The Complete Guide to Immunity Boosters and How They Can Help Improve Your Health
The Human Immune System and Why You Need to Care
A healthy immune system protects us by first creating a barrier that stops those invaders, or antigens, from entering the body. And if one slips by the barrier, the immune system produces white blood cells and other chemicals and proteins that attack and destroy these foreign substances.
How do you take care of your immune system?
There are plenty of supplements and products that claim to help improve immunity. But boosting your immune system is a bit harder to accomplish than you may think — and for good reason.
Get at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week.
Get enough sleep.
Wash your hands.
Keep up with your vaccinations.
Keep your weight healthy.
Don't drink too much alcohol.
Don't smoke.
What happens if you don't take care of your immune system?
When your immune system fails completely, you're left without any natural protection against illness. This leaves you open to “opportunistic infections” — sicknesses that can even come from things that ordinarily wouldn't harm you.
What are 5 facts about the immune system?
There are Some Surprising Facts About the Immune System that will make you very impressed.
Some people have little to no immune system.
People long believed fluid imbalances caused diseases.
The earliest known reference to immunity goes back over two millennia.
Disease symptoms are sometimes the result of your immune system doing its job.
How does the immune system work with other systems?
The immune system is like a small police force that constantly patrols every organ and tissue in your body. It works closely with the circulatory system for transportation needs and the lymphatic system for the production of lymphocytes.
How is the immune system activated?
Anything that triggers an immune response is called an antigen. An antigen can be a microbe such as a virus, bacteria, toxins, chemicals, or other substances that come from outside the body. If the body comes into contact with an antigen for the first time, it will store information about the germ and how to fight it.
If an antigen enters the body and B-cells recognize it (either from having had the disease before or from being vaccinated against it), B-cells will produce antibodies. When antibodies attach to an antigen (think a lock–key configuration), it signals other parts of the immune system to attack and destroy the invaders.
This is how the human body develops immunity (acquired) to a particular disease.
But some germs and viruses are very adaptive. They figure out ways to change over time and sneak into our bodies, which is why flu shots are recommended every year.
What Happens When the Immune System Does Not Work Properly?
Sometimes a person’s immune system does not work properly. This can result from immune deficiencies present at birth; medications that suppress the immune system, like steroids; unnecessary or overzealous immune responses, such as allergies; or immune responses to one’s self, called autoimmunity.
One of the amazing aspects of the immune system is that it is compensatory, meaning that when one part is weak or non-functional, typically another part can step in. Think of it as a trip to the grocery store. If you need to go to the store, but your tire is flat, you may go by another method of transportation — another motor vehicle, a bicycle, or walking.
The same is true of the cells and proteins of our immune system; most “jobs” of the immune system can be done by more than one part of the immune system although some parts are better at certain jobs than others.
This same feature that makes the immune system flexible also makes it difficult to study. This is why studies in the lab, and even in animals, still need to be repeated in people before we can be sure the findings apply. However, laboratory and animal studies remain important because they provide us with preliminary information that puts us in the best position to succeed when we complete studies in people.
All of this said, sometimes people still have conditions that alter their ability to respond to infections, so let’s take a look at a few and explore how the immune system works in these unique situations.
Here are some tips to help build and keep a healthy immune system:
Take vitamins
Vitamin C contributes to immune defense by supporting cell function and protecting against environmental oxidative stress (free radicals and pollutants). The best way to get Vitamin C is through oranges, strawberries, spinach, kiwi, and grapefruit.
Vitamin D can enhance your immune response and may protect you from respiratory conditions. It’s often called “the sunshine vitamin” because sunlight is a great source, however, this depends on your skin’s melanin level. Only 10 minutes of sun exposure daily produce plenty of vitamin D for fair-skinned individuals.
No more or you are susceptible to skin cancer. Those with dark brown skin tones who never burn would be better off taking a vitamin D supplement. The Cleveland Clinic also recommends Vitamin B6 (found in chicken, cold-water fish like salmon and tuna, hummus, and green veggies) and Vitamin E (found in nuts, seeds, and spinach).
Reduce your stress level
Yes, easier said than done. However, here’s why it’s important: Stress affects your body’s immune response. It causes you to produce extra levels of cortisol and cytokines, which trigger inflammation.
It can decrease the number of white blood cells available to fight infection, leaving you at risk for cold sores and colds. In addition, people who are stressed are probably not getting enough sleep and eating right so they are neglecting other healthy habits that boost immunity.
Take up yoga and meditation
This calms your nervous system, helping to reduce inflammation.
This simple act of slow, controlled breathing from the diaphragm is something you can do anywhere. It’s a terrific way to lower cortisol levels, lower blood pressure and improve blood flow.
Make sure you get enough sleep
It’s a natural reboot to your system. Did you know that your chance of coming down with a cold is affected by how much you sleep? In a UCSF study from 2019, researchers found that poor sleep (less than six hours per night) made someone four times more likely to catch a cold. Your body relies on a full night’s rest to replenish cells and proteins.
Here is a highly recommended thing that boosts your immunity rapidly:
You can try including things as well. There are so many health benefits to this medicine and they will boost up your immunity as well.
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Conclusion
As cooler weather moves groups indoors, continue wearing masks and personal protective equipment and follow basic hygiene practices, including covering your mouth, using tissues, and hand-washing.
These daily prevention practices are especially critical as the season's change and schools and offices reopen. Your body has a lot more to fight off in a pandemic. If you're forgetful or lax about protocols like hand-washing, remember this: this cold and flu season, your body is up against multiple variants of the coronavirus, new annual strains of the flu virus, and around 200 different cold viruses3. In fact, your body may come into contact with so many unique strains that it's unlikely to encounter the same one twice.
