6 Tips to Help Support the Immune Support

Your immune system is like your body’s personal security force, protecting you from intruders such as bacteria and viruses. When your immune system encounters these foreign bodies, it needs to be strong enough to attack and neutralize the invaders before they can do any damage or make you sick.

What Affects Immune System Function?

To help support the immune system and help support it running smoothly, it needs a regular supply of nutrients. Certain vitamins and minerals are particularly helpful with supporting the immune system, helping it be more effective.

As we get older, the immune system can be slower to respond. Luckily, there’s quite a bit we can do to help support our immune system.

How to Help Support the Immune System

An overall healthy diet and lifestyle help set the stage for good immune support. Here are a few key strategies you can get started on today:

1. Keep Hands Clean. Handwashing is the single most effective way to stop the spread of germs that the immune system needs to fight off. Run hands under warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds – try singing the “Happy Birthday Song” twice – and dry them completely.
    
2. Be Physically Active. Moving your body not only strengthens muscles, but also helps reduce stress levels which can tax the immune system. Plus, a very active day can lead to good quality sleep later, which you also need. (See the next tip below!)
    
3. Get Plenty of Zzzs. Your body needs sleep in order to recover from the previous day and prepare for the day ahead. It can’t be at its best and fight off those invaders if you’re sleep deprived or if your sleep isn’t particularly restful. Aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night.
    
4. Chill Out. Being mentally stressed is also stress on the immune system. Find ways to relax by doing activities you enjoy and that calm your mind. Meditating, writing in a journal, listening to music and cooking or baking are common ways to de-stress. Exercise can also help!
    
5. Get the Protein you Need. Popeye loves his protein to support his muscle health, but this nutrient also helps create antibodies, the immune system’s frontline fighters against foreign invaders. As we age, our protein needs increase, so aim to get 20-35 grams at every meal and don’t forget to include protein for snacks. Good food sources include milk, yogurt, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts and beans. For a between-meal protein pick-me-up, BOOST® High Protein Nutritional Drink has 20 grams of protein per serving.
    
6. Look for Foods with Key Nutrients. Certain vitamins and minerals are important for immune system support including:
    
   1. Vitamin C, an important antioxidant. Remember when you were little, and you were told to drink more orange juice to keep you healthy? That’s because it’s a great source of vitamin C. Many fruits and vegetables supply this important vitamin, so be sure to enjoy a variety.
       
   2. Vitamin D, which helps produce immune cells. You can get vitamin D in fish, milk, eggs and fortified foods such as breakfast cereal.
       
   3. Zinc, which helps create immune cells and supports their proper functioning. Oysters are rich in zinc, but you can also find it in beef, poultry, beans and nuts.
       
   4. Iron, a mineral that helps create white blood cells, an important component of the immune system. Red meat, nuts, beans and fortified foods are great sources. (Pro tip: vitamin C helps iron get absorbed into the body, so have the two together!)
       
   5. Selenium, another antioxidant. Selenium is found mostly in seafood but also in some other animal proteins as well as whole grains and Brazil nuts.  

One easy way to help get immune-supporting nutrients, including vitamins C and D, zinc, iron and selenium, is to supplement your diet with a BOOST® Nutritional Drink. BOOST® products contain protein, vitamins and minerals, including these key nutrients for immune support – just look for the Immune Support shield on the label.