteners. It’s also important that you eat enough protein, but you’ll get extra immune-boosting points if it’s whey. In short, if you’re looking for something healthy, sustainable and very effective, the RID could be your ticket to a sleeker physique and a healthier body more resistant to infection.