Quality and quantity of sleep has a major impact on immune resilience.Ĭhronic sleep deprivation is associated with higher inflammation and more frequent infections. So if you have weak immunity, it's a good idea to get your levels checked and supplement your time in the sun with vitamin D pills. ![]() Some data indicates that low vitamin D is a risk factor for poor immune status, including autoimmune disease and Covid. In addition to improving your mood, just 10 to 15 minutes a day of full-spectrum light may provide adequate vitamin D, an important immune-supportive vitamin. Lastly, add in some superfoods like shitake and maitake mushrooms, green tea, and spices like turmeric, rosemary and cloves. The minerals zinc and selenium are also powerful immune supportive nutrients and are found in nuts, seeds, shellfish and some meats. Our immune system cells require a wealth of antioxidant-rich foods - mostly fresh fruits and vegetables, especially those rich in vitamin C and beta-carotene.įocus on getting daily servings of dark leafy greens like kale, deeply pigmented berries like blackberries and gut-friendly, fiber-rich cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, broccoli and arugula. Here are some effective ways to do that: 1. The good news is that regardless of the status of your immune resilience, you can intervene daily to make it stronger. Unfortunately, many important medications that are used in cancer chemotherapy - to prevent organ transplant rejection and to treat autoimmune diseases - can be immunosuppressive.Ĭorticosteroids, a common class of drugs used for allergies, asthma and other inflammatory diseases can also be immunosuppressive.Įven a history of frequent antibiotic use has been shown to damage microbiome diversity in the gut, which can directly impair immune responses. 4. You take medications that weaken your immune response. Seeing frequent reactivations can be a sign that your immune system needs a boosting. However, when you are under stress or your cellular immunity weakens, the virus can replicate and reactivate again. Once you have contracted a herpes virus, it goes into a dormant state in the body. The viruses that cause cold sores and shingles are both in the herpes virus family. You get cold sores often, or had shingles at a young age. Studies also show that frequent episodes of stress seem to exacerbate autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and ulcerative colitis and can cause flare-ups in allergic reactions like eczema and asthma. ![]() On the other end of the stress spectrum, chronic stress can be bad news, causing immune dysregulation and immune suppression, leading to increased infections and poor recovery from diseases. Because of this, acute stress actually helps boost your immune system in the short term. ![]() You are in a constant state of stress.Ĭertain types of stress can be beneficial for our immune health and overall wellness.įor example, a short-term acute stressor - like a traffic jam - is designed to help your body supercharge its protective mechanisms in an instant. Stomach acid, which helps kill microbes that enter through our food and water.Ģ.Mucus production, which traps bacteria and small particles and helps expel them from the body.Cough reflex, which helps us expel things that may irritate or infect us.Think of it as the first line of defense against all invaders and injury. Your innate immune system involves barriers that keep harmful materials from entering your body. Most people bounce back to normal in about a week.īut if you're constantly catching colds with symptoms that linger for weeks, or even get food poisoning often, it may be due to a sluggish response from your innate immune system. You get sick frequently and take longer than usual to recover.ĭon't be alarmed if you get the sneezes and sniffles through two or three colds a year.
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