Boosting your immune system to be more resilient against viral infections

The human immune system is a system that defends the body against disease or other potentially harmful foreign bodies. When the immune system works properly, it actively identifies and attacks various threats such as viruses or bacteria in order to keep us humans healthy and functional.

If the immune system is compromised, it cannot work properly which can increase the risk of becoming infected by a virus or bacteria and becoming sick. Luckily, research has shown that there is a lot we can do to improve our immune function and protect ourselves against disease.

Here are some evidence-based ways and methods which will help you boost your immune system and improve your chances of staying healthy:

1. Take action to avoid infections e.g. by washing your hands properly and frequently enough

• Pathogens such as viruses are easily transmitted to our bodies from our hands touching our eyes, mouth or nose.

2. Maintain a healthy diet rich in nutrients to allow your immune system to work properly

• Research has shown that our immune system can become compromised if we are deficient in certain vitamins or minerals. Fruits and vegetables are key components in maintaining a healthy immune system (1,2).

3. Sleep enough (typically 7 hours or more per night) to help your immune system remain functional and able to fight off disease

• There is strong research evidence showing that sleep enhances immune defense (3).

4. As stress has been shown to be in many ways detrimental to our immune system (4,5), managing your stress with the following techniques may be helpful:

• Practicing meditation (6)
• Deep breathing practices such as Heart Rate Variability (HRV) -Biofeedback (7)
• Exercising regularly (8)
• Spending time in nature, as even spending 20 minutes has been shown to reduce stress (9)

Don’t forget to also be kind towards yourself and others to maintain a balanced mood and strong social relationships with family, friends and all our fellow human beings.

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6212925/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6340979/
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3256323/
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4465119/
5. http://www.discoverymedicine.com/Ronald-Glaser/2009/07/18/stress-damages-immune-system-and-health/
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4940234/
7. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/psychological-medicine/article/effect-of-heart-rate-variability-biofeedback-training-on-stress-and-anxiety-a-metaanalysis/A839E9C968E54774DF5C8FB186764EF0
8. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/article/influence-of-physical-activity-on-mental-wellbeing/3C363AEECE5C8CAC490A585BA29E6BF8
9. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190404074915.htm