Increase Your Immunity Now Because It’s the Cold & Flu Season (2021)

Last updated on April 14, 2022

You may have heard of immunity and the immune system before – often reported with illnesses such as the cold or flu, especially recently with COVID-19. But what is the immune system? The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease states, “The overall function of the immune system is to prevent or limit infection.”¹ Our immune system can tell the difference between normal healthy cells and unhealthy cells.

Unhealthy cells could be an infection or damage caused by something like a sunburn or cancer. Infectious microbes like viruses and bacteria also can trigger the immune system. When the immune system recognizes a threat, it responds to address the problem. If the immune system can not be activated, then we have a problem.¹ The problem is we get sick. The bottom line is that a healthy immune system means we get sick less, and an unhealthy immune system means we might get sick more.

How Do We Boost Our Immunity?

So, how do we get a healthy immune system? Harvard Medical Schools states, “To function well, it requires balance and harmony.”² Having a healthy immune system require having a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Harvard goes on to give a few examples of ways to strengthen your immune system.2

1. Do not smoke
2. Eats lots of fruits and vegetables
3. Get plenty of activity
4. Get good sleep
5. Minimize stress

Our immune system works hard to keep us healthy, so we need to put effort into helping it do that. What we can do is keep ourselves as healthy as possible, and it will do the rest.

How Can Our Immunity Be Weakened?

If we can boost our immune system, we also can weaken it. One of the reasons for a weak immune system would be an immunodeficiency disorder. There are around 200 different immune disorders that you can either be born with or develop over time.³ Another reason for a weakened immune system is something called secondary immunodeficiency. Examples of this are cancer, HIV, malnutrition, and metabolic diseases.

Unhealthy lifestyle choices are a common cause of a weakened immune system may be caused by unhealthy lifestyle choices. Just like not smoking, getting good sleep, eating a healthy diet, and exercising are immunity boosters, the opposite is an immunity killer. Having a weak immune system might not be as controllable for some people as they’d like but making healthy lifestyle choices is a good step for anyone.

How Can We Tell If We Have Weakened Immunity?

How do we know if we have a weak immune system or immunity? Penn Medicine gives a few signs of a weakened immune system:⁴

1. Your stress levels are unusually high
2. You are sick a lot
3. You suffer digestive problems
4. Wounds heal slowly, or you are tired more than usual

A good indicator of a weak immune system is if you are not feeling yourself, and there is no good reason why. Your best bet concerning your immune system is living a healthy lifestyle. Everything else is more or less out of your control, but you can control your lifestyle.

With cold and the flu season approaching and COVID_19 being ever-present, it is more important than ever before to keep from getting sick. Our immune system is here to help, but we need to do what we can to keep it strong and healthy with immunity-boosting foods and of course a healthy lifestyle.

References

1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2013). Overview of the immune system. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Retrieved October 19, 2021, from https://www.niaid.nih.gov/research/immune-system-overview.
2. How to boost your immune system. Harvard Health. (2021, February 15). Retrieved October 19, 2021, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-to-boost-your-immune-system.
3. Brown, N., 26, M. M., Melissa, & *, N. (2021, March 8). Signs and causes of a weakened immune system. Fullscript. Retrieved October 19, 2021, from https://fullscript.com/blog/signs-of-a-weak-immune-system.
4. Nadia Hasan, D. O. (2020, March 23). 6 signs you have a weakened immune system. Penn Medicine. Retrieved October 19, 2021, from https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/health-and-wellness/2020/march/weakened-immune-system.

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