With demanding jobs, long commutes, always-on social media and a 24-7 news cycle, modern life seems designed to sap our immune systems. Fortunately, a few simple lifestyle tweaks can help bring balance to our lives and help our immune system function at its best.
If you want to help keep your immune system in tip-top shape so it can keep you healthy, try to avoid these five top immune system stressors:
1. Smoking
Do we need to explain this one again? When you smoke, you are inhaling dangerous chemicals that damage the body. The immune system does its best to counteract the damage, but over time, the damage from smoking is going to add up. If you currently smoke, your doctor can suggest ways to help you quit for good. If you don’t smoke, don’t start.
2. Excess Stress
Chronic stress leads to damaging inflammation in the body, and is associated with diseases including heart disease, diabetes and cancer. To help counteract stress in your life, be sure to get regular exercise, eat well, and take a few moments for deep, slow breaths a few times a day.
3. Poor Diet
The immune system depends on good nutrition to function at its best. While trendy diets tend to make headlines, the truth of good nutrition is simple: eat lots of fruit and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein, with moderate amounts of healthy fats like olive oil, nuts and avocados. Low-fat dairy and dairy substitutes offer minerals, and yogurt and fermented foods contain probiotics that help keep your gut happy.
Instead of grabbing takeout, try a pre-made salad with a rainbow of vegetables, legumes, and lean protein. Apples and oranges make a great snack, and the healthy fat and antioxidants in nuts will help keep you full and your immune system strong. Don’t worry about eating the perfect diet. If you make good choices most of the time, you’ll feel the benefits.
4. Lack of Sleep
During sleep, our bodies rest and repair the damage from everyday life. When we don’t get enough sleep, it’s much harder for the immune system to do its job. Studies show that sleep deprivation makes us more susceptible to colds and flu and reduces the effectiveness of vaccines. Over time, sleep deprivation increases our chances of developing chronic illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease. Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep a night.
Schedule regular time to connect with your friends and family and earn immune-boosting bonus points by meeting friends for a workout and/or a healthy meal. If you don’t have a strong social circle, try meeting people by taking a class, joining a gym, or volunteering with a cause you care about.
