Boost Your Immune System With 5 Easy Steps

Looking for ways to boost your immune system? Although, this particular system seems complex, there are some really easy ways that you can support and boost it without buying fancy products or getting involved in intricate protocols. Here are our top 5 tips for giving your immune system the foundation it needs to protect you from disease.

SLEEP

Sleep doesn’t just allow you to be well rested. “Sleep services all aspects of our body in one way or another: molecular, energy balance, as well as intellectual function, alertness and mood,” says Dr. Merrill Mitler, a sleep expert and neuroscientist at NIH. Sleep is an opportunity for the body to rebuild and repair so being able to get a good nights sleep goes well beyond just feeling good. Here are a few ideas to help you sleep better:

Diffuse relaxing essential oils to help you ease tension and get a better night of rest.
Take some deep breaths for 1-5 minutes before bed.
Get an app like Calm or Relax Melodies to help you get to sleep and stay asleep.

STRESS MANAGEMENT

Managing your stress is another key component to not only boosting your immune system but making sure it can function at normal capacity. As we experience stress and prolonged stress, our stress hormones kick in. In fight or flight, the body even begins lowering organ system function so it can attend to the stressor or stressful situation.

“In addition, stress decreases the body’s lymphocytes — the white blood cells that help fight off infection. The lower your lymphocyte level, the more at risk you are for viruses, including the common cold and cold sores.
High stress levels also can cause depression and anxiety, again leading to higher levels of inflammation. In the long-term, sustained, high levels of inflammation point to an overworked, over-tired immune system that can’t properly protect you.” - Cleveland clinic

Here are a few simple ideas of how to manage stress:

Laugh
Spend time with the people that matter most to you.
Exercise (not too much and not too little - hit that sweet spot)
Journal - The 5 Minute Journal is one of our faves!
Play a game.
Listen to music, watch a movie or read a good book.
Relax, stretch, do yoga or get massage.
Deep breathing or meditation.

FOOD

Ever heard the term “food is medicine”? Well, as you can imagine, food has the ability to do so many things in our body including healing and boosting our immune system. From protein and healthy fats to vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber and more. What you put into your body (and in the right amounts) matters! We’ve got a few simple tips and tools to help you do that.

Eat the rainbow - colorful fruits and veggies (think blue, red, purple, green, orange, yellow, white)
Eat whole, fresh foods rather than processed foods.
Make sure to get an adequate amount of protein, healthy fats and smart carbs at each meal. (Need help with this? Check out our online health coaching for personalized guidance).

SUPPLEMENTS

Although supplements are just that, a way to supplement your already good diet, there are some that can fill in the gaps. Again, it’s recommended to eat a healthy diet to begin with but there are cases where some individuals may choose to add additional nutrients. Here are a few common ones to consider based on your needs (and your doctor’s recommendation):

Amazing Grass (super green supplement)
Multivitamin (food based): Women or Men
Fish Oil
Protein Powder

Movement

Exercise is an important of keeping yourself and your immune system healthy. The key with exercise is to strike a balance so that you’re getting enough but not too much. Too much can actually stress your body and weaken your immune system. Usually a good blend is a routine that is comprised of strength, cardio and flexibility. A great way to begin understanding how things are working is to track information. Tracking fitness, sleep, heart rate and more can give you a window into how your body is handling your current habits. A Fitbit or Apple Watch are fantastic tracking tools to do just that.

SUMMING IT UP

With everything in health, wellness and fitness it’s all about finding what works best for you. If you need help figuring out how to incorporate healthy habits or how to adjust your current ones to best suit your goals, sign up for our online health coaching. We’d love to help you become your best, healthiest self!