If a group of people are all exposed to someone who is sick some of the group would get sick, but not all of them. What is the difference?

It all comes down to an individuals immune system. We are fighting off nasty bugs all the time. Sometimes the bugs win and we get sick. If your immune system is not running at 100% you are more likely to get sick.

So what are the best ways to boost your immune system?

You are what you eat

Let’s start with food. If you eat junk your system is going to run poorly. There are all kinds of named diets out there and it can get confusing. I’ll keep it simple. Eat real food. If it comes in a package it may not be the best for you. The bulk of your diet should be fresh, preferably organic, vegetables and fruits. Followed by healthy protein from organic meats. Fruits and vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants your body needs to keep all systems running at peak. Meats give you the protein you need for energy and maintaining muscle and the fats are key for many of the processes in your body.

One of the best snacks are nuts. Nuts are full of antioxidants, vitamins, protein and healthy fats. The fats and protein in them will fill you up and give you lasting energy as opposed to the energy peaks and crashes that come with carbohydrate or sugar based snacks.

When it comes to sugar you should be avoiding it as much as possible. This is challenging as it is in everything! Packaged food is engineered by food scientists to make you eat more of it. It is designed to feed the pockets of corporations not your body. Sugar upsets many of the natural processes in your body and will prevent you from ever running at your peak.

Hydrate

Making sure you are drinking enough water is very important. All of the systems and functions of your body need water. Water is all they need. You don’t need any of the fancy energy drinks. They are loaded with unnecessary chemicals, artificial colors and flavors. Get a quality water filter for your tap water and use a stainless steel water bottle. Have it with you at all times so you are drinking throughout the day.

Take the right supplements

Most of your nutrients should be coming from food but we will never be perfect. To fill in the gaps there are three basic supplements everyone should be taking. First a quality multivitamin to make sure you are getting enough of the essential vitamins and minerals you need. Second would be fish oil. Fish oil and the Omega 3 fats in it are essential for the function of our nervous system including our brain. It is also a powerful anti-inflammatory. Third would be probiotics. These are the essential gut bacteria we need to properly breakdown food, synthesize some vitamins and directly boosts our immune system by helping the body tag and identify the bad bugs in our system.

A fourth supplement I would add, depending on where you live and the time of year, is vitamin d. If it is winter and you live in northern latitudes like half the country you should be supplementing. In the summer and in the southern parts of the country you can get enough from the sun just by being outside. Vitamin d levels are a key component of your immune system.

Movement is life

Our body is designed for movement, not sitting in a car to sit at a desk then come home and sit in front of the T.V. Like diets there are countless ways to get exercise and no single way is right for everyone. I recommend doing what you like. Unless that’s sitting in front of the T.V. exercising your finger with the remote.

If you like the structure of the gym then great go there and lift things up and put them down. Want to twist yourself in challenging positions? Sign up for a yoga class. Want to be able to fight for the last roll of toilet paper? Might I recommend taking up a martial arts lesson?

The point is doing something you enjoy so you keep doing it! If you can take it outside even better then you can get your vitamin d at the same time. Even if it’s just taking a walk outside each day at lunch or after work that’s better than nothing.

Reduce stress

Stress is one of the most damaging things to our body and particularly our immune system. Right now it is very difficult to avoid it. Start by turning off the news. Watching doom and gloom all day is not going to do anything positive for your health. Even when we aren’t in the middle of a pandemic the news is designed to keep you afraid. No one is going to watch 24 hour news channels about sunshine and rainbows. That would be bad for their business model because then you might actually turn it off and go outside.

Speaking of which, being out in nature is one of the best ways to combat stress. It allows the mind to reset and relax. Exercise is also a great counter to stress. Connect with family and friends. We need these personal relationships to help us out now more than ever. Just do it at an approved distance.

Get enough rest

When we are sleeping is when our body recharges and does most of the healing. You should try to get a minimum of 6 hours of sleep each night. Maximize those hours by making sure the room is completely dark. That means no night lights or light from the phone or alarm clock and definitely no T.V.! Any light in the room upsets your circadian rhythm. This is the natural cycling of your body that happens from the light change and is key to melatonin production which is related to several aspects of health.

You are in control of your health!

Start implementing these basic tips to take back control of your health. Inside each of us is an innate wisdom that knows how to heal and protect us. There is a reason you don’t have to actively think about healing your finger after you cut it. Your body knows what to do. Give it everything it needs to do it at it’s best.