Seven Ways To Give Your Immune System A Boost

The immune system is a network of organs, cells, and tissues, working as a defense against parasites, viruses, bacteria, and fungi. The immune system releases cells to protect the body from these types of infections, including antibodies and white blood cells. To keep your immune system strong and healthy there are lots of things that you can do. Take on board these seven tips to give your immune system a boost today.

Lower stress levels

Stress can easily take its toll on the immune system, it’s vital to reduce stress where possible, and find effective stress coping mechanisms. For many people, a great exercise regime is one of the best ways to ease stress symptoms. Exercise helps the body to produce endorphins that combat stress. Other popular stress coping tactics include aromatherapy, yoga, or breathing exercises.

When stress is left unchecked it’s not just bad for the immune system. Stress can have a negative effect on the heart, mental health, and sleep. If you’re struggling to cope with your stress symptoms it’s advisable to get further advice from a medical practitioner.

Improve your exercise regime 

Looking to give your immune system a boost? Improving your exercise regime is a great shout. According to research from Science Direct, ‘acute exercise is an immune system adjuvant that improves defense activity and metabolic health.’ To improve your fitness regime you might try setting yourself fitness goals or challenging yourself to try out a new fitness activity. Whether it’s wild swimming, a dance class, or Pilates there are plenty of ways to shake up your exercise routine.

Get enough sleep

To support and strengthen your immune system you’ll need to ensure that you get enough sleep. Health guidelines recommend at least 7 or 8 hours of sleep every night. Those who find it difficult to drift off might like to try herbal supplements like chamomile or passionflower, both are effective as natural sleep aids. 

Some people like to use sleep apps to help them drift off, these tools often include features such as meditations, sleep audios, and relaxing music. A few examples include apps like Headspace, Slumber, and Sleep Time.

Eat the right foods

Strengthening the immune system is all about eating the right foods. Some of the best foods to give your immune system a boost include citrus fruits, broccoli, garlic, peppers, and spinach. Eating foods that support the immune system can help your body to ward off infection, and feel energized. To get more inspiration check out a few immune-boosting recipes online. Turkey tail mushrooms are a great food to boost the immune system, for more information take a look at Turkey Tail Mushroom Benefits, Usage, and Side Effects.

Immune-boosting supplements

Still, looking for an extra immunity boost? There are so many supplements that boost the immune system including folic acid, ashwagandha, iron, and zinc. Most of these supplements can be found in food sources too. Ashwagandha is a type of herb, as well as boosting the immune system this herb can be useful to ease stress and anxiety. If you take any type of medication it’s important to check with your doctor before adding any new supplements to your diet.

Ditch unhealthy habits

Unhealthy habits such as smoking and eating lots of fast food can negatively affect the immune system. When you’re working to ditch your unhealthy habits it can be useful to set goals and distract yourself with healthy activities. To help you out you might like to try habit tracking apps such as Momentum or Habitica, these are particularly helpful for goal setting. Eliminating unhealthy habits can take some time, so you’ll need to be patient with yourself. Set easy goals at first, and then build up the challenge over time.

Drink lots of water

Getting plenty of water is another great way to boost the immune system. The immune system depends on the nutrients that we have in the bloodstream, proper hydration means that these nutrients can flow through our bodies. The immune system also depends on waste disposal, and water can help to flush toxins out of your body.

These tips can help you to support your immunity and stay healthy. As the cold weather approaches it’s important to keep the immune system strong. From eating the right foods to getting enough exercise there are lots of ways to support the immune system and live a healthy lifestyle.