How to Boost Your Immune System

Our immune systems play a vital role in our wellbeing. Organs, cells and proteins in our bodies work together to attack against invaders such as bacteria, fungi and viruses.

As we age, though, our immune systems begin to naturally decline. Thankfully, there are some steps you can take to help combat this, boost your immune system and help your body fight diseases. Keep reading to learn more about how to make your immune system stronger.

6 Immune System Boosters

1. Maintain proper hygiene. Personal hygiene is how you care for your body. Good personal hygiene is important for numerous reasons, including stopping the spread of illnesses and diseases and reducing your risk of medical conditions that result from poor personal hygiene. You can maintain good personal hygiene by washing your hands, bathing, taking care of your teeth and cleaning your clothes.
2. Stay properly hydrated. Water plays a multitude of roles in your body, one of which is being supportive to your immune system. There is a fluid in your circulatory system called lymph, which carries infection-fighting immune cells around your body and is largely made up of water. Staying hydrated helps maintain the circulation of these infection-fighting immune cells that help keep you healthy.
3. Maintain a balanced diet. You may hear this frequently when it comes to the overall health of your body, and this still holds true when it comes to having a strong immune system: a healthy diet is key to a healthy body. A healthy diet consists of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy and lean protein. Immune-boosting foods include citrus fruits, broccoli, ginger, almonds, shellfish and green tea. This isn’t to say you can’t say no to the occasional dessert – just make sure that saturated fats and sugars don’t make up the majority of the foods you eat.
4. Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight. By staying physically active and ensuring favorable weight, you’re doing a favor to both your mental and physical health, which leads to an improved immune system. The U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services recommends that most older adults participate in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity or an equivalent combination of each per week for substantial health benefits. And, be sure to talk to your doctor to establish your target weight range that offers optimal health.
5. Get restful sleep. A good night’s sleep is vital to your immune health since infection-fighting molecules are being created when you sleep. It’s generally recommended that adults should aim for seven to nine hours of sleep a night for optimal wellness.
6. Consider supplements. Certain vitamins are proven to help your immune system fight off illness. Perhaps the biggest immune booster is vitamin C and, in fact, a lack of vitamin C can even make you prone to more illness. Other vitamins include B6 and E. As always, discuss with your doctor before adding supplements into your routine.

Learn How to Make Your Immune System Stronger at Springpoint

At Springpoint, we’re focused on making sure you have the tools you need to reach optimal wellbeing. This is done through LivWell, our holistic wellness program that offers activities and services that touch on all seven dimensions of wellness. Our progressive approach to senior wellness gives you the choice to decide your level of engagement within the community. As part of our new resident orientation, we’ll create a unique profile utilizing tools like our Lifestyle Questionnaire to guarantee we design programming based on your specific goals right from the start.

Contact us today to learn more about our wellness program designed with residents’ needs in mind.