Wellness Wednesday: Supporting Your Immune System

Supporting Your Immune System

Cooler weather is right around the corner, which means cold and flu season is not far behind. Fortunately, it’s not too late to start building up your immune system to fight off sickness this fall and winter. Here, we share some daily healthy habits you and your family can begin to boost your immune systems and keep them running smoothly all season long!

Good Nutrition

Incorporating fruits, vegetables, and whole grains into meals and snacks provides benefits such as digestive health, blood sugar control and weight management, to name a few. These foods are also one of the easiest ways for us to get a variety of beneficial vitamins and minerals essential for a strong immune system. They contain antioxidants—compounds that protect our body from damage caused by free radicals. Depending on your current nutrition habits, aiming for a serving of fruits or vegetables at each meal or snack may be a good place to start!

Regular Exercise

Just like good nutrition, regular exercise has many benefits. But helping support your immunity is one of the benefits that’s typically forgotten. So how does exercise contribute to a strong immune system? It helps reduce stress within the body like the antioxidants found in certain foods. Regular physical activity also helps white blood cells move throughout your body to identify and fight off sickness and disease. Try finding an exercise routine that you enjoy and will consistently do. Walking, yoga, strength training, running and biking are all great options!

Stay Up to Date on Vaccines

Vaccines are important in building a strong immune system because they help your body learn how to fight off infection and illness without getting sick. If that same germ invades your body later, your immune system attacks it much faster and more effectively. Flu vaccines are most common this time of year to prepare for the upcoming flu season. If your employer is not providing onsite flu vaccinations, visit Find pharmacies near you (vaccines.gov) to find where you can go.

Get Adequate Sleep

Getting enough sleep is often overlooked when it comes to supporting a healthy immune system. When you don’t get enough quality sleep, your body reduces its production of antibodies, which increases your risk of getting sick. It also extends recovery time. Always aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night and consider developing a nighttime routine if you struggle with quality sleep.

Let’s talk about a common MYTH when it comes to cold and flu season!

We usually see more ads and promotions for Vitamin C in the colder months. This comes from the idea that taking large amounts of vitamin C helps boost your immune system or helps you recover from a cold faster. But this is a myth. Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, meaning we excrete excess amounts of it through our urine. While vitamin C is beneficial for many reasons, you’ll be much better off focusing on the above tips to build up your immune system, rather than spending money on expensive immune-boosting supplements!