Whether you are well, or suffering symptoms during allergy season or flu season, boosting your immune system is always a good idea. Many of us have a few secrets or old-wives-tales for dealing with illness when it hits but staying healthy in the first place and preventing illness is key. Here are six things you can do to help the immune system do its job and boost immune system function naturally.
#1: Reducing Stress
Stress drains your ability to stay strong. If you have big or little stressors daily, your system is constantly pushed to overcome that stress. We experience stress when the brain senses danger and triggers the “fight or flight” mode, preparing the muscles, heart, and lungs to get you out of harm’s way. Stress works to increase certain hormones, particularly cortisol, which ask the immune system to stand down so they can do the temporary job of addressing the existential threat. So, when stress is chronic, it hurts your immunity and ultimately makes your immune system sluggish. Try reducing your stress by exercising, taking deep breaths, having some “me-time,” or reorganizing and prioritizing what’s important versus what can wait.
#2: Eating a Healthy Diet
Eating a healthy, balanced diet can help keep you well. The goal is to eat a rainbow of vegetables and fruits daily to ensure you're getting a variety of nutrients. Lean proteins and complex carbohydrates, like brown rice and quinoa, are also part of a healthy diet. Minimize fatty and processed foods, sugar and beverages that have no nutrients. When you eat unhealthily you deprive your body of the antioxidants and nutrients needed to help the immune system function. Not to mention, you increase your risk for chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes and increase your risk for obesity. All of which makes your immune response less effective. Instead stick to immune-boosting foods such as fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, whole grains, and moderate amounts of lean proteins (fish or poultry) and low-fat dairy. Also, be sure to stay hydrated by drinking at least eight glasses of water per day.
#3: Exercise regularly
We often think of exercise as a way to prevent chronic illnesses, such as heart disease and high blood pressure, or as a way to keep weight in control. But exercise also can contribute to general good health including a healthy immune system. Exercise can promote good blood circulation, which allows your cells and substances of the immune system to move through your body freely to do their job efficiently. The recommended amount of exercise is 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity activity, like brisk walking. But even doing a minimal amount of exercise is able to improve microbiome diversity which is associated with better health.
#4 Taking a daily supplement
Strong Cell is about overall health and is formulated to optimize your cellular health with three powerful ingredients: NADH, CoQ10, and Collagen. As we age, the production of NADH, CoQ10, and Collagen decreases in our bodies and starves it of the fuel it needs to run at peak performance. Strong Cell combines these three ingredients to help support your health, increase your energy levels, boost your mood and mental acuity, and more, with a 98% absorption rate.
Although it can be challenging to do all these things on an ongoing basis, do as much as you can. Consistently taking good care of yourself is the best way to support your overall health and immunity.