Think of your immune system as your body's natural defense mechanism—a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs collaborating to protect you from harmful invaders like bacteria and viruses. With the cold and flu season approaching, it's essential to take every possible step to maintain its optimal functionality and protect your health.

Eat a Variety of Nutrient-Rich Foods

Adopting a diverse diet rich in plant-based nutrition is an excellent starting point. Dietary changes are typically long-term commitments, not quick fixes. Fundamentally, maintaining a healthy diet is the most effective way to sustain an optimal balance of vitamins and minerals in your body. This balance supports the immune cell functions, enabling them to perform at their best.

Additionally, incorporating high-fiber fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes into your diet is known to promote the growth and upkeep of beneficial microbes, particularly within your gastrointestinal tract. This is crucial as a substantial portion of your immune cells, up to 80%, resides in your gut.

Prioritize Rest

Sleep plays a pivotal role in maintaining a healthy immune system. During your recommended seven to nine hours of nightly rest, your body releases protective proteins known as cytokines, which are instrumental in regulating immune function. This is why our bodies tend to require more sleep when combating an infection. Without sufficient sleep, our immune function becomes compromised.

Incorporate Daily Movement

Engaging in regular exercise, typically defined as at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week, plays a crucial role in stimulating the release of cytokines (the same immune-regulating proteins that emerge during sleep). It also enhances the circulation of lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell responsible for combatting infections, throughout your body. This improved circulation enables lymphocytes to more effectively identify and combat potential threats. Additionally, exercise contributes to better sleep quality and reduced stress levels, creating a positive feedback loop that bolsters the immune system.

However, it's worth noting that excessive exercise, such as rigorous daily marathon training, can actually suppress immune function, as indicated by research findings.

Keep Your Stress Level Low

Yes, we know that being told to "stop stressing" is far easier said than done. However, if you manage to accomplish it, it can have a significant impact on your overall well-being. Consider it as a part of maintaining a generally healthy lifestyle. If you're working long hours, getting inadequate sleep, and living with constant stress, you're neglecting the essentials required to sustain your health.

Brief episodes of stress can actually serve a protective role by triggering an inflammatory response in your body and elevating the levels of essential cytokines that combat infections and other threat. However, when stress becomes chronic and all-encompassing, this response can eventually harm your immune system because it remains in a constant state of activation.