{"id":19746,"date":"2022-06-30T10:38:24","date_gmt":"2022-06-30T15:38:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thepapergown.zocdoc.com\/?p=19746"},"modified":"2026-02-05T07:06:35","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T12:06:35","slug":"how-to-support-your-immune-system","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-to-support-your-immune-system\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Support Your Immune System"},"content":{"rendered":"

With Covid-19 is still grabbing headlines, it\u2019s easy to forget that regular old seasonal illness still exists \u2014 until you get sick. Luckily, by taking steps to boost your immune system, you\u2019ll not only reduce your risk of catching a cold, but also up the odds that if you <\/span>do <\/span><\/i>get sick, your symptoms won\u2019t be too bad.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are eight things you can do today to strengthen your immunity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Exercise regularly<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s not breaking news that exercise is good for you, but did you know that it can also bolster your immune system?<\/span> Not<\/span> only does exercise likely improve<\/a> your immunity over your lifespan, but one single sweat session can also help your body more effectively fight disease.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Both cardio and resistance training<\/span> appear to give your immune system a leg up<\/span><\/a>. So if you’re looking to have a better defense system, try to find a balanced workout routine that you\u2019ll stick to. <\/span>That might mean<\/span><\/a> daily walks and a few gym sessions per week.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Eat a healthy, balanced diet<\/h3>\n

About 70%<\/span><\/a> of your immune system lives in your gut, so what you eat may impact your immune function. <\/span>Try to eat<\/span><\/a> a balanced, gut-healthy diet, which includes plenty of fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, as well as probiotic foods, like kimchi, kombucha, or yogurt.<\/span><\/p>\n

Try to avoid eating too many sweets, as <\/span>sugar spikes can actually suppress immune function<\/span><\/a>. Processed foods (like most commercial snacks, crackers, chips, etc.) are also <\/span>linked to<\/span><\/a> a rise in inflammation, which can tax your immune system. Additionally, while some old wives’ tales prop up cold remedies with alcohol \u2014 alcohol actually hampers<\/a> the immune system.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Hydrate properly<\/h3>\n

Your bloodstream is the highway of the immune system, transporting nutrients, fluid and important messages around the body. Since blood plasma is <\/span>around 90% water<\/span><\/a>, proper hydration is essential to this process.<\/span>\u00a0Shoot for drinking <\/span>about half your body weight in ounces<\/span><\/a> of water per day.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Get enough sleep<\/h3>\n

Just like your brain, your immune system can\u2019t function well without proper sleep<\/span>. Skimping on sleep has\u00a0 been shown to <\/span>reduce levels of infection-fighting antibodies<\/span><\/a>. Ideally, you should <\/span>aim for<\/span><\/a> seven to nine hours of quality shut-eye per night.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Manage stress<\/h3>\n

Stress can make the symptoms of seasonal illness worse for a few reasons. First, <\/span>it decreases the number of disease-fighting cells<\/span><\/a> in your body, making it more difficult to fend off infection. Being chronically stressed can also cause high levels of cortisol, which weakens your body\u2019s natural anti-inflammatory response, leading to chronic inflammation and more illness.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are lots of effective ways to keep your stress at a healthy level. This might mean meditating, getting regular exercise, seeing a therapist or even just avoiding situations that you know will stress you out.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Understand your health risks<\/h3>\n

If you have an underlying condition, seasonal illness can hit you harder than it hits others. <\/span>Those with asthma, diabetes, heart disease<\/span><\/a>\u00a0or other chronic health conditions are at a higher risk for complications from illness, and also tend to have more severe symptoms. It\u2019s important to be aware of any health risks you might have, and take steps to manage them. Talk with your doctor about what you should do to keep any chronic conditions under control.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Consider a seasonal flu vaccine<\/h3>\n

From 2010 to 2020, <\/span>between 9 and 41 million<\/span><\/a> people got the flu each year. The flu is pretty miserable, but you can substantially reduce your chances of contracting it by getting a flu shot<\/a>. You can get a flu vaccine through your doctor or at most pharmacies. <\/span>Doctors recommend<\/span><\/a>\u00a0getting your shot sometime in September or October (though if you\u2019re past that window, it still helps!).<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Getting sick is awful, but sometimes unavoidable. Thankfully, by strengthening your immune system, you can help reduce the severity of your symptoms and make seasonal illness more bearable. <\/span><\/p>\n

Plus, all of the tips above are healthy practices that will make your body and mind feel good \u2014 and they\u2019re way more pleasant (and effective) than throwing back a shot of cough medicine at 2 a.m.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Ready to book a doctor\u2019s appointment? Visit\u00a0Zocdoc.<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/h1>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There are a few ways you can reduce the severity of seasonal illnesses. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":19749,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[227],"tags":[81,106,105,83],"class_list":["post-19746","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guides","tag-preventive-care","tag-treatment","tag-vaccines","tag-wellness","reviewer-dr-nassim-assefi"],"yoast_head":"\nHow to Support Your Immune System - Guides<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"There are a few ways you can reduce the severity of seasonal illnesses.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-to-support-your-immune-system\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Support Your Immune System - 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