Curbing your sugar intake can decrease inflammation and aid weight loss, thus reducing your risk of chronic health conditions like type 2 diabetes and heart disease 19 , Given that obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease can all weaken your immune system, limiting added sugars is an important part of an immune-boosting diet 18 , 21 , This equals about 2 tablespoons 25 grams of sugar for someone on a 2,calorie diet.

Added sugars contribute significantly to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease, all of which can suppress your immune system. Lowering your sugar intake may decrease inflammation and your risk of these conditions.

Although prolonged intense exercise can suppress your immune system, moderate exercise can give it a boost. Studies indicate that even a single session of moderate exercise can boost the effectiveness of vaccines in people with compromised immune systems Examples of moderate exercise include brisk walking , steady bicycling, jogging, swimming, and light hiking.

Most people should aim for at least minutes of moderate exercise per week Moderate exercise can reduce inflammation and promote the healthy turnover of immune cells. Jogging, biking, walking, swimming, and hiking are great options. Dehydration can cause headaches and hinder your physical performance, focus, mood, digestion, and heart and kidney function.

These complications can increase your susceptibility to illness To prevent dehydration, you should drink enough fluid daily to make your urine pale yellow. You may need more fluids if you exercise intensely, work outside, or live in a hot climate Older adults need to drink regularly even if they do not feel thirsty.

Relieving stress and anxiety is key to immune health. Long-term stress promotes inflammation, as well as imbalances in immune cell function 7 , 9. In particular, prolonged psychological stress can suppress the immune response in children Activities that may help you manage your stress include meditation , exercise, journaling, yoga, and other mindfulness practices.

You may also benefit from seeing a licensed counselor or therapist, whether virtually or in person. Lowering your stress levels through meditation, yoga, exercise, and other practices can help keep your immune system functioning properly.

Thus, you should only purchase supplements that have been independently tested by third-party organizations like United States Pharmacopeia USP , NSF International, and ConsumerLab. Though some supplements may fight viral infections, none have been proven to be effective against COVID If you decide to supplement, make sure to purchase products that have been tested by a third party.

These include reducing your sugar intake, staying hydrated, working out regularly, getting adequate sleep, and managing your stress levels. Read this article in Spanish. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

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Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Mental Well-Being. Medically reviewed by Kathy W. Warwick, R. Share on Pinterest. Get enough sleep. Eat more whole plant foods. Eat more healthy fats. Eat more fermented foods or take a probiotic supplement.

Pay attention to what time your body naturally feels inclined to wake up and rest to find your chronotype. Your circadian rhythm sleep cycle can be adapted to your schedule, but your chronotype is more biologically ingrained, according to the National Sleep Foundation.

Then, you can work with your body and your daily obligations to more naturally sync them up. The hydration need of each body differs, however.

Many people stay hydrated by drinking water and other fluids when they feel thirsty. Trust your knowledge of your body.

There are also no adequate biomarkers to assure hydration status at the population level, according to researchers, and water intake differs among age groups. Drinking coffee and tea counts.

Besides, your immune health is dependent on the nutrients flowing through your bloodstream, and your bloodstream is made up of mostly water , as is your body.

Staying hydrated is essential for detoxification pathways to do their jobs: like the lymph system draining out pathogens. We talk a lot about detox teas but not enough about how hydration does the job right from the start. Notice signs of dehydration , such as thirst, dark yellow urine, lightheadedness, fatigue, and dry mouth, lips and eyes.

Dehydration can happen easily if you have a high alcohol intake, sweat a lot or have a persistent high temperature, for example. Thirst can also be a craving for a certain type of food and its unique nutrients. At mealtime, is your plate filled with color? The USDA advocates for making half your plate fruits and vegetables.

The Anderson Cancer Center shares that a plant-based diet fortifies the immune system to safeguard you against microorganisms and germs. The center indicates that plant foods also reduce inflammation, and a healthy immune system can respond quickly to identify and eliminate pathogens before they progress to disease.

Including variety, such as chickpeas and tofu, is what makes the diet healthier and well-rounded. Yes, nature showers are just as important as regular showers. The New York State Department of Conservation advocates for forest visits to improve immune health , and several studies the department cites also support the benefits of forest bathing.

More recently, a systematic review published in Environmental Health and Preventative Medicine analyzed the merit of forest bathing on health. Forest bathing allows for intervention in the subhealth state, a period between health and disease : This is when you notice symptoms like fatigue, poor sleep, pain and cognitive challenges.

Subhealth also increases the risk of infection and reduces the ability of the immune system to respond as aptly. Exposure to nature could provide stress relief before things get worse before they get better.

Finding respite on an evening walk with the dog also counts — your dog thoroughly investigates every fire hydrant, and you smell the honeysuckle overtaking a fence that should have been replaced when you were born.

Every mindful moment spent in nature, however distilled, still counts. Stress weakens your immune system , according to the American Psychological Association. In the s, immunologist Ronald Glaser, Ph. So they ran a study on how stress affected medical students: Every year for a decade, the pair discovered that immunity decreased for the same three-day exam period as stress skyrocketed.

The association also cites recent studies linking loneliness and social isolation with lowered immune health. During times of stress, make a note of it and accept that these periods occur.

It does not reflect who you are as a person or your capabilities. Turn to healthy coping methods where possible, reaching out to loved ones, engaging in various hobbies, exercising, resting and reading.

Where one thing does not work, open yourself up to trying new things for the novelty, such as taking an improv class. Probiotics nurture your gut bacteria and help balance the gut biome. These beneficial bacteria support immune health, in addition to improving other conditions.

Natural probiotic health foods include yogurt, sourdough bread and kimchi. However, you can also take probiotics orally as capsules. One study published in Annals of Nutritional and Metabolism identifies probiotics as an emerging way to naturally treat allergies, recover the histology of intestinal bacteria and prevent the growth of pathogenic bacteria.

Once ingested, oral probiotics interact with immune cells to activate natural immune mechanisms in the body that help protect against pathogens without making your immune system panic no inflammatory reactions such as hives.

Dance benefits overall health by strengthening the immune system through physiological processes and muscular processes, according to an older study published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Dance conditions an individual to moderate, eliminate or avoid tension and chronic fatigue, which can also apply to other conditions linked with stress.

A comparative study published in Frontiers analyzed the effects of tai chi and square dancing on older empty nesters for immune health, physical health and life satisfaction. The control group consisted of sedentary participants.

However, the foundation also recognizes that not everyone has a preset sleeping pattern. How do you know if your sleep pattern is healthy for you?

You start by asking: What is my norm, and do I feel well-rested and energetic? Some people keep a dream journal, but they should also keep a sleep journal. Pay attention to what time your body naturally feels inclined to wake up and rest to find your chronotype.

Your circadian rhythm sleep cycle can be adapted to your schedule, but your chronotype is more biologically ingrained, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Then, you can work with your body and your daily obligations to more naturally sync them up.

The hydration need of each body differs, however. Many people stay hydrated by drinking water and other fluids when they feel thirsty. Trust your knowledge of your body. There are also no adequate biomarkers to assure hydration status at the population level, according to researchers, and water intake differs among age groups.

Drinking coffee and tea counts. Besides, your immune health is dependent on the nutrients flowing through your bloodstream, and your bloodstream is made up of mostly water , as is your body. Staying hydrated is essential for detoxification pathways to do their jobs: like the lymph system draining out pathogens.

We talk a lot about detox teas but not enough about how hydration does the job right from the start. Notice signs of dehydration , such as thirst, dark yellow urine, lightheadedness, fatigue, and dry mouth, lips and eyes.

Dehydration can happen easily if you have a high alcohol intake, sweat a lot or have a persistent high temperature, for example. Thirst can also be a craving for a certain type of food and its unique nutrients.

At mealtime, is your plate filled with color? The USDA advocates for making half your plate fruits and vegetables. The Anderson Cancer Center shares that a plant-based diet fortifies the immune system to safeguard you against microorganisms and germs.

The center indicates that plant foods also reduce inflammation, and a healthy immune system can respond quickly to identify and eliminate pathogens before they progress to disease.

Including variety, such as chickpeas and tofu, is what makes the diet healthier and well-rounded. Yes, nature showers are just as important as regular showers. The New York State Department of Conservation advocates for forest visits to improve immune health , and several studies the department cites also support the benefits of forest bathing.

More recently, a systematic review published in Environmental Health and Preventative Medicine analyzed the merit of forest bathing on health.

Forest bathing allows for intervention in the subhealth state, a period between health and disease : This is when you notice symptoms like fatigue, poor sleep, pain and cognitive challenges. Subhealth also increases the risk of infection and reduces the ability of the immune system to respond as aptly.

Exposure to nature could provide stress relief before things get worse before they get better. Finding respite on an evening walk with the dog also counts — your dog thoroughly investigates every fire hydrant, and you smell the honeysuckle overtaking a fence that should have been replaced when you were born.

Every mindful moment spent in nature, however distilled, still counts. Stress weakens your immune system , according to the American Psychological Association. In the s, immunologist Ronald Glaser, Ph.

So they ran a study on how stress affected medical students: Every year for a decade, the pair discovered that immunity decreased for the same three-day exam period as stress skyrocketed.

The association also cites recent studies linking loneliness and social isolation with lowered immune health. During times of stress, make a note of it and accept that these periods occur. It does not reflect who you are as a person or your capabilities.

Turn to healthy coping methods where possible, reaching out to loved ones, engaging in various hobbies, exercising, resting and reading. Where one thing does not work, open yourself up to trying new things for the novelty, such as taking an improv class. Probiotics nurture your gut bacteria and help balance the gut biome.

These beneficial bacteria support immune health, in addition to improving other conditions. Natural probiotic health foods include yogurt, sourdough bread and kimchi.

However, you can also take probiotics orally as capsules. One study published in Annals of Nutritional and Metabolism identifies probiotics as an emerging way to naturally treat allergies, recover the histology of intestinal bacteria and prevent the growth of pathogenic bacteria.

Once ingested, oral probiotics interact with immune cells to activate natural immune mechanisms in the body that help protect against pathogens without making your immune system panic no inflammatory reactions such as hives.

However, making some changes and following a healthy lifestyle is a good way to give your immune system an upper hand in such situations.

With age, the immune system of people becomes weak and they become prone to getting infectious diseases and cancer. The exact reason for this is not yet known, but scientists speculate the decrease in T cells or the inefficiency of bone marrow to produce stem cells for the immune system as possible causes.

Smoking, drinking and other intoxicants are bad for your immune system. Smoking increases the risk of heart disease, lung cancer, cataract and a host of other conditions.

Similarly, alcohol consumption has been linked to pulmonary diseases, including tuberculosis, respiratory syncytial virus and ARDS. It also impairs the function of immune cells, i. alveolar macrophages and neutrophils.

Therefore, even though the task may be tough, quitting smoking and drinking is the best option for your long-term health and better immune system. Long-term stress is not good for your immune system and it also promotes inflammation.

It is especially bad for children. However, there are several ways, including meditation, yoga, journaling, psychotherapy and more, which can help you manage your stress. You may have noticed that when you get a cold or fever, your body requires more sleep and it, eventually, helps in the recovery process.

This is a testament to the importance of having good sleep for an improved immune system. As a helpful benchmark, a minimum of 7 hours of sleep for adults and 8 to 10 hours for teenagers is recommended. You should also focus on the quality of sleep. The biggest threat to it is the blue-light that the screens of our digital devices emit.

It can adversely affect your circadian rhythm and, consequently, your sleep cycle. Hence, make sure to avoid the use of digital screens for one-hour before going to sleep. You can utilize this time by engaging in good habits like reading or practising meditation.

Hydration does not necessarily provide you with extra tools to fight-off harmful germs or microorganisms, but it is crucial for the maintenance of vital processes like digestion, kidney and heart function.

Drinking adequate fluids could make you less vulnerable to sickness by keeping the body systems healthy and thus, promotes good health and a healthy immune system. Eating whole plant foods is good for your immune system.

Sources like fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes and seeds provide antioxidants and fibre to your body that can help combat inflammation and promote healthy gut-bacteria respectively. Regular moderate exercise is an essential part of healthy living, as it improves your cardiovascular health, lowers blood pressure and protects against several diseases.

It contributes towards a healthier immune system by promoting good circulation and hence, allows the cells of the immune system move through the body in a free and efficient manner.

Healthy fats like those found in olive oil, salmon and chia seeds are also associated with anti-inflammatory properties and a healthier immune system. This is because chronic inflammation suppresses your immune system and therefore, the intake of healthy fats like Omega 3 fatty acids that help fight inflammation becomes crucial.

You should actively take steps to avoid infection and keep your health in a good condition. Steps like washing your hands and cooking meats thoroughly can help you with that and prevent harmful microorganisms from entering your body as well.

As per available evidence, deficiency of essential vitamins or minerals like Zinc, selenium, iron, copper, Vitamin A, B6, C and E can alter the immune responses in animals. Even though there is no evidence yet for the same in humans, nutrient deficiency is a great health concern.

If a person is nutrient deficient, taking vital supplements after consulting a practising physician is a good idea.

Fill up a water bottle and have it next to you while you work, exercise, travel in your car, etc. Vitamin D plays an important role in regulating immunity as it triggers an antimicrobial response and acts to protect the body from bacterial and viral agents.

When exposed to pathogens, Vitamin D enables you to quickly fight off these invaders before it becomes a full-blown infection. Some claim drinking apple cider vinegar protects the body against heart disease and helps fight infection. However, there is limited scientific evidence to support these claims.

Common dosages range from 1—2 teaspoons to 1—2 tablespoon per day. Smoking can tear apart sensitive lung tissue, which increases the risk of contracting bronchitis and pneumonia. Stop suppressing the immune system with cigarettes and cigars. Instead, plan home cooked meals with whole foods.

Whole foods have not been processed or refined and are free of additives and other artificial substances. Eating more whole foods and cooking from scratch will reduce your sugar intake. Consuming too much alcohol can have negative effects on the immune system.

Alcohol can also lead to dehydration. It causes your body to remove fluids from your blood through your renal system at a much quicker rate than other liquids. It can also decrease the number of white blood cells available to fight infection.

Lowering your stress levels through meditation, yoga, exercise, and other mindful practices can help keep your immune system functioning properly. Have a hard floor or need more cushioning?

You can practice yoga with a THERABAND exercise mat. You can make several lifestyle and dietary changes to help strengthen your immune system. These include reducing your sugar intake, staying hydrated, working out regularly, getting adequate sleep, managing your stress levels, and more.

It can be challenging to do all these things every day. However, the extra steps you take now to boost your immune system, will help ensure your body is better prepared to fight harmful pathogens or disease-causing organisms in the future. How to Boost Your Immune System.

Harvard Health. Gunnars, Kris. Healthline Editorial Team Newman, Tim. The Immune System: Cells, Tissues, Function, and Disease.

Medical News Today. Shoemaker, SaVanna. Medical Disclaimer: The information provided on this site, including text, graphics, images and other material, are for informational purposes only and are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Always seek the advice of your physician or other healthcare professional with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.

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One important question is whether dietary supplements may help older people maintain a healthier immune system. Older people should discuss this question with their doctor. Like any fighting force, the immune system army marches on its stomach. Healthy immune system warriors need good, regular nourishment.

Scientists have long recognized that people who live in poverty and are malnourished are more vulnerable to infectious diseases. For example, researchers don't know whether any particular dietary factors, such as processed foods or high simple sugar intake, will have adversely affect immune function.

There are still relatively few studies of the effects of nutrition on the immune system of humans. There is some evidence that various micronutrient deficiencies — for example, deficiencies of zinc, selenium, iron, copper, folic acid, and vitamins A, B6, C, and E — alter immune responses in animals, as measured in the test tube.

However, the impact of these immune system changes on the health of animals is less clear, and the effect of similar deficiencies on the human immune response has yet to be assessed. So, what can you do?

If you suspect your diet is not providing you with all your micronutrient needs — maybe, for instance, you don't like vegetables — taking a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement may bring other health benefits, beyond any possibly beneficial effects on the immune system.

Taking megadoses of a single vitamin does not. More is not necessarily better. Walk into a store, and you will find bottles of pills and herbal preparations that claim to "support immunity" or otherwise boost the health of your immune system.

Although some preparations have been found to alter some components of immune function, thus far there is no evidence that they actually bolster immunity to the point where you are better protected against infection and disease.

Demonstrating whether an herb — or any substance, for that matter — can enhance immunity is, as yet, a highly complicated matter.

Scientists don't know, for example, whether an herb that seems to raise the levels of antibodies in the blood is actually doing anything beneficial for overall immunity.

Modern medicine has come to appreciate the closely linked relationship of mind and body. A wide variety of maladies, including stomach upset, hives, and even heart disease, are linked to the effects of emotional stress. Despite the challenges, scientists are actively studying the relationship between stress and immune function.

For one thing, stress is difficult to define. What may appear to be a stressful situation for one person is not for another. When people are exposed to situations they regard as stressful, it is difficult for them to measure how much stress they feel, and difficult for the scientist to know if a person's subjective impression of the amount of stress is accurate.

The scientist can only measure things that may reflect stress, such as the number of times the heart beats each minute, but such measures also may reflect other factors. Most scientists studying the relationship of stress and immune function, however, do not study a sudden, short-lived stressor; rather, they try to study more constant and frequent stressors known as chronic stress, such as that caused by relationships with family, friends, and co-workers, or sustained challenges to perform well at one's work.

Some scientists are investigating whether ongoing stress takes a toll on the immune system. But it is hard to perform what scientists call "controlled experiments" in human beings.

In a controlled experiment, the scientist can change one and only one factor, such as the amount of a particular chemical, and then measure the effect of that change on some other measurable phenomenon, such as the amount of antibodies produced by a particular type of immune system cell when it is exposed to the chemical.

In a living animal, and especially in a human being, that kind of control is just not possible, since there are so many other things happening to the animal or person at the time that measurements are being taken.

Despite these inevitable difficulties in measuring the relationship of stress to immunity, scientists are making progress. Almost every mother has said it: "Wear a jacket or you'll catch a cold! Probably not, exposure to moderate cold temperatures doesn't increase your susceptibility to infection.

There are two reasons why winter is "cold and flu season. Also the influenza virus stays airborne longer when air is cold and less humid. But researchers remain interested in this question in different populations. Some experiments with mice suggest that cold exposure might reduce the ability to cope with infection.

But what about humans? Scientists have performed experiments in which volunteers were briefly dunked in cold water or spent short periods of time naked in subfreezing temperatures.

They've studied people who lived in Antarctica and those on expeditions in the Canadian Rockies. The results have been mixed. For example, researchers documented an increase in upper respiratory infections in competitive cross-country skiers who exercise vigorously in the cold, but whether these infections are due to the cold or other factors — such as the intense exercise or the dryness of the air — is not known.

A group of Canadian researchers that has reviewed hundreds of medical studies on the subject and conducted some of its own research concludes that there's no need to worry about moderate cold exposure — it has no detrimental effect on the human immune system.

Should you bundle up when it's cold outside? The answer is "yes" if you're uncomfortable, or if you're going to be outdoors for an extended period where such problems as frostbite and hypothermia are a risk.

But don't worry about immunity. Regular exercise is one of the pillars of healthy living. It improves cardiovascular health, lowers blood pressure, helps control body weight, and protects against a variety of diseases.

But does it help to boost your immune system naturally and keep it healthy? Just like a healthy diet, exercise can contribute to general good health and therefore to a healthy immune system.

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What can you do to boost your immune system? Photos courtesy of Michael N. Starnbach, Ph. Every part of your body, including your immune system, functions better when protected from environmental assaults and bolstered by healthy-living strategies such as these: Don't smoke.