Your immune system has probably been through the ringer this year with the harsh winter most of the country experienced this time around. With spring allergy season just around the corner, that also means those ever-loathed spring colds, too. Now is the time to boost your immune system and get it ready for the change in season! Here are some excellent and natural ways to boost your immune system so you will be ready for whatever comes your way!
Natural Ways to Boost Your Immune System
Get plenty of sleep- Sleep is more important than many people realize. It is not just for making sure we have the energy to get through each day, but also to give our bodies a chance to restore and repair the damage from each day as well. This includes your immune system. If you run on less sleep than you naturally need (it can vary from person to person, but 6-9 hours is average), you are depleting your body in many ways. Staying well-rested allows your body the opportunity to fight off small germs it encounters during the day as well.
Workout for your health- Exercise actually can have a profound effect on your immune system. Just like with sleep, exercise helps our bodies work at optimal levels so it can work it’s best during the day. Exercise actually has been shown to add a boost to your cells that are responsible for killing the baddies. Even low impact exercise like yoga can help.
Get plenty of Vitamin D- When most people think of a vitamin that helps boost immune systems, they usually think of vitamin C. The truth is, while Vitamin C is important, Vitamin D is also just as important because it helps the body create cells for fighting and boosts them. Low Vitamin D is often found in those that suffer from autoimmune disorders. So make sure you get plenty of vitamin D! One of the best ways to get it is through the sun, so make sure you get out and about.
Take a probiotic- Probiotics boost your good bacteria so they are great for making sure your whole immune system stays in top shape. You can get them in foods such as yogurt, miso soup, keifer, sauerkraut and even dark chocolate. You can even buy probiotics, too.
Meditate- Meditation has been shown to help in boosting your immunity because one of the things that depletes it is stress and meditation can greatly help you reduce your stress responses over time. Make sure you have a great spot to meditate and get started with meditation on a daily basis. You will see the effects of it over time, but it takes only a few minutes a day to master it.
Not getting enough sleep is my biggest sin for now, but hopefully it will get easier once all these college deadlines stop ;P thanks for sharing your tips!