\n\u2022 Moderate exercise keeps blood and energy flowing, which increases circulation and function. \u201cDon\u2019t be sedentary during the week and then exercise hard on the weekends,\u201d says Dr. Van Fleet.\u00a0 “This can damage your immune system and make you more susceptible to getting a respiratory infection.\u201d Miller recommends trying tai chi or qi gong, which are gentle yet effective exercises.
![\"boost-your-immune-system\"](\"https:\/\/www.healthylifestylesingapore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/boost-your-immune-system.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nEat Well:<\/strong> Reduce\/Manage Stress:<\/strong> Dress Appropriately:<\/strong> Gradually Expose Yourself to Pathogens:<\/strong> Live a Moderate Life:<\/strong> Hydration is Key:<\/strong> Wash Your Hands:<\/strong> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Northwestern Health Sciences University The viruses that cause colds and flu are spread from person-to-person, making them very easy to contract. That is why it is important to have a strong immune system. \u201cBy taking a few simple preventative measures, you can help build immunity to a variety of cold and flu viruses,\u201d says Verena Van Fleet, PhD, associate […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[166],"class_list":["post-575","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-health-tips","tag-immune-system"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthylifestylesingapore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/575","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthylifestylesingapore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthylifestylesingapore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthylifestylesingapore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthylifestylesingapore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=575"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthylifestylesingapore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/575\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":584,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthylifestylesingapore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/575\/revisions\/584"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthylifestylesingapore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=575"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthylifestylesingapore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=575"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthylifestylesingapore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=575"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n\u2022 \u201cExcellent nutrition is the backbone of maintaining good health and a strong immune response throughout the year,\u201d says Demeter. \u201cDuring cold and flu season, you should increase your consumption of warming foods, such as soups and teas, and decrease your consumption of cold and raw foods.\u201d
\n\u2022 Get an adequate amount of Vitamins. More specifically, Dr. Van Fleet recommends:
\no Vitamin C: Found in fruits, broccoli, and brussels sprouts.
\no Vitamin A: Found in orange and red veggies such as carrots and greens such as kale. Also found in meat, fish, eggs, milk and other dairy products.
\no Vitamin D: Found in egg yolk, cod liver oil and other sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Milk and other dairy products are often fortified with it. Small amounts of vitamin D are produced when you are exposed to the sun (although exposure to the sun should be in moderation). This may help explain why people tend to get sick more often during the winter (when there is less daylight and people are less likely to be outside).<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 \u201cBoth Eastern and Western traditions recognize unresolved stress as a factor that weakens the body,\u201d says Demeter. \u201cStress can be brought on by emotional upset, poor diet, lack of sleep and other environmental stressors.\u201d Stress can be debilitating, using energy that should be directed to maintain and repair the immune system. When you are stressed, your body doesn\u2019t have enough energy to maintain and repair your immune system.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 \u201cBe sure to keep your neck and throat warm and out of the wind,\u201d says Miller. \u201cIn Chinese medicine, certain pathogens are thought to enter the body through the back of the neck and
\nthroat \u2013 so it\u2019s especially important to wear a scarf when you\u2019re outside.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 If you live in an environment that\u2019s too clean, your immune system will become idle. Not being exposed to viruses on a regular basis, may subject your body to conditions like asthma or allergies,\u201d says Dr. Van Fleet. \u201cYour body will channel function towards things that aren\u2019t pathogens (such as allergies) that normally wouldn\u2019t make you sick. Having a cold or flu keeps your immune system alert.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 Don\u2019t drink too much [alcohol] or eat too many sweets \u2013 it can have a major effect on your immune function. Try not to do anything in excess.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 Dehydration affects your skin and mucus membranes which are the first line of defense in preventing pathogens from entering your body. If your mucus membranes are dried out, it can create a problem. They are responsible for flushing out your system. Pathogens can easily attach to cells and get into your body. This is especially important during exercise.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 Washing your hands frequently and thoroughly can help prevent you from getting sick and also keep you from spreading your germs to others when you are sick. You should always wash your hands before you eat.<\/p>\n
\nRetrieved 8\/5\/2010 from http:\/\/www.nwhealth.edu\/healthyU\/stayHealthy\/strength.html)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"