How To Boost Your Immune System?

If you are one of the thousands of people who type “how to boost your immune system” on Google and press Enter, you will see countless results: Apparently, every website on the earth has an idea of how you can have a stronger immune system, and they all believe it is the best idea you can find. Some claim to strengthen the immune system with natural remedies, and some with food supplements. So, how true are these claims? What do scientific studies and clinical experiments say about the subject?

We are calling it the immune “system” because it consists of a series of biological mechanisms that work in harmony with each other, like a real system. Truth be told, modern medicine still doesn't know exactly how this system works: We have a general knowledge about it, but we still have no idea about the immune system's responses and the reasons behind them. However, we know for sure that this system has to have a certain balance in order to work properly and our main goal should be to maintain this balance. In other words, it is in our hands to ensure that our immune system does not weaken: Strengthening it is not an easy task, but we can ensure that it does not weaken. To do this:
 

• If you smoke, quit.

• If you are using alcohol, stop or cut down.

• Try to sleep 7 hours a day, no matter how old you are.

• Exercise regularly.

• Make sure you have a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.
 

Just doing these will keep your immune system working as it should. Your first goal should be to provide the balance needed by the system and you can easily accomplish this by following the above recommendations. But, is it possible to further strengthen an already balanced and healthy immune system?

There are numerous food supplements on the market and each contains a lot of vitamins/minerals. If you listen to their introductions, you can believe that just using them will protect you from all kinds of diseases! All these supplements claim to strengthen your immune system. But, can they really do that?

Our immune system needs vitamins and minerals to function properly, it's a scientific fact. Especially vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, magnesium, and zinc ensure your whole body to stay healthy, including your immune system. But if you have a healthy diet, you are already getting these vitamins and minerals as much as needed. For example:
 

• Vitamin B6 is found in chicken, banana, and potatoes.

• Vitamin C is found in tomatoes, broccoli, kiwi, and tangerines.

• Vitamin E is found in sunflower oil, almond, and peanut butter.

• Magnesium legumes are found in whole wheat bread and nuts.

• Zinc is abundant in red meat, peanuts, nuts, eggs, and dairy products.
 

If you include these foods in your diet, you are getting all the vitamins and minerals needed for your immune system to function properly. Getting more with food supplements will be of no use. Your body does not store excess amounts of vitamins and minerals: On the contrary, they are filtered through the kidneys and you expel them through urine. In short, if you are eating healthy, using nutritional supplements has no effect.
 

Do not try to “boost” your immune system unless you are sick. Your body has already found out how this system will work most efficiently as a result of thousands of years of evolution. All you can do is “protect” your immune system. In other words, in order for it to function in a balanced way, you need to avoid the behavior that will weaken it. You can achieve this by paying attention to your diet, sleeping regularly, exercising, and quitting alcohol/smoking: You don't have to spend any money on food supplements and vitamins.