How to boost your immune system?
Has there been a better time to support your immune system?
2020 has been a shocker. Who would have predicted that this year would play out like the scene from a disaster movie? Speaking of which – the movie Outbreak was chart-topping on Netflix in March (was that you?)
Whether you took the path of mild alcoholism, comfort eating or buckling down on your green smoothie regime during lockdown, you’re ready to prep for the winter season now with some natural immune support.
We’ve got your back.
How to strengthen your immune system?
Your immune system is a wonderfully complex system that works hard every day to keep you infection-free.
The immune system allows beneficial bacteria to colonise your gut while targeting nefarious microbes intent on causing you harm.
Strengthening your immune system is often much more complicated than simply overdosing on Vitamin C ← and overdosing on a singular vitamin can cause more harm than good.
There is a lot of advice out there about natural immune boosters. Things like:
- Getting enough restorative sleep
- Exercising regularly
- Eating lots of nutrient and fiber rich foods
- Not smoking
- Not eating cake for breakfast, lunch and dinner (unless it’s your birthday)
Let’s dig deeper so you can identify the best ways for you to encourage a healthy functioning immune system.
Reasons for a weak immune system
There are a number of reasons why you may feel your immune system is weak. A good indicator can be falling ill with every infection going around the office/ family member.
You weren’t always this vulnerable to infection though, right? There are lots of factors that can have your immune system working below par.
Late-night Netflix sessions
Not getting enough sleep can really affect your immune system. A study where healthy volunteers were given Rhinovirus (AKA the common cold) showed that those who had less than seven hours sleep were almost 3x more likely to develop a cold than those who reported sleeping eight hours or more.
Stress
Long-term stress suppresses immune function leaving you more susceptible to infections. One of the reasons for this is thought to be a reduction in the number of immune cells.
Age
Immune cells that fight infection are made from stem cells in the bone marrow. As we age these stem cells produce less of the cells that make antibodies (B cells). Producing less of these immune cells leaves older people more vulnerable to infections.
Smoking
Smoking impacts both innate and adaptive immunity. This means the immune system is less able to fight infections effectively.
Healthy habits to maintain a healthy immune system
There are a number of things you can do to maintain a healthy immune system.
Load up on fruit and vegetables
Not only are fruit and veg rich in the nutrients we need for a healthy immune system like vitamin C, they’re also full of fiber which is great for our digestive health. Often overlooked, a healthy gut can help maintain a healthy immune system too.
Exercise
Exercise has several benefits. It reduces stress, which is a common villain when it comes to eroding your immune strength. Exercise also increases circulation which is thought to help move immune cells around your body, increasing their ability to track down invaders and destroy them.
More sleep
If you want to support your immune system by getting more restorative sleep then stop drinking caffeine at 2pm, put your phone away a few hours before bedtime and make sure you get some more zzzzz.
Natural Supplements for Immune Support
Supplements are ideal for supporting your body systems when you are deficient.
Back in March Vitamin C and Zinc were sold out in stores. This is because these are popular vitamins for the immune system.
When choosing natural supplements you should look at your symptoms. If you have successfully chosen the right supplement to address your deficiency your symptoms should improve.
Visiting a nutritional specialist can help you do this safely.
Other supplements that are popular for immune support include:
- Elderberry
- Ginseng
- Echinacea
- Vitamin D
Natural ways to keep your immune system staying fit
Eating healthy foods is one of the easiest and fastest ways to give your immune system the things it needs to work at its best.
An easy way to start getting more nutrients into your body is to add one piece of fruit or vegetable to each meal. Over time your meals will evolve into nutrient rich plates of food.
If you think you need extra nutritional support in the meantime then RENEW contains hand-selected herbs renowned for their immune-supporting and antioxidant properties.
You’ll find American Ginseng, European Elder and Andrographis leaf extract, which have been used historically as natural immune support.
And because we know the gut plays an important role in maintaining a healthy immune system, you’ll find Bacillus Coagulans and Larch Wood extract too.
To sum up:
The best way to boost immune system function is to live a healthy lifestyle. Sometimes we need to address nutrient shortages and when this happens a supplement can help.
References:
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-to-boost-your-immune-system
- https://health.clevelandclinic.org/3-vitamins-best-boosting-immunity/
- https://www.cancercenter.com/community/blog/2020/04/covid-support-immune-system
- https://www.houstonmethodist.org/blog/articles/2020/mar/5-ways-to-boost-your-immune-system/
- https://www.cedars-sinai.org/blog/boosting-your-immune-system.html
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095254618301005
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19139325/
- https://aacnjournals.org/ccnonline/article/32/2/e19/20424/Sleep-and-Immune-Function
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19571591/ (stress)
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3582124/ (aging)
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5352117/ (smoking)
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279395/#:~:text=Bone%20marrow,-Bone%20marrow%20is&text=That%20is%20where%20most%20immune,actively%20creates%20immune%20system%20cells. (bone marrow)
