7 simple ways to boost your immune system in 2024

Are you fighting your third cold in recent months? These recommendations will help you strengthen your immune system.

The end of winter is usually a particularly difficult time for our health. Although it may seem like the cold, gray days – and the bugs associated with them – are coming to an end, this is usually the time of year when colds and coughs seem to persist again and again. To get to spring without more runny nose, sore throat or stifled colds, it is essential that the immune system is as strong as possible. Here are some simple ways to strengthen yours.

How to strengthen the immune system in 2024?

Choose love

Since our physical and mental health are so interconnected, prioritizing what makes us feel good makes perfect sense: “Engaging in activities that produce oxytocin, the love hormone,” says transpersonal psychotherapist, “can be through dancing, laughter, or simple things like maintaining eye contact and physical touch. The more we feel natural joy, the happier our body and mind are. Science also backs this up, with numerous studies indicating that An adequate amount of oxytocin is necessary to maintain immune homeostasis, promote good immune surveillance that helps detect possible threats, and even suppress stress-related immune disorders.

Chew the food

Chewing food well is important to provide the body with all the nutrients it needs to keep the immune system healthy. In addition to ensuring that the digestive system functions properly, it also activates the release of Th17 cells, which are a fundamental part of the body’s adaptive immune system. This part of the immune system is important as it fights off foreign substances while tolerating friendly, beneficial bacteria. According to research carried out by the University of Manchester, the mechanical action of chewing causes slight damage to the mouth that activates Th17 cells, putting them into action.

Sunshine

Clearer mornings mean that getting up and out the door as soon as possible is, thankfully, less painful. And thank goodness, because exposing yourself to sunlight– ideally before 9 in the morning – increases serotonin, a neurotransmitter that plays a fundamental role in the proper functioning of many body systems. Its role in immunity is especially important, as it is believed to play both an innate and adaptive role in the immune response and mobilization against infections. In addition to promoting the secretion of white blood cells, serotonin receptors help modulate the peripheral immune system, which works in conjunction with the central immune system and is responsible for all immune responses that take place outside the brain.

Think zinc

In addition to increasing the production of white blood cells, zinc plays an active role in boosting the immune system by activating enzymes that break down proteins present in viruses and bacteria. This makes them less virulent and less likely to cause damage. It may also be helpful to take zinc as we age, when the immune system naturally declines (known as immune senescence). When this occurs, an imbalance between immune cells can mean that there are not enough adequate defenses against new invading threats to the immune system, leaving it vulnerable. Zinc restores balance for stronger defense.

Maximize movement

Exercising regularly is an essential part of almost any recovery process, but its preventive role in keeping the immune system in shape should not be underestimated: “Increasing regular, daily physical activity can improve the projection and activity of immune cells and T cells, which play a crucial role in reducing and eliminating pathogens”. “Resistance training has been shown to stimulate the production of important myokines, modify the number of white blood cells (vital for disease prevention and control) and improve the immune response”.

Stock up on vitamin D

Like serotonin, vitamin D contributes to the body’s adaptive and innate immune responses. In places where winter is more intense, during those months, it is difficult to get enough, since there is not enough sunlight to stimulate its production, so it is essential to take supplements: “Research suggests that vitamin D increases the production of certain proteins that can fight infections” “in addition, it helps control the release of certain signals from the immune system and promotes the initial defense system against infections.”

Shake your system

Good news if you are already a fan of cold water therapy: according to research, the shock of cold temperature causes the production of leukocytes in the body. These white blood cells circulate in the blood and are the first line of defense against infections and diseases. A study in the Netherlands, which compared people who took cold showers with those who did not, found that those who took cold showers for 30, 60 or 90 seconds for 90 days missed work 29% less than those who did not.