How to boost your immune system

One of the most searched for questions in Autumn is how to boost your immune system. And we’re going to guess it’s usually when people get sick. Now bingeing on healthy food and suddenly changing your diet, while it doesn’t hurt, isn’t necessarily going to boost your immune system. The reason it’s so hard to ensure optimal functioning is because it is a system and not a single entity. But there are plenty of things you can do to help yourself out from the super simple normal advice to some slightly more interesting options.

EXERCISE CAN IMPROVE YOUR BODY’S ABILITY TO COMBAT INFECTIONS.

This could be because there’s an increase in the speed of white blood cells circulating around the body during exercise. It can even help when you’re feeling poorly. But pay attention to how you are feeling. On the other hand, two thirds of adults around the world aren’t getting enough sleep. Aim for 8 hours a night. There are even more benefits than better immune function if you get enough sleep so it’s worth doing especially in the coming seasons. If you’re interested in how sleep affects the body take a look at Why We Sleep and Why We Dream.

EAT LOTS OF FRUITS AND VEGGIES AND ESPECIALLY UP YOUR MUSHROOM CONSUMPTION.

Fruits and vegetables will provide you with the nutrients that your immune system needs. A study by the University of Florida found that eating a cooked shiitake mushroom everyday can boost your immunity. Mushrooms also have anti-inflammatory properties.

DRINK IN MODERATION & AVOID TOBACCO SMOKE.

Excessive alcohol consumption impairs immune function and makes us more vulnerable to lung infections. We also all know cigarettes are awful for everyone, but the smoke undermines our basic immune system and raises everyone’s risk of getting bronchitis and pneumonia.

PRACTICE GOOD HYGIENE.

Remember to regularly wash your hands properly, for at least 20 seconds. If you sneeze, sneeze into your elbow and avoid coughing or sneezing on other people. Keep surfaces in your home and work nice and clean. Also when cooking, ensure to cook meats thoroughly. All these small actions will generally reduce the risk of catching anything.

Lastly if you want to make sure you’re as healthy as possible, consider doing health tests at home or getting your microbiome tested. It’ll tell you if you’re absorbing vitamins and nutrients efficiently and what your body needs more or less of so you can get the balance just right personally for you. We have a specially developed range as well to help rebalance your immune system so check that out if you're interested in improving your immunity.