7 Things You Can Avoid to Help Boost Your Immune System

It’s a new year. A new year means a fresh start; new experiences, new resolutions… a new beginning. It comes with a feeling of hope that the year ahead will be full of the resounding promise of newfound success, happiness, and more.

So what are your new plans for 2024?

For me, I plan to focus on keeping my immune system healthy so my body is armed to fight off any foreign invaders when they come knocking at the door.
 
It’s hard to avoid catching a cold or the flu, but you can ramp up your immune system.

Here are 7 things you can avoid to help boost your immune system.

1.    Avoid Getting Old.

That’s a tough one, I know. Maybe even impossible! Unfortunately, as we age, our immune system gets rusty and cranky. So even though we can’t avoid aging (yet), there are some things we can do to give ourselves the best chance of aging in a healthy way.

To do this, eat healthy foods and cook more meals at home. Lots of fruits and veggies and whole grains. Feed your body the nutrients it needs to operate efficiently.

And don’t forget to eat protein, it’s a key nutrient. Protein provides our bodies with energy (calories). It builds and repairs cells as well as antibodies that support the immune system. You can get protein from meat, chicken, and fish, as well as cooked beans, lentils, tofu, nuts, seeds, and eggs.  

If you are sick or have difficulty eating a healthy diet, consider taking a multivitamin.

And don’t forget to drink lots of water. Since every system in the body needs water, it needs to be replaced regularly throughout the day.

2.    Avoid Ultra-Processed Foods, And Go Easy On The Take-Out Meals.

When you cook your meals at home, you control the ingredients and quality of the food you eat. When you eat at big chain food outlets, you don’t know how fresh or nutritious their food is.

I’m not an expert, but my guess is that the big chain food outlets are more concerned about making money on their meals than the nutritional content of the food they are serving. 

3.    Avoid Smoking And Drinking Too Much Alcohol.

Both compromise your immune system.

4.    Avoid Sitting On The Couch All Day Watching Netflix Or Staring At A Computer Screen For Hours At A Time.

Muscle movements and increased heart rate prompts a healthy immune response.

Exercise also helps keep weight off!

This doesn’t have to mean going to a gym, you can do whatever you enjoy, such as walking every day, dancing, swimming, cycling, or golfing.  

Aim for 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous aerobic physical activity and muscle-strengthening activities twice a week. And remember, it’s always more fun to do it with a friend.

5.    Avoid Stress.

Yeah right…we live in a stressful world! Having a little bit of stress is okay, but if you’re constantly in a state of stress your body can’t cope. Eventually, it doesn’t work as efficiently which compromises your immune system.

Some suggestions to de-stress are to exercise, to meditate, to do a hobby, or to get together with friends.

6.    Avoid Touching Your Eyes, Nose and Mouth.

Think about it. We can easily pick up germs by touching door handles, shaking hands, or using the equipment at a gym. However, that germ can’t infect us until it enters our bodies. And where would that be? You guessed it, through our eyes, nose, mouth (or open wound). This is the reason why we’re told to wash our hands often, especially if out in public.

7.    Avoid Not Getting Enough Sleep.

Don’t stay up all night watching TikTok videos. You’ve heard it before, sleep is important. Sleep helps restore our bodies so they are refreshed and recharged to take on the world the next day.

Not to mention, sleep, helps keep our immune system healthy. It’s suggested we get between seven to nine hours of sleep a night.

We can’t avoid getting sick, but we can protect our immune systems by living purposely, eating nourishing foods, and by exercising more.