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Are you looking for simple ways you can boost your immune system? After all, your immune system has a big job fighting off germs, environmental toxins, and other threats. Wouldn’t you like to give it a hand to make its work easier?
After all, many factors can boost and strengthen your immune response. Some of these listed below may surprise you. While a balanced diet and regular exercise are essential, they are just two of the effective ways you can maximize your healing powers. Take a look at these immune boosters.
Immune Boosters for Your Lifestyle
1. Laugh it up. A good laugh not only burns calories, but also boosts your heart rate, and strengthens your immune system. One study measured increased levels of certain antibodies in adults after they watched a comedic video. How about going out tonight to see a stand-up comedian or watching one on Netflix?
2. Drink a cocktail. Alcohol may be beneficial as long as you practice moderation. That means up to two drinks a day for men and one for women. Researchers have found an enhanced vaccine response in monkeys who are moderate drinkers. Binge drinking, however, has the opposite effect.
3. Avoid overtraining. Daily exercise strengthens your body but overdoing it can leave you weaker than when you started. Set aside adequate time for rest and sleep. Cut back if your energy level is chronically low.
4. Bask in the sun. Hold onto your sunscreen to protect you from skin cancer and premature aging, but small amounts of sunlight will give you the vitamin D you need for healing.
5. Listen to music. Losing yourself in music is a constructive way to manage stress than can otherwise undermine your immune system. Arrange a soundtrack for your morning commute.
6. Reduce noise. On the other hand, unpleasant background noises can compound daily stress. Keep your earbuds handy to block out car alarms and talking traffic signals.
7. Hang out with friends. Isolation is also hard on your immune system. Call up a friend for a coffee date.
8. Eat yogurt. Foods rich in probiotics have been associated with a lower rate of respiratory and gastrointestinal infections. Stir toasted oats and almonds into a cup of yogurt for breakfast. Other good choices include soft cheeses, sourdough bread, and miso.
9. Drink tea. Consider trading in your second cup of coffee for a helping of tea. It’s full of phytochemicals and other substances that help to prime your immune system for action. 
10. Think positive. A cheerful attitude is one of the best defenses against illness. Plus, even if you feel under the weather, patience will lessen your discomfort.
Immune Boosters You Can Work on with Your Doctor
11. Get your shots. Maybe you think shots are for school kids and exotic travel. Tetanus boosters and flu vaccines are recommended for many patients. Ask your doctor if they’re appropriate for you.
12. Discuss your family history. While you can’t change your genes, you can talk with your health team about how they affect your immune response. That way, you and your physician can better understand your risks and how to address them.
Catch fewer colds and protect yourself from more serious conditions like heart disease and diabetes by taking care of your immune system. A healthy lifestyle and appropriate medical care can extend your life and help you stay active.
Immune Boosters You Can Control
13. Nutrition. The most important thing you can do is to make sure you are eating a balanced and nutritious diet. Avoid “empty calories” that don’t provide any vitamins and minerals, and try to eat the rainbow. Colorful fruit and vegetables on your plate are nutrient-dense and filling.
- The most important nutrients to seek out in particular, include vitamin C (a powerful antioxidant that is known to support immunity), vitamin A, vitamin E, and selenium. Selenium is useful for preventing the over-activity of the immune system, which can lead to inflammation and other similar issues. Antioxidants are substances that combat the action of free radicals in the body – and these can otherwise damage cells and tax the immunity.
- It’s also important to eat plenty of fiber, fermented foods, and yogurts. These contain live cultures of healthy bacteria that help to strengthen the body’s immunity. That’s because friendly bacteria in the stomach and gut can help to destroy harmful bacteria that otherwise wreak havoc on the immune system. Getting a wide variety of different natural foods is the very best thing you can do for a healthy microbiome.
- It’s really hard to get in enough healthy greens and veggies. I have started taking a high-quality supplement that gives me 4.5 servings of vegetables each day and helps with natural energy, mental clarity, and getting rid of that “mom brain.” I’ll keep you posted on my progress. Learn more about what I take here.
14. Lifestyle Factors. Another thing to consider is the importance of spending time outside. Sunlight encourages the body to produce vitamin D, which has recently been shown by studies to be more important than vitamin C for strengthening immunity. Did you know that 42% of Americans have vitamin D deficiency?
- Fresh air and cold exposure is also beneficial. Not only does fresh air help to clear out the lungs, but being cold can help to “train” the immune system so that it is capable of working harder and doing its job better!
- Other things can also affect your immunity. Did you know for example, that flossing your teeth can make you less likely to contract a wide range of illnesses? This is because our mouths are constantly bombarded by bacteria, which leaves us susceptible to other problems. When the mouth is clean, that problem disappears.
- But the most important lifestyle factors of all are to a) avoid stress and b) get lots of sleep. When we are stressed or sleep-deprived, this causes the body to suppress immune activity, leaving us open to attack. When we are rested both mentally and physically, we go into those battles with a full tank of fuel behind us.
What things have you found to keep illness away? Be sure to comment below to share.
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Perfect! This is exactly what I needed during this pandemic! Gotta keep my immune system strong!
Absolutely!! I hope it’s helpful.
I love drinking tea for good health!
Me too. Do you have a favorite flavor?
These are great. Actually very essential to boost immunity during this time
These are all great tips. I especially like basking in the sun, thinking positive and listening to music.
Loved this post always looking for ways to feel better!
Thank you, Erin.
Great tips! I’ll have to use some of these when things start opening up around here. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much for stopping by and reading.
Great information during this pandemic.
Thanks, Ashlyn. I hope some of these tips are helpful for you.
Thinking positively has made such a huge difference for my mental health!! Love all these tips.
This is very helpful. These days keeping your immune system up to par. Is important