Immune systems fight infections by distinguishing healthy cells from unhealthy ones and attacking those that have been damaged or infected. Our immune system becomes less efficient in staving off infection as we age. Older people have fewer immune cells, and those cells don’t communicate and coordinate their attacks as well as they used to. However, there are ways to strengthen your immune system. These four key factors can help in bolstering our ability to fight off infection and illness.
4 Ways to Strengthen Your Immune System
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Exercise/Stay Active
Experts recommend 150 minutes a week of moderate-level exercise, though they say it’s best to follow a physician’s advice and stay as active as the senior can be, given their physical condition.
Exercise and other physical activity, like gardening, housework, or just moving more and sitting less during the day, has been shown to improve immune response.
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Improve Your Diet
Strengthen your immune system by consuming fresh fruits, vegetables, poultry, fish, healthy fats and whole grains. A nutritious diet helps the bacteria in our system digest food, regulates the immune system and protects against other bacteria that cause disease.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the Mediterranean diet is highly recommended.
Deficiency in Vitamin D can lead to a weakened immune system. Vitamin D-rich foods include:
- Salmon
- Lean pork
- Tuna
- Oysters
- Mushrooms
- Beef liver
- Eggs
- Milk
- Fortified cereals
Vitamin D is produced in the body through exposure to sunlight. Healthline offers some recommendations concerning the safe amount of sun exposure required to increase the amount of Vitamin D in the body.
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Manage Stress
Less stress has been shown to promote a stronger immune system, as well as overall happiness and a positive outlook on life. But for this to be effective, a person must make a deliberate effort to remain positive. Don’t spend time reading negative news or having conversations about negative topics. Try your best to promote positive thoughts and surround yourself with positive people to help strengthen your immune system.
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Improve Sleep
Sleep not only refreshes you, but it also helps your body ward off illnesses and improves your cognitive function, including memory retention.
A lack of sleep can increase the health risks of weight problems; make it harder to handle stress; increase anxiety, muscle and joint discomfort and muscle weakness; affect insulin production; and make driving a car dangerous.
Studies have shown the capacity to remain healthy is badly affected by loss of sleep. Risks of health conditions such as diabetes and heart disease were shown to increase with a regular lack of sleep.
The amount of sleep a person needs varies. However, the quality of sleep—a deep, restorative sleep—is important to strengthen your immune system. Sleep disturbances caused by various physical and cognitive challenges rob the body of sleep’s restorative power and the powerful assistance it gives to the immune system.
Other Ways to Strengthen Your Immune System
There are other ways to assist your immune system, for example:
- Wash your hands often and thoroughly
- Get a flu shot and all other vaccinations recommended by your physician
- Stay hydrated
- Stop smoking
- Minimize alcohol intake
- Stay connected with others to combat isolation and depression
Find more tips on staying healthy as you age on our blog!
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