5 Tips To Improve Your Immune System

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No one likes to get sick. When you're feeling under the weather, your immune system has been compromised and needs some TLC. Fortunately, there are several simple ways boost your immunity and ensure that you stay healthy for years to come. Here are five ways to improve your immune system:

Make sleep a priority.

The immune system operates best when it is given time to rest. When we don’t get enough sleep, our bodies are more likely to become tired and stressed. As a result, they will have trouble functioning properly and fighting off infections or other health issues. Sleep is also important for regulating hormones and controlling appetite, both of which are essential for maintaining a healthy metabolism.

Reduce stress and incorporate meditation.

The immune system has a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body from infection. Stress can impair your immune system in several ways: by increasing your risk for illness, reducing the function of certain parts of the immune system, or making you less likely to recover from health problems.

Meditation effectively reduces stress levels and improves overall health because it helps calm the mind and body so you can relax more easily. In addition to its effects on physical well-being, meditation has been shown to improve psychological conditions like stress or anxiety by helping people better manage their emotions over time.

Eat more whole foods and fewer processed ones.

Eating more whole foods and fewer processed ones is an easy way to improve your immune system. Whole foods are typically nutritious and help promote good health, while processed foods are often high in sugar, salt, or fat. You probably already know that white bread is processed; however, other examples of processed foods include breakfast cereal (refined grains), hot dogs (fillers and preservatives), and soda. Drinking tea, such as kombucha scoby has also been known to help boost your immune system.

Exercise regularly.

Exercise helps the immune system by increasing the number of white blood cells and making repairing  infected tissues easier. In addition, exercise also helps to control weight and blood sugar levels, both of which can lower resistance to infections.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends getting at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (such as brisk walking) or 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity (such as jogging). This time should be spread out over at least three days each week. If you're not used to exercising, start slowly—even 20 minutes per day is better than nothing.

Drink less alcohol and quit smoking.

You should also avoid drinking excessive amounts of alcohol and quit smoking if you’re a smoker. Alcohol is a common cause of immune system problems, as it suppresses the immune system by binding to T cells. In addition, chronic heavy drinking can lead to dehydration which can cause other health problems such as liver damage or heart failure. Similarly, tobacco smoke reduces the body's ability to fight off disease because it contains nicotine that affects the function of white blood cells (WBCs).

Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, especially after you've been in public.

Washing your hands is the most important thing you can do daily to keep yourself healthy and prevent the spread of disease. A good rule of thumb: wash your hands with soap and water before, during, and after preparing food; eat; smoke; use the phone or computer; after using the bathroom; and whenever you feel dirty.

When you're done washing, dry your hands with a paper towel—don't use the same cloth repeatedly—and turn off faucets with paper towels instead of bare hands (or better yet, use an automatic faucet). Even if we think we "know" what's safe for us to touch, it doesn't hurt to be extra careful about germs when it comes to your immune system.

Maintain a healthy weight.

You can’t be too careful when maintaining a healthy weight and diet. If you are overweight, losing even 5% of your current body weight could improve the functioning of your immune system, according to research published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. In addition to keeping a healthy weight, be sure to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables daily.

The best way to ensure you get enough vitamin D is by spending some time outside daily with no sunscreen (or at least minimal sunscreen). However, if getting enough sunlight isn't possible for whatever reason i.e., living somewhere that experiences long periods without sunshine, taking vitamin D supplements will help ensure that your body is adequately supplied with this key nutrient needed for proper immune function.

If your immune system is weak, it can be hard to stay healthy. But if you take the right steps to improve it, you’ll be able to avoid illness and feel better overall.

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