6 Tips to Help Support the Immune Support

Wednesday, November 13, 2024

Your immune system is like your body’s personal security force, protecting you from intruders such as bacteria and viruses. When your immune system encounters these germs, it needs to be strong enough to stop and attack them before they can harm you or make you ill.

Luckily, there’s quite a bit we can do to help strengthen our immunity. To help support the immune system and help keep it running smoothly, it needs a regular supply of nutrients. Certain vitamins and minerals are particularly useful in aiding the immune system, helping it be more effective. For more on this, keep reading!

_{How to Help Support the Immune System}

An overall healthy diet and lifestyle help set the stage for good immune support. Here are six tips on strategies you can get started on today:

Keep Hands Clean. Proper handwashing is the single most effective way to stop the spread of germs that the immune system needs to fight off. Run hands under warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds – try singing a song from the 20-Second Handwashing Playlist for Good Hand Hygiene to time yourself– and dry them completely.

Be physically active. Moving your body not only strengthens muscles, but also helps reduce stress, which can tax the immune system. Plus, a very active day can lead to good sleep later, which you also need. (See the next tip below!)

Get Plenty of Zzzs. Your body needs sleep to recover from the day and prepare for the day ahead. It is difficult to be at your best and fight off those foreign invaders if you’re sleep deprived or if your sleep isn’t particularly restful. Adults should aim for 7-9 hours of good quality sleep per night.

Chill Out. Being mentally stressed may also put stress on the immune system. Find ways to relax by doing activities you enjoy and that calm your mind. Meditating, writing in a journal, listening to music and cooking or baking are common ways to de-stress. And as mentioned above, exercise can also help!

Get the Protein you Need. Protein is not only important to support muscle health, but this nutrient also helps create antibodies, the immune system’s frontline fighters against foreign invaders. As we age, our protein needs  increase, so aim to get 20-35 grams at every meal and don’t forget to include protein for snacks. Good food sources include milk, yogurt, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts and beans. For a between-meal protein pick-me-up, BOOST® High Protein  Nutritional Drink has 15 grams of protein per 237 ml serving.

Look for Foods with Key Nutrients. Certain vitamins and minerals are important for your immune system, including:

Vitamin C, an important antioxidant. Remember when you were little, and you were told to drink more orange juice to keep you healthy? That’s because it’s a great source of vitamin C. Many fruits and vegetables supply this important vitamin, so be sure to enjoy a variety.

Vitamin A, to help maintain a healthy immune system. You usually get vitamin A in animal foods like liver, milk and eggs; vegetable sources of beta carotene can be converted to vitamin A when needed. Dark green and orange fruits and vegetables are good sources of beta carotene and other carotenoids.

Zinc, which helps create immune cells and supports their proper functioning. Oysters are rich in zinc, but you can also find it in beef, poultry, beans and nuts.

Iron, a mineral that helps create white blood cells, which are important for fighting off infections. Meat, nuts, beans and fortified foods are great sources. (Pro tip: vitamin C helps you absorb iron from plant sources into your body, so have the two together!)

One easy way to help get immune-supporting nutrients, including vitamins C and D, zinc, and iron, is to supplement your diet with a BOOST® Nutritional Drink. BOOST® products contain protein, vitamins and minerals, including these key nutrients – just look for the Immune Support call-out on the label.