Things to boost your immune system

 Despite the constant misinformation on how to prevent

the coronavirus, there's no miracle cure, food, or supplement
that can cure or prevent COVID-19 or other diseases. 
Some so-called coronavirus cures are actually dangerous,
including colloidal silver, miracle mineral solution and huge
doses of vitamins.
The best way to protect yourself is simple healthy habits like
sleeping enough, exercising, eating well, and finding good
ways to reduce stress. 

It is true that malnutrition can impair your ability to fight off illness
and infection, but if you eat an otherwise balanced diet, loading up
on specific "super" foods like kale, berries, or anything else won't
provide any additional benefits. 

So, if you're not in the habit of eating a variety of fruits, veggies, and
lean sources of protein, now is a good time to start. Following
common-sense dietary advice is enough to keep your immune
system in good shape, no superfoods required.

Avoiding sugar won't boost your immune system.

Sugar isn't great for you, but won't give you coronavirus. 

While sugar and heavily-processed foods are linked to chronic

health issues over time, there's no evidence that a single donut is
going to increase your risk of catching a virus. 

Research has also shown that over-nutrition, or an excess of empty

calories, can have negative consequences for health overall, though,
including inflammation, higher risk of type 2 diabetes and
metabolic syndrome.

In order to cut back on sugar (as well as sodium and trans fats that
also dominate processed foods), consider stocking up on more
healthy variations of long-lasting foods for quarantine, including
frozen vegetables, oats, lentils, canned tuna, and nuts.

Supplements

Unless you have a nutritional deficiency, experts say no amount of

vitamin shots, juices, or infusions will prevent you from getting
sick if you come into contact with a pathogen like the coronavirus. 

Recently, so-called wellness gurus have been recommending

extremely high levels of vitamin supplements, enough to potentially
become a health hazard. 

Some popular Youtube naturopath have recommended IV doses of

vitamins A and C that are up to 15,000 milligrams a day, 166 times
the recommended daily amount for men, and shots of vitamin D3
up to 160 times the recommended daily dose, Insider previously
reported.

These extremely high doses can cause serious side effects like
dizziness, nausea, and headaches. Even more alarming
consequences include damage to organs like the kidneys and liver,
possible coma, and even death. 

Vitamin D

There is an exception to the general rule that supplements won't

really help prevent illness, and that's vitamin D (in moderate
doses). Research has shown that the immune system needs vitamin
D to fight off viruses — while it won't protect your from getting the
virus if you're exposed, it could reduce the severity of the illness and
help make recovery easier.

It's also a common cause of nutrient deficiency. You can get vitamin
D naturally through sunlight, which many people have less access to
during darker, colder months of flu season. It's also found in some
foods, including fatty fish like salmon, tuna and mackerel, and in
small amounts in beef liver, eggs, cheese, and mushrooms. 

Sleep
One of the most evidence-supported ways to stay healthy, though,
also happens to be free — getting enough sleep.

That means 7-9 hours each night for most people.While you're
asleep, your body uses that time to do critical recovery and repair of
essential functions, including your immune system. 

Just one night of poor sleep can reduce your immune cells by as

much as 70%, research shows. 

Exercise

Exercise can also keep your body functioning well,

since research shows that it reduces inflammation and supports
infection-fighting cells. 

If you're working from home or staying out of the gym, there are
plenty of ways to still get your sweat on — body weight movements
like burpees, lunges, push-ups and more can give you a quick full-
body workout with no equipment.  

As an added bonus, endorphins from exercise also reduce stress.

Wine

During the stress of a viral outbreak, and the pressure of being stuck
at home for long periods of time, it might seem natural to turn to
some liquid courage and stress relief. 

The occasional glass of wine in moderation is unlikely to be a threat,

particularly if it has the benefits of helping you relax.

But avoid overdoing it — not only will you feel worse and need to
rehydrate and rest even more, excessive alcohol use can also impair
the immune system and the body's ability to heal itself, according to
research.

Washing Hands

Experts consistently agree that the best way to prevent the spread of

the coronavirus is to wash your hands, with soap and warm water,
consistently and thoroughly.
Best practices include washing your hands for at least 20 seconds,
and drying them thoroughly. 

No form of supplement or habit can replace good hand-washing,

and that includes heaps of hand sanitizer, which can be a good
substutite if you're in a pinch, but doesn't work as well as good old
fashioned soap scrubbing. 

Stress

Stress can also make a big difference for your immune system,
particularly when there are alarming or uncertain events happening
in the world around you.

Yes, this means managing fears about the coronavirus itself — good

strategies include taking breaks from social media and relying on
trust media sources for information, both of which can help you
avoid panic and misinformation. 

How you choose to relax will vary from person to person, whether
that's taking a walk outside, curling up with a favourite book, or
taking time to meditate or practice yoga or another soothing habit
each day. 

Companion animals can be one great source of stress relief and

fortunately, current evidence suggests we don't have to worry about
them getting or spread the coronavirus. 

Colloidal silver

Colloidal silver, tiny particles of metal in liquid that's sold as a

dietary supplement, has been advertised online to fight bacteria and
viruses as well as treat diseases from HIV and cancer to herpes and
shingles.

None of these claims are backed by any evidence, however,

according to the National Institute of Health and the Mayo Clinic. 

And the side effects include condition called argyria, or permanent

blue-gray discoloration of the skin, and possibly kidney damage.
Colloidal silver can also interfere with the absorption of certain
medications. 

The USDA and FDA have cracked down on sellers of colloidal

silver who claim in can cure or prevent coronavirus infection,
including televangelist Jim Bakker.