Cold Prevention Tip: Boosting Your Immune System

There are several proven ways to reduce your chances of catching a cold. First of all you can avoid contact with infected people and items that they have touched. Second, if contact DOES occur, you can take preventative measures by keeping your hands out of your eyes and nose and washing them often. Finally, you can take care of your body and keep it healthy and strong so that it can better fight off the sickness should contact with the virus still occur. Let’s delve into this area a little deeper as it is one of the key components of cold prevention.

One of the most effective methods for maintaining a strong and healthy body is to improve the immune system. The immune system is a complex network of interacting cells, cell products, and cell-forming tissues that protects the body from pathogens and other foreign substances, destroys infected and malignant cells, and removes cellular debris. The effectiviness of your immune system is greatly impacted by your diet/nutrition. There are certain foods, vitamins, and supplements that can boost your immune system and keep your body healthy.

Vitamins/Antioxidants

Antioxidants like vitamin C & E offer direct protection for your immune system. Taking a good multi-vitamin can keep your body in general good health which in turn boosts all aspects of immune defense. Some immune system vitamins are packaged as a specific product and sold as a specific immune booster supplement.

Immune Boosting Foods

Sometimes taking vitamins is not as effective as actually eating the foods that contain them. Broccoli, pumpkins, oregano, yogurt, oysters, green tea, garlic, ginger, red bell peppers, and turmeric are all great food items for boosting your immune system health . Each of these foods have properties that can boost your overall immune system health.

Physical Factors

Being generally physically fit is a huge factor in boosting your immune functions, but make sure not to overdo it as over-stressing your body can reduce the effectiveness if your immune system. A few other physical factors that can maximize your immune response are minimizing damage via UV and other radiation to the immune system and minimizing the aging process.

If you proactively engage in diet and activity that can boost your immune system, you will definitely see a reduction in the quantity and severity of colds that you catch.