How to Keep Your Immune System Healthy

As you are painstakingly aware, right now we are in the midst of a global pandemic. Other than staying home and isolated, there is not much you can do to prevent yourself from getting the virus. However, you can keep your immune system healthy to help it protect you.

Having a healthy immune system is key to fighting off viruses and infection. A major way to keep your immune system healthy is to focus on eating nutrient-rich foods. Fruits, vegetables and other whole foods are full of micronutrients and antioxidants that your body needs.

In addition to eating a balanced diet, there are other steps you can take to ensure you are keeping your body healthy.

Key Nutrients for the Immune System

Eating a well-rounded diet is essential so you can obtain all the micro and macronutrients your body needs. Your body needs the nutrients provided by all the different food groups to function properly. Here is a list of nutrients and the source of foods that provide them that contribute to a healthy immune system:

Beta Carotene: An antioxidant found in plant-based foods, such as sweet potatoes, spinach, carrots, mango, broccoli, and tomatoes.

Vitamin C: This vitamin helps build the immune system. Food sources include citrus fruits, berries, melons, tomatoes, bell peppers, and broccoli.

Vitamin D: Deficiency in Vitamin D has been shown to increased susceptibility to infections. Sources include milk, fatty fish and eggs.

Zinc: This mineral is needed for proper wound healing. Beef and seafood are great sources of zinc. If you are a vegetarian, you can get zinc from wheat germ, beans, chickpeas, nuts, pumpkin seeds and tofu.

Vitamin E: This vitamin helps support a strong immune system through its function as an antioxidant. Good sources of Vitamin E are sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, and almonds.

Vitamin A: This vitamin helps your body by keeping the cells that line your digestive and respiratory tract healthy. You can get this vitamin from carrots, spinach, and eggs.

Vitamin B6: Your body needs Vitamin B6 for many chemical reactions, including making new healthy red blood cells. Food sources of Vitamin B6 are pork, fish, bread, and eggs.

Probiotics: These are “good” bacteria that promote gut health. They can be found in cultured dairy products such as yogurt and fermented foods such as kimchi.

Protein: Your body needs protein for proper healing. Many foods contain protein, popular sources include milk, yogurt, eggs, beef, chicken, seafood, nuts, seeds, beans and lentils.

Ideally, the recommendation is to aim for 5-7 servings of fruits and vegetables to obtain all the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that can help boost and support your immune system.

Other Ways to Help Your Immune System

Another way to keep our immune systems healthy is to practice good hygiene. Washing your hands, disinfecting surfaces, and cleaning utensils can all help to prevent the spread of germs and keep your immune systems healthy.

Stress also plays a big role on your immune system. With the state of the world, stress has become a part of everyday life. That is why it’s important to find appropriate ways to deal with stress. Try activities like meditation, yoga, listening to music, coloring, and exercise to help combat stress and contribute to an overall healthy immune system.

Did you know that sleep also plays a big role in our immune system? Lack of sleep can contribute to a weakened immune system. It is recommended that we get 7-9 hours of sleep each night!

Your Turn to Action: What steps will be taking to boost your immune system? Let me know in the comments below.