How Can You Boost Your Immune System?

When pathogens — harmful bacteria or viruses — enter our body, our white blood cells work to fight the foreign substance and prevent damage. Inflammation occurs, meaning there is increased blood flow to damaged or irritated tissues, which helps with the healing process.

That’s the immune system at work. Now, as the Covid-19 pandemic continues, many people wonder: how can you boost your immune system?

The truth is, the concept of “boosting” the immune system isn’t wholly accurate, according to Dr. Suzanne Cassel, an immunologist at Cedars-Sinai who says we should aim for a balanced immune system instead.

The immune system is made up of many different types of cells which work together to fight diseases. While there is little proven evidence that certain supplements or products can directly “boost” the immune system, research shows that certain nutrients may be more involved in the immune response, and some nutrient deficiencies may weaken the immune response.

In general, having a healthy and active lifestyle is a sure-fire way to improve your overall health, which can make you less susceptible to disease. Here are some tips to help strengthen your immune system and overall health.

Eat a balanced diet with lots of fruit and veggies.

Undernutrition can impair the immune system, so it’s important to eat well and get all the macro- and micro-nutrients you need.

Fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, and legumes contain lots of antioxidants. Antioxidants protect the body’s cells — including immune cells — from free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can damage cells and lead to inflammation.

While acute inflammation that targets a damaged area is important for healing, chronic inflammation is associated with diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

Vitamins play a role in healthy immune function.

Vitamin C serves as an antioxidant and supports cell function within the immune system. It’s best to get your Vitamin C from food sources such as citrus fruits, strawberries, bell peppers, and kiwis. Recommended intake for women: 75 mg, which most people meet through foods.

Vitamin A plays a role in immune function, vision, and cell communication, and can reduce the risk of respiratory illness. Foods with vitamin A include liver, carrots, sweet potato, and spinach or other leafy green vegetables. Recommended daily intake for women: 700 mcg, which can be obtained by eating several servings of foods with Vitamin A.

Vitamin D helps reduce inflammation and promotes immune function. We obtain Vitamin D through sunlight, fortified foods such as dairy, or fatty fish like salmon, trout, and mackerel. Recommended intake for women: 15 mcg or 600 IU. Vitamin D deficiency is somewhat common, especially for people with darker skin.

Vitamin E is an antioxidant involved in immune function. It’s found in nuts, seeds, vegetable oils, leafy greens, and fortified cereals. Recommended intake for women: 15 mg, and deficiency is rare.

A range of vitamins and minerals are important for health and immune function. Check out the U.S. Health Department’s Dietary Guidelines 2015–2020 for recommended nutrient intakes, plus healthy eating guidelines. You can also search the nutritional content of foods through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s FoodData Central website.

Supplements can help if you are deficient in a certain nutrient but may not “boost” or give “extra” immunity on their own.

Another big question around immunity is whether you can rely on supplements to “support” or “boost” immunity. The answer is no — unless you’re deficient in a specific nutrient, supplements do not have much of an added bonus.

While taking a multivitamin is not likely to be harmful, most research shows that they won’t help you live longer or reduce the risk of disease, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Moreover, overdosing on supplements can have negative health effects and cause toxicity and cell damage.

Getting enough sleep, minimizing stress and exercising regularly can help.

Diet and lifestyle are always an important part of the puzzle when it comes to overall health, and our immune system is no different.

Getting enough rest — 7 to 8 hours per night for adults — will help you function your best during the day, both outside and in. Research shows that adequate sleep enhances immune function while sleep deprivation does the opposite. Having a sleep routine and eliminating screen-time close to bedtime can help you achieve sound, restful sleep.

Stress management is also key. Chronic stress can cause our bodies to release too much cortisol — the stress hormone — which may cause chronic inflammation and hinder the immune response.

Lastly, remember to exercise! Though it’s hard to pinpoint the exact link between exercise and the immune system, staying fit comes with many benefits. It helps you manage body weight, lower blood pressure, and protect against future diseases.

At the end of the day, these tips are good for your health but they won’t prevent you from contracting a disease.

The only way to achieve actual immunity from a disease is through a vaccine.

Meanwhile, as we wait for the Covid-19 vaccine to arrive, remember to wash your hands, wear a face covering, and practice social distancing. By minimizing contact with others, we can reduce our risk of spreading or contracting the coronavirus.

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