Your immune system is your body’s natural defense mechanism that protects it from outside pathogens and disease-causing microorganisms. It helps you fight illnesses and keep infections at bay. That said, supporting your immune system is not always easy. 

Many times, this defense mechanism becomes weak and fails to protect the body from external infections. Thankfully, there are several things that you can do to boost your immunity and make your immune system function optimally. 

In this article, we will talk about 5 useful tips to boost your immunity and stay on top of your health. 

5 Ways to Support Your Immune System

The importance of consuming a good diet to maintain overall health cannot be overemphasized. And by a good diet, we mean incorporating plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, proteins, legumes, and healthy fats. 

By eating the right diet, you can make sure that your body receives the adequate amount of nutrients that it needs. For instance, getting the right amount of vitamin C, iron, vitamin B6, calcium, etc. is a must to prevent deficiencies and ensure good health. 

Some of the important body nutrients and their sources are as follows:

• Vitamin C: This is found in citrus fruits, chilli peppers, sweet yellow peppers, thyme, blackcurrants, broccoli, spinach, etc. 
• Vitamin E: This is found in almonds, sunflower seeds, sunflower oil, spinach, peanut butter, etc. 
• Iron: This is found in organ meats, shellfish, fortified breakfast cereals, dried nuts, soybean flour, etc. 

Consuming a diet that is rich in these nutrients is important to boost immunity. 

Poor quality of sleep is directly related to lower levels of immunity. When a person is asleep, his body works to create significant infection-fighting molecules that help to strengthen the immune system. It is advisable to get at least 8 hours of sleep every day to ensure that you are well-rested and high on energy. For younger children and infants, sleeping up to 14 hours is considered healthy. 

In case you have trouble sleeping at night, you must limit your screen time. The blue light that is emitted from mobile phones and TVs may disrupt the circadian rhythm and affect your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. 

Exercise is another important aspect of having a strong immune system. Regular exercise boosts your body’s overall circulation, helping the germ-fighting cells to travel throughout the body. And this helps to stimulate your immune mechanism. 

It is important to stay active and exercise for at least 45 minutes, 5 days a week. It also helps to strengthen your muscles and de-stress your mind and body. 

Stress, anxiety, and depression can deteriorate your mental health. And this, in turn, adversely impacts your immune system. During stressful periods, your body responds by initiating a stress response, which dampens your immune mechanism. It also increases the risk of catching illnesses and infections. 

Thus, it is important to pay attention to your mental health. You must identify internal and external stressors and eliminate them from your life. You can even try relaxation techniques such as yoga, deep breathing, meditation, etc. to find relief from stress and related problems. 

Another significant way to boost your immunity and promote overall wellness is by staying well hydrated. Not drinking enough water may lead to constant headaches along with reduced physical performance. It even affects the functions of the kidney and heart. And all this can increase the chances of becoming sick. 

So make sure to consume plenty of fluids throughout the day. Although water is the best fluid for hydration, you can even consume tea and fresh juice. Limit the intake of canned juices as they contain a high content of sugar. 

These are some of the most effective tips to support your immune system. You can even opt for some dietary supplements to help you eliminate any nutritional deficiencies and further boost your immunity. But make sure to consult your doctor before incorporating any supplement into your daily routine. He will help you identify the right dosage and understand any potential side effects of the same.