4 ways to boost and maintain a healthy immune system

Whether we know it or not, our bodies are constantly fighting off bacteria and viruses that could potentially sabotage our well-being. The world is full of germs, and they're fighting for their survival just like we are. In order to help your body win the battle against those germs, consider the following key strategies to boost and maintain a healthy immune system.

1. Establish a sleep routine

Over the last two decades, researchers have been busy studying the relationship of sleep and sleep deprivation to the development of chronic disease. We know that when people are restricted to sleeping only four hours on one night, their bodies produce less than three-quarters of the usual amount of cancer-fighting natural killer cells.

We also know that although we may feel better when we catch up on lost sleep, our immune systems don't fully recover. When a group of people in a research study were restricted to four hours of sleep for six nights in a row and then allowed to sleep for 12 hours a night for seven nights in a row, their immune responses to the flu virus were about half as good as those of people who slept normally.

We need regular sleep to maintain a healthy immune system. To maximize your chances of getting a good night's rest, use these tips for establishing a healthy sleep routine:

Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, allowing yourself at least eight hours in bed.
Avoid watching TV and using your computer or cell phone in your bedroom. The "blue light" emitted by those devices inhibits good quality sleep.
Keep your bedroom on the cooler side. Sleep experts recommend a temperature of 66 to 68 degrees for optimal sleep.
Avoid caffeine at least eight hours before bedtime, and avoid alcohol. Alcohol may make you feel drowsy, but it causes problems with sleep quality.
If you find yourself tossing and turning for more than 20 minutes, get out of bed and go to another room. Engage in a quiet activity such as reading a book or meditating, and wait until you feel sleepy to return to bed.

2. Prioritize nutrition

Our bodies use the nutrients in the food we eat to form the building blocks of the infection-fighting cells inside our bodies. It makes sense that we need a steady supply of fresh nutrients to provide our bodies with the raw materials they need for producing antibodies, which help fight disease. Consuming a diet full of nutrient-dense foods is ideal for boosting immune function. Nutrient-dense foods have lots of vitamins and minerals relative to the number of calories they contain. For example, broccoli and sweet potatoes are nutrient-dense, but candy is not. Candy contains many calories but very little nutrition.

It may sound counterintuitive, but we can also lower our immune response by taking excessive amounts of nutritional supplements. For example, large doses of vitamin C can cause diarrhea, which is a stress on the body. It's much better to eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and legumes—which naturally contain the vitamins, minerals, and fiber we need—than it is to take large doses of vitamin supplements in hopes of staving off infection.

3. Maintain a healthy weight

You probably know that people who are underweight may lack the nutritional reserves they need to fight infection, but it may come as a surprise that people who are considered obese are at increased risk for infection, too. As one group of researchers noted, "Obesity is characterized by a state of low-grade, chronic inflammation in addition to disturbed levels of circulating nutrients and metabolic hormones." In other words, when we carry excess weight, our bodies experience an abnormal state of inflammation, and we're less able to muster up a healthy defense against any viruses and bacteria we may encounter.

If you're carrying too little or too much weight, consider making small, permanent changes in your diet that will lead you in the direction you want to go, whether that's increasing or decreasing your weight. Regular exercise helps regulate appetite and body weight, and it also stimulates the immune system.

4. Manage stress levels

We tend to think of stress as something that affects us mentally, but did you know that chronic stress is related to poor wound healing, lowered antibody response to vaccines, and increased susceptibility to infectious disease? Sadly, chronic stress is also linked to heart disease, certain cancers, autoimmune diseases, and diabetes.

It's important to build stress-lowering practices into your everyday life. Some people choose prayer or meditation. Regular physical activity is a great stress reliever, and so is soaking in a warm bath, lighting a candle, or taking time to prepare a delicious meal with your friends or family. Consider intentionally planning time for fun and relaxing activities in your life to help manage your stress level.

Want to know more about nutrient-dense foods and diabetes? Read 5 nutrition strategies for a healthy heart when living with T1D.