Boosting Your Immune System

By Author: Caley Van Cleave
Total Articles: 4717
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The immune system is designed to help protect the body from illness by fighting off microorganisms that invade the body with the intention of taking up residence and making us feel bad. In order for the immune system to do its job, it needs to be healthy, in balance, and working properly. When we do get sick, the immune system is compromised because it is busy fighting off what ails us. Obviously, the best scenario is to keep our immune systems healthy and avoid illness in the first place but just how do we do this? Boosting your immune system may seem futile but there are a few things you can do to keep it in working order.

If the immune system were a single entity or organism within the body, it may be easier to target it with health-boosting vitamins or diet and lifestyle changes. However, the immune system is exactly as the name implies-a system. It is a complex response created by cells in the blood and body. Researchers continually study its responses to various foods and lifestyles. While no one given action, food, or dietary supplement will create a perfectly functioning immune system, there are many different ...
... ways to strengthen the immune system and keep it quietly and effectively at work.

There are several dietary needs that must be met in order for the immune system to function properly. A combination of proteins, good fats, and the absorption of certain vitamins are essential to the immune system's overall health. Eating a well-balanced diet comprised of low-fat proteins found in fish, chicken, and low-fat dairy and "good" fats found in foods like olive oil and nuts will serve the immune system better than eating fatty proteins or saturated fats. Getting a healthy dose of vitamins and minerals from natural sources such as fresh fruits and vegetables is also essential.

If you are concerned about certain nutrients missing from your diet, whether from a dislike of fruits and vegetables, dietary restrictions (such as lactose intolerance), or simply poor eating habits, it may be a good idea to consider a multi-vitamin supplement. Talk to your doctor or nutritionist about your eating habits and which specific vitamins and minerals you might be missing to see what he or she recommends. Avoid supplementing one specific vitamin or mineral before talking to your doctor as certain vitamins and minerals work together alongside immune response. Consuming too much of one and too little of another may have an adverse effect rather than help.

A healthy digestive system is as important to immune response as a healthy diet but thankfully the two generally go hand-in-hand. You've likely seen commercials and advertisements for products containing "probiotics" and their importance to digestive health. Probiotics are good bacteria that live in the digestive tract, aiding in the digestive tract's overall health. While there is no scientific link between improved immune function and pro- or pre-biotic-containing products, if the food product is a healthy food in general, it can't hurt.

In addition to a healthy diet, sleep is important to the body's immune function. While this probably comes as no surprise, there is some truth behind the advice your mother gave you to get plenty of rest. There is no doubt your body needs rest but a lack of sleep can actually compromise your immune system over time. The body and mind regenerate during sleep and adequate sleep helps reduce stress, another trigger for poor immune health. Getting plenty of sleep and keeping stress levels low will create a positive response from your immune system.

Though boosting the immune system is by no means an exact science, the simple reality is that a common sense approach to diet and lifestyle are your two best defenders. Avoid smoking, which is not only bad for your overall health but depletes the body of certain vitamins and interferes with its ability to absorb nutrients. Drink alcohol only in moderation and be mindful of what you eat as much as well as what you don't eat. A healthy diet comprised of the right foods, supplemented by multi-vitamins when necessary, and a healthy lifestyle with plenty of rest and exercise are the best ways to help give your immune system the boost it needs.
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