15/10/2020 Boosting your immune system - is it even possible?

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Boosting your immune system – is it even

possible?

In the face of a global health

pandemic, it’s more important than
ever to have a strong immune
system. There’s an endless supply of
supplements, juices and other
products out in the market labeled
as “immune boosting,” but is it even
possible to boost your immunity or
is it all just a marketing ploy?

In general, the immune system does an incredible job of protecting us against

disease, but sometimes it fails, and we get sick. The idea of boosting your
immune health is an enticing one and there are many that argue for dietary
changes, vitamins and supplements, or other lifestyle changes as the panacea
for creating the perfect immune system. As alluring as those ideas might be,
the ability to perfectly tune your immune system is elusive for many reasons.

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15/10/2020 Boosting your immune system - is it even possible? - Mather Hospital

There is still so much that researchers don’t know about the intricacies of
immune responses. There are no scienti cally proven direct links between
various lifestyle changes and enhanced immune function. In fact, boosting the
number of cells in your body, whether they are immune cells or others, is not
necessarily a good thing. There are many di erent kinds of cells in the
immune system that respond to di erent microbes, so knowing which cells
you should “boost” and to what number is extremely complicated. It’s not
something that can be done with some celery juice and a vitamin supplement.
Scientists don’t even know the answer for sure. What is known, is that the
body is continually generating immune cells. It produces more lymphocytes
(white blood cells that are also one of the body’s main types of immune cells)
than it can possibly use. The extra cells naturally remove themselves through
the process of cell death called apoptosis – some before they see any action,
others after the battle is won. There is no de nitive answer on how many cells
or what the best mix of cells in the immune system is in order to function at
optimal level.

One study of immune response in 210 healthy twins between the ages of 8–
82, determined  that while genetics play a role, the strength of our immune
system is mainly determined by noninheritable factors. This means that the
germs we are exposed throughout our lives, as well as individual lifestyle
factors such as stress, sleep, diet and exercise, all play an important role in
the strength of our body’s defense system.

Researchers continue to explore the e ects of these lifestyle factors on the

immune response. Healthy living strategies are always recommended as your
rst line of defense in giving your immune system the upper hand in the ght
against invading germs. Every party of your body, not just your immune
system, functions better when it’s bolstered by healthy living strategies such
as these tried and true basics:

1. Don’t smoke
2. Eat a colorful diet rich in fruits and veggies
3. Exercise regularly
4. Maintain a healthy body weight
5. If you drink alcohol, only do so in moderation
6. Get enough sleep
7. Wash your hands frequently
8. Try to minimize stress

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15/10/2020 Boosting your immune system - is it even possible? - Mather Hospital

9. Have a good laugh. Laughter isn’t just a quick pick me up. It has longer
lasting e ects as well. Laughter has the ability to reduce your stress levels
and as a result can potentially help you ght o illness.

According to Nicole Drepaniotis, MS, RDN, CSOWM, CDN, Nutrition Education

Coordinator for Mather Hospital’s Bariatric Center of Excellence, “Focus on
what you can control – your nutrition! Good nutrition is a key factor to help
maintain a healthy immune system. Try to eat protein rich foods from lean
animal and plant sources, colorful fruits and vegetables that provide
necessary antioxidants, and foods that contain probiotics and are high in
ber. Eat well and stay healthy!”

Unfortunately, there is no magic pill or one food that’s guaranteed to boost

your immune system and protect you from getting sick. The best any of us
can do is try and take care of ourselves and give our immune system its best
ghting chance of doing its job.

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