5 Healthy Ways to Boost Your Immune System 

Now more than ever, having a functional and effective immune system is critically important. As cold and flu season approaches, paired with the increasing spread of covid 19, you need a strong immune system to help you fight off illness. Your immune system is the last line of defense, stopping invasive viruses and bacteria from taking hold and spreading within your body. Boosting and strengthening your immune system much be approached holistically because for it to be effective, it requires the other systems in the body to be performing properly as well.

The specialists at the Happy Hormone Cottage have years of experience helping patients boost and improve the function of their immune systems. Our experts are trained to recognize behaviors and contributing factors that may be disabling your immune system, as well as direct you towards changes that will improve its effectiveness. We have compiled a short list of lifestyle adaptations that will ultimately boost your body’s immune function:

How Can I Improve my Immune System?

Dietary Changes

Diet is the foundation of your general health. Everything you consume has an effect on your body and how it functions, including your immune system. If you are eating foods that contribute to chronic disease or limit your cardiovascular or pulmonary systems, you could be inhibiting your immune system! 

By simply including more fruit and vegetables in your diet, and less processed foods and added sugars, you can give your body the essential nutrients and vitamins it needs to supercharge your immune system. This also keeps your circulatory system functioning better which is useful for transporting critical nutrients and the removal of toxins and waste.

Regular Exercise 

Engaging in regular and routine exercise is so important to your health. It is another pillar of good health that has so many incidental benefits. A healthy circulatory and respiratory system, and regulated bodyweight are just some of the positives associated with exercise. 

Exercise also promotes other healthy activities like proper diet, helps you relieve stress, and encourages a positive mindset that is important to a properly functioning immune system.

Stress Management

Stress has a profound effect on all aspects of the human body. Cortisol is such a powerful hormone that it can produce some incredible effects on the body, most of which are negative when you have abnormal levels for extended periods of time. Finding ways to reduce stress levels in your life allows for your body to normalize and stop damaging its own internal systems.

Stress is an induced state where your body is responding to a perceived threat. You worry and overthink about something so intensely that your body actually believes it is in danger. This exchange is useful in the wild, but in modern lifestyles where stress is so common, it is more of a detriment to your health than anything else. 

Extended periods of stress can potentially lead to a condition known as Adrenal Fatigue, which you can learn more about by following this link! 

Limit Alcohol & Tobacco

This may be difficult, but alcohol, tobacco, and other substances have a profoundly damaging effect on your overall health as well as your immune system. These substances often come with serious health concerns when consumed on a consistent basis or for prolonged periods of time. The damage they can cause is so widespread that really all of your internal systems are at risk of decreased function. 

An impaired respiratory or circulatory system severely reduces the effectiveness of your immune system. Therefore, removing alcohol and tobacco from your daily routine can have incredible effects on your health and allow your body to better fight invasive bacteria and viruses.

Vitamin D Supplementation

Experts across the country are beginning to understand more and more how integral Vitamin D is to your immune function. We already know how important Vitamin D is for bone health and warding off depression, but as highlighted in this 2012 study, patients who are deficient in Vitamin D are much more susceptible to infection and disease.

You can get Vitamin D from certain foods and most notably, our bodies synthesize a significant amount through a complex chemical process that begins with exposure to UVB 2 rays, also known as sunlight! But if you have trouble adjusting your diet, or you live in a place with darker winters you could be at serious risk of a Vitamin D deficiency.

An excellent solution is to supplement your vitamin D intake. The pharmacy at the Happy Hormone Cottage has an incredible selection of pharma-nutraceuticals like Vitamin D supplements as well as immune boosters that can help you build a stronger, more efficient immune system.

Stop an Infection Before it Starts With Immune System Supplements!

If you are worried that you may have a compromised immune system or would like to learn more about how supplements can help keep you functioning at your best, reach out to the specialists at the Happy Hormone Cottage. We would be happy to take your call, otherwise, you may book an appointment online and take the first step towards a healthier, safer life!