Tips to boost your immune system naturally

You have deadlines, responsibilities, and bills to pay. It also doesn’t help that most of turn to the comfort of greasy foods (looking at you, fried chicken) to calm us down. And to top it off, dealing with all this leaves little time for sleep. It’s the same story everywhere. Together, these factors can leave your immune system in shambles.

So how do you get back on track? Follow these few easy steps and you should see your immunity improve.

You should eat more of immune-boosting foods

Let’s start with the obvious answer. Your immunity may hinge on what you eat and drink. If you’ve been partial to processed convenience foods, even if they claim to be fat- and sugar-free, you may need to reconsider. Switching to a more wholesome diet rich in immune-boosting foods can make a difference.

The rule of thumb is to hunt down food high in polyphenols and antioxidants, including vitamins.

Polyphenols modulate immune function and the activation of immune cells. Antioxidants prevent inflammation (a mechanism governed by the immune system) by fighting free radical damage.

1. Go green: Eat antioxidant-rich veggies like broccoli, spinach, and other green leafy vegetables.
2. Tuck into fruits: Fruits like pomegranate and blueberries for their antioxidant content.
3. Don’t fear smelly vegetables: Onions and garlic act as prebiotics, balancing gut flora and helping with overall immunity.
4. Brave the bitter: While some veggies like bitter melon may not taste good, they have phenolic compounds like catechin, gallic acid, and caffeic acid. These are potent antioxidants. This vegetable-fruit is anti-inflammatory and is extremely beneficial for your immunity. Kale is another acquired taste, but it can improve digestion and overall immunity.
5. Sip on green tea: It contains polyphenols that improves both function and strength of your immune system.

You need to fuel up on probiotics

There’s a strong case for the probiotics found in yogurt and fermented foods like pickles or cultured sour cream. Even fermented fish, eggs, or meat make the cut. These foods help increase the “good” bacteria that keep your gut healthy. This is an effective way to boost immune function and protect your system against “alien” microbes responsible for illness and infection. Lactobacillus strains of probiotics, often found in yogurt, improve mucosal immune function in particular. In turn, this helps prevent diseases involving the respiratory system, intestinal mucosal membrane, and urogenital tract.

You need plenty of sleep

“Healthy immunity is intimately connected to sleep and the function of the nervous system, which is why people are more susceptible to infectious diseases when they are tired and stressed.” — Todd Caldecott, Clinical Herbalist

Do you sleep enough each night? A good night’s rest plays a central role in building your body’s defense system. Equally, when you go without sleep, it hits your body hard. As one study found, individuals who went 48 hours without sleep experienced a decline in their body’s white blood cell count, representing a weakening of the immune system. This posed less of a defense for fighting off infection or attack. Thankfully, this was reversible and immune function returned to normal when the subjects went through recovery sleep.

Try your best to get enough sleep on a regular basis. Set a nighttime routine with soothing music and relaxing warm milk. Nod off in a darkened room at the same time every day. Your body needs a rhythm and pattern, so don’t stray too far from the plan.

In general, aim for at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night. If you deprive yourself, you’ll end up stressed, disoriented, drowsy, and less efficient the next day.

You need to pick up healthy habits

According to a Harvard Health Publications feature on building immunity, certain consistent healthy habits can do wonders for your immunity.

You can also try alternative therapies

Some herbal remedies that can improve immune function are already popular for treating other ailments.

Ashwagandha, a popular herbal remedy, is said to help the body fight off infection. The herb diminishes inflammation and protects your body by enhancing the ability of your immune cells to fight microbes. Additionally, turmeric is a potent anti-inflammatory and helps modulate the immune system.

An Ayurvedic massage can get the circulation in your body going. Some like the sarvanga dhara and panchakarma, a five-pronged treatment, use medicated liquids. These consist of herbs appropriate for your body type and health condition, as prescribed by a practitioner, blended into milk, buttermilk, or oil. They are administered via massages or poured over the body (or specific parts) to build immunity.

Certain acupuncture and acupressure points are associated with immune-boosting effects. As researchers have reported, application of these methods can help ailments like Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and sepsis.