Tips to Boost Your Immune System

On the whole, your immune system does a remarkable job of defending you against the disease-causing microorganisms.

But sometimes it fails: A germ invades successfully, making you sick.

You see the idea of boosting immunity is very enticing but delusional.

It is impossible to make your immune system stronger than it is capable of but, however, you can follow certain steps to help keep you immunity at its very best.

1. Stay active

Working out is a powerful way to boost your immune system. It causes your body's antibodies and WBCs to circulate more rapidly, which means they may be able to detect and attack on bugs more quickly.

Being active this way also lowers stress hormones, which reduces your chances of getting sick.

Research also suggests that exercise's effects may be directly relevant to virus fighting, too. Research has also shown that simply raising your body temperature may help kill germs in their tracks.

The key to exercise, is to do it in moderation. Doing it too much can depress your immune system instead of activating it. 30 - 60 minutes of exercise in a day is more than enough for our immune to be active.

2. Watch your diet

Eighty percent of your immune system is in your gut so when it's healthy, you will be be able to fight off infections faster and better.

You should practice the Mediterranean style of eating, which means a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats, found in foods such as fatty fish, nuts and olive oil.

This eating pattern is high in nutrients such as vitamin C, zinc and other antioxidants that help reduce inflammation and fight infection.

It's also important to limit the amount of meat you eat, especially processed and fried foods, all of which are more inflammatory.

Also, it's smart to include fermented foods, such as yogurt, sauerkraut, miso and kefir, in your daily diet. These help in building up the good bacteria in your gut, which, in turn, supports a healthy gut and immune system.

3. Stay on top of stress

There's a very strong link between your immune health and your mental health.

Researches suggest that when you're under chronic stress or anxiety, your body produces stress hormones that suppress your immune system.

In addition, people who are stressed are less likely to pay attention to other healthy habits, like eating right and getting enough sleep, which can affect their immunity.

Although you can't avoid stress in your life, you can adopt strategies to help you manage it better such as maintaining a daily exercise routine or performing mindfulness meditation.

4. Get enough sleep

Z's are another natural immune system boosters.

Consider your immune system like your computer — it needs moments of rest so it doesn't become overheated.

When you're sleep-deprived, your body churns out stress hormones like cortisol to keep you awake and alert that suppresses your immune system.

Try to get at least seven hours of slumber a night as you will be four times less likely to come down with a cold than those who clocked less than six.

5. Be strategic about supplements

There's no magic herb or vitamin that you can pop to automatically prevent a cold, flu or other virus.

However, a moderate daily dose of vitamin D may offer protection if you're already low in the sunshine vitamin.

The best way to find out whether you're lacking in Vitamin D is to get your blood levels tested; you should be between 20-39 ng/mL (nanograms per milliliter).

If you're within that range, a daily supplement of about 600 to 800 IU will be fine.

If you're low, talk with your doctor about additional supplementation — up to 2,000 IU a day that you can take with meals containing fats or oils, to increase absorption.

Cooking with herbs such as garlic, ginger, rosemary, oregano and turmeric have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties and can be protective against colds.

Remember: Food is Medicine.

Conclusion

The above suggested tips will help you in boosting you immune system to it’s fullest. However, if you wish to know further on the Facts About Boost Immune System

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