How to Boost Your Immune System Naturally
10 Ways to Strenghten Your Immune System
By Marnie Kunz, CPT
If you’re wondering how to boost your immune system with natural methods, this guide is packed with actionable tips. Your immune system is the first line of defense to fight infections and diseases and keep you healthy. Strengthening your immune system can help fight common colds and viruses and reduce your risk of long-term conditions.
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What Is Your Immune System?
Before we delve into specifics, it helps to have a basic understanding of the immune system. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, your immune system is composed of different organs, cells, and proteins that work together to protect the body from toxins and germs such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
Your immune system is a complex network of organs and cells, and no magic pill or product will improve your whole immune system. Although many healthy products claim to boost immunity, they can be very misleading and are less effective than natural lifestyle changes you can make. Healthy lifestyle practices can boost your immune system naturally and improve your overall health.
How to Boost Your Immune System Naturally
Learning how to boost your immune system naturally can help your body fight germs and toxins more efficiently. Whether you want to prevent common viruses from making you sick or want to improve your healthspan, try these natural strategies.
Skip the fad products claiming to raise immunity and follow these steps to enhance your immune system naturally:
Try these foods to boost your immune system.
1. Eat Nutrient-Rich Foods
If you’re wondering how to boost your immune system naturally, start with the foods you eat. Eating nutritiously is one of the best ways to boost your immune system. Cut back on highly processed foods such as French fries, chips, pre-packaged desserts and snack foods, and foods made with long lists of ingredients. Choose natural foods that are minimally processed as much as possible, such as fresh produce, brown rice, whole wheat bread, Greek yogurt, lentils, and more.
Choose a variety of whole grains and lean protein foods for energy. Opt for plenty of fruits and vegetables for lots of vitamins and minerals.
Photo by Marques Jackson Photography at a Runstreet Art Walk.
According to researchers, vitamin C helps your immune system function optimally, and eating foods rich in vitamin C is the best way to get enough of the vitamin. Eat vitamin C-rich foods such as oranges, strawberries, bell peppers, broccoli, papayas, mangos, kale, and spinach.
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2. Exercise
Moving your body is essential to helping your immune system, heart, lungs, and brain work well. Regular physical activity can improve immune system functioning, according to researchers. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and 2 days of strength training per week.
Some ways to increase your activity level include tracking your daily step count and setting a step goal, setting a weekly running mileage goal, or following a fitness training plan.
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3. Reduce Stress
Stress is a normal part of life, but when it’s chronic (long-term) and doesn’t let up, your body and mind can suffer from an increased risk of diseases and a shortened lifespan. Take steps to reduce your daily stress levels and make your life more manageable. This may mean practicing self-care regularly, taking time off work, cutting back on your obligations, or finding healthy ways to de-stress (like exercising).
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4. Get Enough Sleep
Sleep allows your body to rebuild and repair itself and helps enhance your immune system. Studies show that losing sleep can harm your immune system. The CDC’s Sleep Guidelines recommend a minimum of seven hours of sleep a night for adults of all ages. If you get less than this, go to bed earlier, take naps, or use sleep meditations to help improve your sleep.
5. Reduce Alcohol Consumption
Keep your alcohol intake low to help your immune system and body function well. Alcohol depletes nutrients from your body and wweakens the immune system.
6. Practice Self-Care
Try these self-care tips to improve your immune system and health.
Self-care practices can help your body combat the effects of stress, allowing you to better fight germs and toxins. Try a self-care Sunday routine to completely de-stress once a week, or add one self-care practice to your life each day. Try unplugging from electronics, listening to music, reading a book, practicing yoga, coloring, taking a bath, making time for meditation, or getting a massage.
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7. Reduce Sitting Time
A sedentary lifestyle is one of the major risk factors for lowering your immune system and being susceptible to chronic diseases and conditions. According to researchers, extended periods of sitting can shorten people’s lifespans and are linked to many diseases.
To combat this, take at least a 5-minute break from sitting for every one to two hours you sit at a desk. Add more short, low-intensity bursts of movement to your daily life by moving more, walking, cleaning, standing, taking stretch breaks, and doing errands instead of ordering everything online and sitting at a desk for 8 hours or more.
Related Post: Sitting Is the New Smoking: How to Combat the Effects
8. Quit Smoking
Smoking can cause lung cancer and other conditions, and it lowers your immune system’s strength. If you’re a smoker, work on quitting to improve your health and immunity.
9. Maintain a Healthy Weight
Maintaining a healthy weight helps reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and more. Obesity is linked to impaired immune functioning, according to experts.
If you’re overweight, work with your doctor and a trainer to establish a healthy weight goal that you can reach through nutrition and exercise.
10. Connect with Others
Living in isolation or exclusion can hurt your immune system and increase inflammation, according to researchers. Conversely, healthy relationships and social contact can increase antiviral immunity. Make an effort to stay connected with others and nurture positive relationships in your life to boost your immune system (and mental health).
FAQs
What vitamins boost the immune system?
A well-balanced, nutritious diet will give your body vitamins to boost your immune system. Vitamin C, A, D, E, selenium, and zinc can enhance your immune system. If you cannot get these from your diet, talk to your doctor to see if you need a specific supplement.
How can I build my immune system to not get sick?
Practice healthy lifestyle strategies like exercising regularly, eating minimally processed, varied foods, sleeping enough, and reducing your alcohol intake and stress levels. Lifestyle changes are the most effective way to strengthen your immune system.
How to boost your immune system naturally?
Eat a nutritious diet, exercise regularly, practice stress-relief techniques, and maintain a healthy weight. Also, ensure you get enough sleep, quit smoking, and limit your alcohol intake to boost your immune system.
If you’re wondering how to boost your immune system, try the above lifestyle changes to naturally enhance your immune functioning. By strengthening your immune system, you can cut back on your risk of short-term illness like the flu and also chronic conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases. You’ll also enjoy a better quality of life and improve your healthspan.
Have you tried any of these strategies to boost your immune system? Tag @Runstreet on Instagram to share your wellness journey and get cheered on. If you need a running or fitness plan to improve your fitness level, head to the Runstreet Training Center.
Be well! 😊
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Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach, dog lover, Akita mom, and writer based in Brooklyn, NY. She’s the founder of Runstreet.
