It is the time of year when things are “going around” and it seems like everyone gets sick. The winter months often bring the cold and flu because chilly wet weather stresses the body and the immune system, making us more susceptible to illness. So what can we do about it? Here are five things you can do boost your immune system all year round.

This is a big one! Cortisol, the main stress hormone in humans, is a powerful suppressor of the immune system. And having long-term high levels of stress has many other negative effects besides weakening our immune system. Reducing stress is pretty easy to say but not always so easy to do. Here are a few suggestions to help with reducing stress.

It probably does not come as a surprise that sleep is important. Sleep is a very important time for the body to make needed repairs and “work out” the stresses of each day. Without adequate sleep, the whole body (physical and mental) will start to break down.

​How much sleep is adequate? There is no set amount of time that works for everyone, but there are several indicators whether or not you are getting enough sleep. For starters, if you are tired and sleepy most of the time, that is a pretty good indicator that you may not be getting enough sleep. A good estimate of how much sleep you need is how long you sleep when you don’t have an alarm or some other means of waking you up. The body naturally knows how much sleep it needs, so trust your body. One more thing to consider is that the amount of sleep you need changes through life. Babies need a lot of sleep because of how much growing they are doing, while older adults tend to need less. When your immune system is fighting off something, it is wise to get a little more sleep. Usually you feel tired in this situation because it takes energy to for the immune system to work and a little more sleep helps the body do what it needs to do.

While it takes energy for the immune system to work, it also takes vitamins and minerals. The saying “you are what you eat” is true because what you eat is broken down into simple parts that the body uses. If you are eating “junk” all the time your health is probably going to be “junky” too. Eating healthy can be a huge subject of itself, but to keep it simple this means eating more fruits and vegetables for the average American. Fruits and vegetables are high in many vitamins and minerals that are essential for a healthy immune system.

​Water is another vital nutrient that is often overlooked. Our bodies are composed mostly of water and water is a necessary part of many chemical reactions throughout the body. How well hydrated we are can also affect how easily white blood cells can move and circulate through the body. If we are dehydrated, the body will not get rid of toxins and wastes as easily as it might if we are properly hydrated.

Regular moderate exercise boosts the immune system. It is important to note that exercise that is too intense can actually have a negative impact on the immune system. Moderate exercise boosts the immune system by increasing circulation of blood and lymph, raising the body temperature, and decreasing the stress hormones. With increased circulation of the blood and lymph, white blood cells move more quickly through the body likely decreasing the time it would take them to respond to an invader. A raise in body temperature can inhibit the growth of bacteria and also can help the white blood cells function even better. And finally, a decrease in stress hormones is good for the immune system as was mentioned before.

This may come as a surprise but chiropractic can also help boost the immune system. Chiropractic helps the nervous system function at its best, and the nervous system controls EVERYTHING in the body. That even includes all the tissues and organs that make up the immune system. In fact the white blood cells can even be directly affected by chemicals that the nerves release. The basic idea being that when the nervous system is working at its best without interference all the other functions that the nervous system controls will work better also.

The best time to boost your immune system is now before you get sick. So give these suggestions a try and be on your way to a healthier immune system and an overall healthier you!