Strengthen Your Immune System With These Expert ...

Moderate, regular exercise can help support your immune system. ... While going back to the gym is a personal decision based on how much risk you' ... iOS16Arrives AppleWatchSE:2022vs.2020 2022Emmys:AlltheWinners FitbitInspire3Review NewestKindleE-Reader Top10SmartTVs BestPortableMiniProjectors AT&Tvs.Optimum Yourguidetoabetterfuture WantCNETtonotifyyouofpricedropsandthelateststories? No,thankyou Accept Wellness Follow StrengthenYourImmuneSystemWithTheseExpert-BackedTips Weaskedamedicaldoctorwhatyoucandotoboostyourimmunesystem. MerceyLivingston June5,20229:15a.m.PT MerceyLivingston CNETContributor MerceyLivingstonisahealthandwellnesswriterandcertifiedIntegrativeNutritionHealthCoach.She'swrittenaboutfitnessandwellnessforWell+Good,Women'sHealth,BusinessInsider,andPrevention.comamongothers.Whennotwriting,sheenjoysreadingandtryingoutworkoutclassesalloverNewYorkCity. Seefullbio 5minread Reducingstressisonewaytokeepyourimmunesystemhealthy. GettyImages Forthemostup-to-datenewsandinformationaboutthecoronaviruspandemic,visittheWHOandCDCwebsites. Yourimmunesystemkeepsyouhealthyandfightsoffsickness.FromthecommoncoldtotheflutoCOVID-19,yourimmunesystemneedstobestrongenoughtofightoffavarietyofillness,virusesanddiseases.Whenitcomestostrengtheningyourbody's immunedefenses,therearelotsofdifferentfactorsatplay.Astemptingasitmaybetopopasupplementandcallitaday,therearealotoffactorsthataffecthowwellyourbodycanfightinfectionsandotherillnesses.Afterallitisanentiresystematwork,notoneentity. Accordingto Dr.MichaelRoizen,COOoftheClevelandClinic,thereareseveralmajorcategoriestoconsiderwhenevaluatingyourlifestyleandstrengtheningimmunity.Theseareasinclude sleep,nutritionandsupplements,exerciseandstressmanagement.Keepreadingbelowformoreinformationonhowtooptimizeeachoftheseareaforyourhealthandbetterimmunity.Whatistheimmunesystemandhowdoesitwork?Youknowyourimmunesystemisvitaltokeepingyouhealthyandfightingoffsickness,butdoyouknowexactlyhowitworks? "Yourimmunesystemiswhatprotectsyoufromthingsyoushouldn'thaveinyourbodywhetherthatiscancercellsthatdevelopinsideyouorbacteriaorvirusesorparticlesfromtheoutsidethatcauseareaction,"Roizensaid."Yourbodyhousesanumberofdifferentdefensemechanismsthatprotectyoufromforeigninvaders,anditallbeginswithyourskin.Yourskinhasoilthatstopsthingsfromgettingthroughyourskin,andyouhavebacteria,virusesandfungithatarehealthyforyouandprotectyou."Inadditiontoyourskin,youalsohaveprotectivemechanismsinyournoseandthroat."Inyournasalpassagesandyourthroatyouhavealotofciliaandmucussecretionsthatactuallycontainantibodiestoprotectyou.Youhaveciliainyournasalpassagesandlungtubeswhichbeatlikebroomstobeatoutanythingthatstartstogetin,"Roizensaid.Yourgutalsoplaysanimportantroleinyourimmunehealth."Inyourintestineyouhaveacoatingonyourintestinalwallandahugepartofyourimmunesystem,morethan40%ofyourimmunesystemisinyourintestinalwallpreventingthingsfromthefoodyoueatandthebacteriaandvirusesthatgetintostopthemfrompenetrating."Nowthatyouknowhowyourimmunesystemworks,let'sexplorehowyoucankeepitworkingeffectively.NutritionWhenyouarefeelingstressedorsad,it'sreallyeasytolethealthyeatingfalltothewayside.Buteatingjunkfood,especiallysugar,couldcausemoredamagetoyouthanjustexpandingyourwaistline.Yourwhitebloodcellsareresponsiblefortakingcareofbadvirusesandbacteriainyourbody,andaccordingtoRoizen,sugarisonethingthatcankeepthemfromdoingtheirjob."Toomuchsugarinyoursystemallowsthebacteriaorvirusestopropagatemuchmorebecauseyourinitialinnatesystemdoesn'tworkaswell.That'swhydiabetics,forexample,havemoreinfections,"Roizensays.A2018studyshowedthathigh-sugardietswereresponsibleforincreasinginflammationandsuppressingtheimmunesysteminflies.Anotherstudyshowedthatsugarconsumptionclearlyaffectedwhitebloodcells'abilitytofightbacteriaforabout5hoursaftereatingit--allthemorereasontowatchhowmanysweetsyou'reeatingandlookoutforsneakyaddedsugars.SupplementsSomesupplements,likevitaminC,vitaminDandzincmayhelpsupportyourimmunesystem. GettyImages Whilethereisnosinglesupplementthatcanmagicallymakeyouimmunetosickness,thereareseveralthatsciencehasshowntobehelpfulforsupportingimmunehealth.VitaminCisoneofthemajorvitaminsshowntohelpprotectpeoplefromgettingsick,andhelppeoplewhoarealreadysickfeelbetterfaster. Zincisanothersupplementthat'sbeenflyingofftheshelvessincethepandemichitin2020.Andalthoughitcan'tcureCOVID-19,itdoeshelpthebodyfightoffinfectionandmayhelpwithsymptoms--butthere'sreallynotenoughresearchyettosayexactlyhowitcanhelp.Finally,vitaminD,oncethoughtjusttosupportstrongbones,actuallyplaysanimportantroleinyourimmunehealthtoo.VitaminDworksbyhelpinglowerinflammationinyourbodyandithelpsactivateyourimmunecells--twothingsthatareimportantforstayingwell.YoucangetvitaminDfromregularsunexposureonyourskin,andit'sfoundinsomefoods,butmanypeopleneedtosupplementtogetenough.SleepPrioritizesleepforbetterhealthandastrongimmunesystem. GettyImages Thestressandoverwhelmfromtheglobalnewscycleisenoughtokeepanyoneupatnight--butnowisnotthetimetoskimpongoodqualitysleep.Youneedatleast7hoursofsleepeachnight,and8hoursisevenbetter. Notonlycanlackofsleepleadtoweightgain,irritabilityandpoorfocus,itcanalsotankyourimmunesystemandmakeithardforyourbodytofightoffinfections.Ifyou'refindingitdifficulttofallasleeporstayasleep atnight,tryincorporatingarelaxingbedtimeroutinethatsignalstoyourbodythatit'stimeforrest. AccordingtotheNationalSleepFoundation,lackofsleepcanlowertheproteinsinyourbodythatfightinflammationandinfection,makingyoumoresusceptibletoillness.Iftherearefactorsoutsideofyourcontrolaffectingyoursleep,maketimetotakenaps,whichcanhelpmakeupthedifference. Exercise Moderate,regularexercisecanhelpsupportyourimmunesystem. Westend61/GettyImages Whilegoingbacktothegymisapersonaldecisionbasedonhowmuchriskyou'rewillingtotake,exerciseisimportanttoprioritizeforyourhealth.Notonlyisitagoodstressrelieverandmoodbooster,butitcanhelpyourbodyfightoffillnessandrecoverfaster.Thekeywithexerciseistobeconsistentandgetenougheachweek(atleast150minutestotalperweek).Ifyouexerciseveryintensely(likeHIITworkoutsforexample)youwanttolimitthosetoabout75minutesperweektotal.Althoughtheevidenceismixed,doctorslikeRoizenandinfectiousdiseaseexpertDr.SandraKeshrecommendnotoverdoingitwithintenseexerciserightnow.Strenuousexercisewithoutproperrecoverytimecanrunyoursystemdownandmakeithardtofightoffinfectionsorviruses. ReducestressTrytomanagestresswithrelaxingactivitieslikemeditation. GettyImages Highamountsofstresscanhijackyourhealth.Butfindingwaystorelax,likebymeditatingordoingcalmingactivitiesisimportantforyourmentalandphysicalhealth.Stresscanloweryourimmunesystembydecreasingyourwhitebloodcellcount.Roizenagrees:"Weknowfromstudiesthatduringstressfullifeeventsyouarebetween20%to60%morelikelytogetacoldortheflu.Inaddition,stressistheleadingassociatedfactorwithcancerbecauseyourimmunesystemisdecreasedduringstressfuleventsandchronicstressespecially,"hesaid.Managingstressissoimportantthatitcanactuallyalteryourgenestobelesseffectiveatfightinginflammation."Wealsoknowthat,ifyoulookatwhatstressdoestoyourgenetics,itchangesthegenefunctioningsothatyouturnonthingsthatmakeinflammatoryproteinsandyouturnoffgenesthatdecreaseinflammation,"Roizensaid.Moreforyourwellness:WhattoDoifYouTestPositiveforCOVIDatHomeMonkeypoxOutbreak:WhatYouNeedtoKnowAbouttheDiseaseHowthePandemicGotMeBackinTouchWithMyRunningRoots8Science-BackedExercisestoReduceStress Theinformationcontainedinthisarticleisforeducationalandinformationalpurposesonlyandisnotintendedashealthormedicaladvice.Alwaysconsultaphysicianorotherqualifiedhealthproviderregardinganyquestionsyoumayhaveaboutamedicalconditionorhealthobjectives. 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