Practice good sleep hygiene and maintain consistent sleep hours—turn off screens, ensure the room is cool, quiet, and dark, and set a reminder to help yourself go to bed on time. Check out our recorded Sleep workshop here!

Exercise: Moderate, regular physical activity helps to boost immune system function by raising levels of infection-fighting white blood cells and antibodies, increasing circulation, and decreasing stress hormones.

Establish and follow an exercise program to not only help prevent respiratory infections but also to improve cognitive and physical resilience. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables—aim for 10 servings per week.

Include fermented vegetables or other probiotic-containing foods. There are several nutrients, plant-based botanicals, and supplements that can boost immune function and provide symptom relief during illness and may help to shorten the duration of illness.

For preventing and treating viral upper respiratory infections, consider some of the following:. Vitamin C: Vitamin C may help to prevent infections, including those caused by bacteria and viruses. Regularly administered vitamin C has been shown to shorten the duration of colds, and higher doses of vitamin C during an illness can also act as a natural antihistamine and anti-inflammatory.

Vitamin D : Vitamin D, known as the "sunshine vitamin," is one of the most important and powerful nutrients for supporting the immune system. Numerous studies have shown that it helps reduce the risk of colds and flu.

Unfortunately, a high percentage of the population is deficient, so daily supplementation ideally in the form of vitamin D3 offers the best protection.

Vitamin A: For short-term use and particularly for those with moderate vitamin A deficiency, supplementation can be extremely helpful in supporting the body's ability to fight infections, particularly with regard to respiratory infections.

Zinc: Zinc plays a significant role in boosting immunity. Often available as lozenges, zinc can help to reduce the frequency of infections as well as the duration and severity of the common cold when taken within 24 hours of onset.

Selenium: Selenium, a key nutrient for immune function, is also an antioxidant that helps boosts the body's defenses against bacteria, viruses, and cancer cells. It may particularly help to protect against certain strains of flu virus.

Selenium is easily obtained from foods, with the richest source being Brazil nuts. Honey: Honey, preferably raw, is a good demulcent it relieves minor pain and inflammation of mucous membranes , has antioxidant properties, and has some antimicrobial effects.

It is helpful for coughs and sore throats and can be added to hot tea. Garlic: Garlic contains a variety of compounds that can influence immunity. Some studies have shown that both fresh garlic as well as aged garlic extract and some other garlic supplements may reduce viral upper respiratory infection severity as well as function in the prevention of infection with viruses that can cause colds.

Probiotics: Probiotics contain "good bacteria" that not only support the health of the gut but also influence immune system functioning and regulation. Studies have shown that probiotic use can decrease the number of respiratory infections, particularly in children.

skip to main content. Related Pages. Health About Us. Getting Medical Care. Services Available. It is almost never the case that your immune system is completely weak, says Milner.

Most often, only a small part of the immune system is weak, which makes infections from specific, not all, bugs more likely. Some people have stronger immune systems than others, so they are resistant to more types of infections. A few people, very few, are resistant to all types of infections.

Unfortunately, most people find out that one part of their immune system is weak when they get an infection.

But there is no single test that checks out the immune system. Age plays a big role in the immune system. Young children, exposed to infections for the first time, tend to be symptomatic more than adults.

And older adults may find their immune system cannot fight disease as well as it did when they were young. Scientists are studying direct connections between lifestyle choices and strong immune systems. What we know now is that healthy living is good for overall health and vaccinations are the best supplement available.

Most studies show that dietary supplements are only useful if you have a deficiency in a nutrient. Taking supplements on top of a healthy diet does not add much to your immune system. Note that most supplements are not superior to the nutrients you can get from food.

Studies show the immune system is very responsive to exercise. Exercise and immune regulation are interrelated and affect each other. Exercise changes immune regulation by affecting cells and has anti-inflammatory effects.

Sleep loss reduces natural killer cell activity, which increases the risk for cancer and viral infections; generates production of inflammatory cytokines, which increases the risk for cardiovascular and metabolic disorders; and reduces production of antibodies, which increases the risk for infections.

Stress of all sorts—psychological and physical—directly weakens parts of your immune system, increasing risk for infections or reactivation of viruses inside you. Shingles, a painful rash that arises from the reactivated chickenpox virus, often flares up when people are experiencing chronic stress.

Stress can also cause "patrols" in your immune system—certain cells that tell the immune system to wind down an attack—to fail. When this happens, too much inflammation can occur. Vaccines, also called immunizations, teach the immune system to make antibodies that fight off infections before they make you sick.