Your immune system experiences major changes with age — often starting around age 60. Protection against infection, wound healing and vaccine response all decline. This makes it particularly important to naturally boost your immunity through supplements, exercise and sufficient amounts of nightly sleep.
Here are other ways to support your immune system:
- Drink 6-8 eight-ounce glasses of water per day.
- Participate in regular physical exercise and an active lifestyle.
- Receive vaccinations for preventable diseases and illnesses.
- Avoid activities like smoking and drinking excess alcohol.
- Find productive strategies to manage stress.
- Spend time outside enjoying natural environments.
A healthy diet of nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables is also key to protecting your immune health. Consuming the right foods, in the right quantities, helps prevent disease, illness and other negative health conditions.
Almonds
Almonds are packed with a wide array of nutrients — including protein, iron, copper and magnesium. A single 30-gram serving has more vitamin E and calcium than any other type of nut. They’re also free from salt and sodium, and particularly low in total sugar.
Despite their benefits, many people cannot eat almonds due to an allergy. Almonds are one of several common food allergies and account for 9-15% of total tree nut allergies. People who consume almonds can experience reactions like hives, cramps, and throat tightening. People with nut allergies should always read ingredient labels before consuming food products. Visit urgent care if you experience symptoms of an allergic reaction to almonds.
Fortunately, there are other ways to obtain the health benefits that almonds offer. For example, other nuts like walnut and pumpkin seeds can replace almonds in popular recipes. Oat milk, an alternative to almond milk, is similarly high in vitamins and calcium. Even one tablespoon of sunflower seed butter, a replacement for almond butter, is an excellent source of vitamin E.
Blueberries
Blueberries are far more than a natural anti-aging treatment. They’re also an ideal source of fiber, potassium, and vitamin C. Blueberries are a common source of antioxidants, which reduce your aptitude for disease and support eye, brain and gut health.
Some research also suggests that blueberries are one of several fruits that help reduce inflammation. They contain phytochemicals that naturally guard against disease, bacteria and associated inflammation.
Broccoli
Incorporating broccoli into your diet can help add valuable vitamins and minerals. Broccoli is particularly high in vitamins K, A and E, and also contains healthy amounts of zinc and potassium.
The fiber in broccoli also supports gut and immune health. It lowers cholesterol levels and keeps stool flowing smoothly through the digestive tract. Broccoli also contains sulforaphane, a compound that eliminates toxins and protects against conditions like cancer and diabetes. Sulforaphane also plays a role in strengthening immune cells against inflammation.
Dark chocolate
Many people know dark chocolate as a delicious treat. Perhaps fewer people recognize dark chocolate as a healthy food item with numerous health benefits. Dark chocolate contains minerals like magnesium and iron that support both passive and active facets of your immune system.
Dark chocolate is rich in prebiotic fiber, with polyphenols that counteract both toxicity and tumor growth. It also contains less sugar than milk chocolate, reducing any inflammation caused by high sugar intake. Dark chocolates with at least 70% cocoa content are especially beneficial for immune system defense.
Fatty fish
Fish like anchovies, salmon, and bass are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids. They also improve immune system functionality by repairing tissue and reducing the possibility of developing a chronic disease.
Here are a few other types of fatty fish that can improve your immune health:
- Mackerel;
- Tuna;
- Sardines;
- Herring;
- Trout;
- Eels;
- Whitebait.
Adding fatty fish to your diet is a great way to improve your immune defense. Two servings of fish each week also improves protein, iodine, and potassium intake.
Garlic
Garlic has long been used for a variety of health purposes. Research shows that garlic boosts the immune system and reduces inflammation. It is also high in an active compound called allicin, which lowers blood glucose levels.
Garlic has been found to improve white blood cell counts in the body. White blood cells target and destroy viruses and other attacks that could compromise your health. This directly improves your body’s response when facing illness, disease or injury.
Ginger
Many people use ginger as a spice to improve dishes like curry and stew. However, ginger also has strong ties to gut health and your immune system. Its antiviral properties help protect against a wide range of illnesses, from respiratory disease to COVID-19. Ginger can also help reduce chronic inflammation associated with conditions like cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s.
Many doctors find gut disorders challenging to diagnose and treat. Gut issues often cause discomfort and elevate blood sugar levels, even impairing cognitive function. Ginger is an effective remedy to alleviate each of these symptoms — reducing blood sugar, improving brain response, and alleviating pain.
Green tea
Green tea is perhaps the most popular beverage associated with health benefits. It encourages the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut, which directly improves the health of your immune system. Green tea also hosts antioxidants like catechins and flavonoids, both of which reduce your probability of developing heart disease.
Many people trust green tea to help them fight off a cold or flu. Its antiviral properties treat common illnesses and serious conditions like COVID-19, helping preserve immune functionality and restoring health after it is compromised.
Spinach
Packed with vitamin C, folate and antioxidants, spinach is a secret weapon in immune system defense. It contains vitamins A and C — two critical nutrients in your body’s fight against disease and illness. It also helps your body produce red blood cells, cells that clear pathogens and remove carbon dioxide.
Spinach can do far more than protect your immune system. Regular servings of spinach help to reduce your risk of cancer and actively improve your bone mass. To preserve these health benefits, make sure to only slightly cook spinach or eat it raw. Sneak it into a smoothie, salad or entree for added immune defense.
Turmeric
Like ginger, turmeric is a spice with deep medicinal benefits. Internally, turmeric can protect your immune system by improving white blood cell production. It also reduces swelling from chronic diseases and lowers your risk for heart disease. Externally, turmeric offers antioxidants that improve skin health. It can also prevent skin cell oxidation, slowing the aging process and preserving skin elasticity.
Incorporate turmeric into a variety of dishes to yield its benefits. Turmeric blends well into beverages and smoothies. Some people apply turmeric to the surface of their skin to relieve skin disorders.
Yogurt
Yogurt is fermented, with probiotic bacteria that help to continually balance gut health. It helps to reduce your risk of infection by neutralizing harmful viruses before they evolve. This helps prevent damaging bacteria from ever taking root in your gut.Preventing harmful bacteria helps make your immune system’s role easier. Yogurt also helps break down food particles, improving the pace and completeness of the digestion process. When combined with foods with prebiotics, like fruit, yogurt fulfills a wide array of vitamins and minerals the body needs. A healthy diet makes it even more difficult for disease and illness to affect your body’s homeostasis.