Immunity, Recovery, & Giving Yourself Grace After Getting Sick
Written by Amanda Shumaker, RDN, CPT
Registered Dietitian | Personal Trainer | Functional Nutrition Specialist
Hi friend,
If you’ve been watching my IG stories, you know I’ve been down for the count this past week. Yep — even as a functional dietitian and personal trainer, I get sick too. And this time, it hit hard enough to take me completely out for several days.
But here’s the biggest lesson I leaned into: Giving myself permission to rest is not falling off. It’s healing forward.
So today I’m sharing what I actually did — through a functional lens — to support my immune system, reduce stress, and help my body recover, so I can step back into my goals with confidence (not guilt).
First Line of Defense: Rest & Nervous System Regulation
I cleared my schedule, canceled workouts, and genuinely let my body take the wheel.
My reset mantra:
✨ This week doesn’t erase my progress. I will resume, reset, rebuild — not start over.
Why? Because high stress suppresses immune function. Overdoing it delays healing.
Rest is medicine. Period.
What this looked like:
Sleeping in with zero shame
Calming nervous system practices: deep breathing + legs up the wall
Nervous system nourishment: slow walks + warm tea + slower mornings
Immune-Supportive Nutrition
Not “perfect eating.” Just intentional nourishment.
I focused on:
Vitamin C, Vitamin D, & Zinc
Hydration; water + electrolytes (no dehydration allowed);
Bone broth for minerals + gut lining support
Protein at each meal to repair tissue + stabilize blood sugar
Supplements I used:
B-Propolis
Echinacea
Extra Vitamin C + Zinc
Elderberry (especially at onset)
Magnesium glycinate before bed for nervous system recovery
(Always check with your provider before adding supplements.)
P.S. If you’re looking for high-quality immune support, I pulled together my favorite immunity supplements (like B-Propolis, echinacea, elderberry, and my go-to lozenges) in my Fullscript dispensary — and you can get 15% off everything through my link.
Gentle Functional Support
Once my symptoms eased, I added in movement and recovery intentionally.
Infrared light therapy for inflammation + circulation
Infrared sauna, sweating + detox pathways (with aggressive hydration!)
Electrolytes every sauna session to avoid depletion
Light walking, not workouts — just blood flow and sunshine
Breathwork to increase oxygen intake + stress regulation
Instead of “pushing through,” I chose progressive re-entry:
Walks → Mobility → Light strength
Understanding the Bigger Picture
This season of the year is loaded — holidays, travel, family dynamics, schedules changing, less daylight, stress levels up. All of those factors affect immune health.
If illness feels cyclical or chronic — it may be time to look deeper. Functional labs can help:
Micronutrient panels, GI health/mapping, cortisol testing, inflammation markers
Final Thoughts: Your Health Journey Doesn’t Break When Life Happens
Being sick didn’t cancel my goals.
It reminded me why I have them.
Sometimes healing IS the work.
Sometimes rebuilding back is stronger than pushing through.
So if you’ve been sick, overwhelmed, or just knocked off rhythm — please hear me:
You are not starting over.
You are resuming. With wisdom. And with grace.
Ready to Reset Your Health with/ Support?
If you want guidance on:
✨ immune resilience
✨ hormone balance
✨ nutrition that feels doable
✨ rebuilding strength after setbacks
✨ postpartum or metabolic support
My 1:1 functional coaching is open for January.
We’ll personalize a plan that supports YOUR season — not perfection. Scheduled here!
You’re doing better than you think.
And your body is worth this care. 💛
Amanda Shumaker, RDN, CPT
@mindbody_RD