We are sneaking into that time of year when summer will be coming to an end. People will be moving back into their regular schedule programming and all the germs start to swirl around. While bolstering your immunity is easier said than done, several dietary and lifestyle changes may strengthen your body’s natural defenses and help you fight harmful pathogens, or disease-causing organisms.

1. Get enough sleep

Sleep and immunity are closely tied.

Inadequate or poor quality sleep is linked to a higher susceptibility to sickness. In a study done by pubmed, in 164 healthy adults, those who slept fewer than 6 hours each night were more likely to catch a cold than those who slept 6 hours or more each night.

Adults should aim to get 7 or more hours of sleep each night, while teens need 8–10 hours and younger children and infants up to 14 hours.

2. Eat more whole plant foods

Whole plant foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes are rich in nutrients and antioxidants that may give you an upper hand against harmful pathogens.The antioxidants in these foods help decrease inflammation.

The fiber in plant foods feeds your gut microbiome, or the community of healthy bacteria in your gut. A robust gut microbiome can improve your immunity and help keep harmful pathogens from entering your body via your digestive tract.

Furthermore, fruits and vegetables are rich in nutrients like vitamin C , which may reduce the duration of the common cold.

3. Eat more healthy fats

Healthy fats, like those found in olive oil and salmon, may boost your body’s immune response to pathogens by decreasing inflammation. Although low-level inflammation is a normal response to stress or injury, chronic inflammation can suppress your immune system.

4. Eat more fermented foods or take a probiotic supplement

Fermented foods are rich in beneficial bacteria called probiotics, which populate your digestive tract. Research suggests that a flourishing network of gut bacteria can help your immune cells differentiate between normal, healthy cells and harmful invader organisms.

5. Limit added sugars

Emerging research suggests that added sugar and refined carbs may contribute disproportionately to overweight and obesity. This aids in suppressing your immune system. Not only that it is hard on your body all around.

6. Engage in moderate exercise

Although prolonged intense exercise can suppress your immune system, moderate exercise can give it a boost. Moderate exercise may reduce inflammation and help your immune cells regenerate regularly.

7. Stay hydrated

Hydration doesn’t necessarily protect you from germs and viruses, but preventing dehydration is important to your overall health.

Dehydration can cause headaches and hinder your physical performance, focus, mood, digestion, and heart and kidney function. These complications can increase your susceptibility to illness.

8. Manage your stress levels

Long-term stress promotes inflammation, as well as imbalances in immune cell function. Lowering your stress levels through meditation, yoga, exercise, and other practices can help keep your immune system functioning properly.

9. Supplement wisely

It’s easy to turn to supplements if you hear claims about their ability to treat colds and flu’s. Some studies indicate that the following supplements may strengthen your body’s immune system:

~ Vitamin C

~ Vitamin D

~ Elderberry

~ Probiotics

~ Multi Vitamin

~ Fiber

These are all things that can be done to help improve your immune system. One other thing that I personally do for myself and my family is diffuse oils in our home and applying them directly to our bodies. This part has honestly been a game changer for us for the past 12 years.

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These are all steps that you would learn in our Elevate Life Community. Having the accountability to truly make the shifts that you are looking for to feeling better in the skin you're in.