How Can I Strengthen My Immune System?

The main purpose of your immune system is to protect your body from viruses and bacteria. Without it, they’d have free rein and you’d be constantly falling ill. Your immune system works by recognizing the difference between your body’s own cells and invading germs such as viruses, bacteria, mold and allows it to destroy any that could be potentially harmful. This natural defense usually works well but there are many factors that can lead to a weakened immune system.

1. HEALTHY DIET

A healthy diet keeps your gut strong, which in turn helps keeps your immune system strong. A diet too high in sugar can weaken your immune system, and I often recommend my patients to follow the traditional Mediterranean diet, which is also one of the best diets to keep your heart healthy.

2. SUPPLEMENTATION

Alongside a healthy diet, particular supplements help your body boost your immune system and defense.

• Vitamin C - Vitamin C fortifies immune response, strengthens the walls of blood vessels, improves wound healing and tissue regeneration, reduces inflammation, and has extremely potent antioxidant properties.

• Vitamin D - Vitamin D helps increase the amount of disease-fighting cells and ensures proper bone density and structure, thus used as osteoporosis prevention.

• Glutathione - Glutathione functions by deactivating potentially harmful substances within the body, including free radicals and toxins. It helps prevent tissue and organ damage as well as inflammatory diseases like diabetes, arthritis, hypertension, and cancer.

3. STAY ACTIVE

Exercise is one of the most efficient ways to boost your immunity since exercising can circulate white blood cells and antibodies more rapidly. Staying active is one of the best methods for lowering your stress hormones like cortisol, thus reducing the chances of getting ill.

4. ADEQUATE SLEEP

Sleep helps to reboot our immune system. During sleep deprivation, our body tends to produce the stress hormone, cortisol, which suppresses the immune system. According to several research studies, after sleeping a full eight hours, the levels of your T-cells will increase.

5. REDUCE STRESS

It is extremely important to reduce your stress because research has shown strong associations between mental health and immune health. Under chronic conditions of anxiety and stress, the body produces hormones that suppress the immune system.

- Colin Chan, MD