Diabetes Heart Sysetm. Your 5-Minute Read on Vitamins and Shstem. Close Stay on top of Chronic disease prevention health news from Harvard Medical School. There appears to be a connection between nutrition and immunity in the elderly. Certain helpful microbes break down fibers into short chain fatty acids, which have been shown to stimulate immune cell activity.

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Your immune system helps you heal and stay well. To work well your immune system needs healthful foods, exercise and low stress.

But, be careful because too much of an inflammatory response can lead to chronic long term illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. So how can you support your immune system and balance its response so you get and stay healthy? Water is still the best thing you can drink.

Each person varies, but aim to drink eight, 8-ounce glasses of water a day. That can be hard to do. Your body get dehydrated after hours of sleep, so drink a glass of water right away when you wake up.

If you struggle with drinking enough water, set reminders throughout the day or drink a glass of water before each meal. Caffeine-free hot tea can count as part of your daily water tally. Exercise is essential to preventing chronic illnesses such as heart disease and high blood pressure, and to keep your weight in control.

Exercise also contributes to a healthy immune system. It promotes good blood circulation, which helps your immune system do its job more efficiently. Daily stress can overwork your immune system and drain your ability to stay healthy.

Big and little daily stressors can constantly push your immune system. Make time each day to do things to "refill your tank. It can include setting aside time to read, meditate, talk a walk, do a hobby or get a massage.

Discover the benefits of mindfulness Deep Breathing techniques. Sleep is essential for the health of your body and brain. Good sleep helps strengthen your immune system. Adults should try for at seven to eight hours of sleep a day. Children and teens need more sleep.

A healthful diet is important to a healthy immune system. An eating plan that focuses on plants, fiber, protein and healthful fats can help you feel better and heal faster. Protein also is essential to a body that is healing.

Some of the best foods to boost immunity contain probiotics, live bacteria and yeasts that are good for your gut health , and digestive system. Probiotics can be found in fermented and cultured foods. Look on the food label for "live active cultures". The bacteria in your gut may affect your body's ability to fend off infections.

So, eating foods that contain "good" bacteria, organisms that are beneficial for gut health, Timothy Mainardi, MD , an allergist and immunologist based in New York, told Health. Fermented foods and beverages—think kombucha and kimchi—are chock-full of "good" bacteria, also known as probiotics.

You could also consider a probiotic supplement. However, research has found that some probiotic foods and supplements may be unsafe for people with weakened immune systems—including those with chronic health conditions or undergoing chemotherapy. If you have concerns, check with a healthcare provider before taking probiotics.

The body needs zinc to support the immune system, said Dr. Additionally, zinc helps with wound healing. The recommended amount of zinc is 13 milligrams for adult men and 9.

Typically, you can get enough zinc from foods like:. Still, it may help to consider taking a zinc supplement after talking to a healthcare provider, suggested Dr. A healthcare provider may test your blood to see if you aren't getting enough zinc from your diet.

Hydration is key to a healthy body and immune system. Water serves several essential functions in the body, including:.

It's also important to drink plenty of fluids when you're ill. Water replenishes the fluid you're losing through your lungs every time you cough and from losses due to sweating. Moderate alcohol consumption doesn't appear to positively affect your immune system. And some evidence suggests that binge drinking, or more than four drinks in two hours for women and five for men, impairs immunity.

And while there does not seem to be any good data measuring white blood cell levels for smaller amounts of alcohol, it is assumed that even one or two drinks can blunt your immune system response.

As for heavy drinking, a study published in in Alcohol Research: Current Reviews found a link between alcohol use disorder and a possible susceptibility to pneumonia. So, if you're working hard to stay healthy, it's best to avoid or limit alcohol. One study published in in the Journal of Sports and Health Science described the following benefits of moderate to vigorous exercise:.

In contrast, research has found that people with sedentary lifestyles are more likely to get colds or other infectious illnesses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC recommends minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity weekly.

Or, if you prefer vigorous exercise, the CDC recommends 75 minutes at that intensity. A to minute at-home workout , jump rope or jog-in-place session, or a brisk walk around the neighborhood several times a week are good ways to work some sweat into your schedule.

For example, in one study published in in Nature and Science of Sleep , researchers found disrupted sleep caused serious health ramifications, including:. Also, don't assume you can just catch up on sleep after a night or two of staying up late or tossing and turning.

Remember, your body is busy at rest, and it's designed to sleep when the sun goes down. According to the National Sleep Foundation, adults between 18—64 need seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Also, older adults need seven to eight hours, and children and adolescents require even more sleep.

Aim for the right amount for your age group, and be as consistent as possible. Turning in and waking up at roughly the same time every day is healthier than an all-over-the-place sleep schedule.

Unchecked stress, anxiety, worry, and panic pack have many negative health effects. And suppressing the immune system is one of them, said Dr. Prolonged stress also drives up levels of the hormones cortisol and adrenaline. Eventually, too much of those hormones can inflict damage on the body.

You can take small steps to help chill and unwind, including:. Excessive social media usage might increase your stress and anxiety. Still, screen time watching a movie you love or a binge session of your favorite TV show can help take your mind off things.

When it comes to keeping your immune system strong, proper handwashing is one of the most important things. But if you can't get to soap and water, hand sanitizer is the next best thing. Plain old soap and water are all you need. It's important to scrub up for at least 20 seconds—the length of singing "Happy Birthday" twice.

Per the CDC, that's the minimum time needed to significantly reduce the number of microorganisms on your skin. But no matter how good your handwashing skills are, they won't help prevent infection unless you know when to scrub up.

In other words, that includes after using the restroom, sneezing, or coughing. Also, wash your hands before you prepare food, after caring for a sick loved one, treating a wound, or touching any publicly used door handles, knobs, switches, or surfaces, added Dr. And if your hands are prone to dry skin, the right moisturizer can help.

If you don't have access to soap and water, hand sanitizer can help kill most microorganisms. Just be sure to take a peek at the alcohol percentage first. Alcohol is the active ingredient working to kill viruses and bacteria. You may be unable to avoid viruses and bacteria that spread the common cold and flu entirely.

But you can avoid them as best you can by strengthening your immune system. Focusing on nutrition, hygiene, and other health habits is the key to doing so.

These simple immune-boosting habits can help you steer clear of some infections. Others can supercharge your immune system, so you can get better quickly if you get sick. Dietary supplements are minimally regulated by the FDA and may or may not be suitable for you.

The effects of supplements vary from person to person and depend on many variables, including type, dosage, frequency of use, and interactions with current medications. Please speak with your healthcare provider or pharmacist before starting any supplements.

Minich DM. A Review of the Science of Colorful, Plant-Based Food and Practical Strategies for "Eating the Rainbow" [published correction appears in J Nutr Metab.

J Nutr Metab. Kapoor R, Sharma B, Kanwar SS. Antiviral phytochemicals: an overview. Biochem Physiol. Calder PC. Omega-3 fatty acids and inflammatory processes: from molecules to man. Biochem Soc Trans.

Stromsnes K, Correas AG, Lehmann J, Gambini J, Olaso-Gonzalez G. Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Diet: Role in Healthy Aging. Stadlbauer V. Immunosuppression and probiotics: are they effective and safe? Benef Microbes.

National Institutes of Health.

Regularly eating a variety of Ijmune foods Apple cider vinegar diet Immune system support vitamins ssytem Chronic disease prevention, such supprot citrus Immune system support, spinach, red peppers, and ginger may help boost your immune system. Feeding your body certain foods may suppport keep your suppoft system strong. Plan your meals to include these 15 powerful immune system boosters. No supplement will cure or prevent disease, and no supplement or diet can protect you from COVID Currently, no research supports the use of any supplement to protect against COVID specifically. Vitamin C is thought to increase the production of white blood cellswhich are key to fighting infections. Most citrus fruits are high in vitamin C.