Boosting our immunity can help us fight disease and stay healthy. While there is no magic bullet treatment that works against COVID-19, we can use these 6 science-backed methods to support our immune systems and optimize our bodies' ability to fight pathogens and respond appropriately to a threat.
And please remember, these recommendations DO NOT replace Health Canada's guidelines for reducing the transmission of the virus by:
Washing hands frequently and for at least 20 seconds
Physically distancing 6 ft (2 m) away from people you do not live with
Avoiding social gatherings
Staying home
1. Eat a Healthy Diet
Micronutrient deficiencies impair our immune system's ability to fight off infection. Eat a balanced diet with a variety of fruits & veggies—there is no ONE nutrient or supplement that has been proven to improve immunity on its own, but some key micronutrients in our food work synergistically for a healthy immune system. These include allicin, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, zinc, and other antioxidants and phytochemicals.
It is important to remember that you cannot out-supplement a bad diet. A healthy diet of mostly whole foods also helps to improve our gut microbiome (our healthy gut bacteria) which makes up 70-80% of our body's total immune cells.
Eating a healthy balanced diet with at least 7 servings of fruits & vegetables will help you get the nutrients you need to support your immune health. Supplementation may be beneficial for some people, but talk to a health care professional before starting anything new.
As always, avoid or minimize foods that promote inflammation, such as sugary foods, fried foods, high fat animal products, and trans fats.
2. Get Enough Sleep
Sleep is critical for good immune function, and is the time your body heals and regenerates itself. Chronic sleep disruption increases inflammation in the body. Lack of sleep is associated with many chronic diseases, as well as infection and increased mortality.
Try to get at least 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night. Both quantity & quality of sleep are important. To get a deep and restful sleep, avoid using digital devices 1-2 hours before bed because the blue light significantly disrupts the sleep-wake cycle (Circadian rhythm) of our bodies by suppressing the sleep hormone, melatonin. Eliminate any lights in the bedroom or hallways that could interrupt your sleep, and keep room lights dim before bedtime.
Supplementation with magnesium or melatonin may be helpful if you're having difficulty sleeping — talk to your health care provider.
3. Manage Your Stress
Chronic physical & mental stress suppresses and dysregulates the immune system, and exacerbates pathological immune responses.
While eliminating all stress is impossible — nor is it necessary, as short-term stress responses can actually be helpful — implementing stress management techniques to alter your reaction to chronic daily stressors is important for your cognitive & emotional wellbeing.
Make time for things that you enjoy (such as creating art or listening to music) and try to minimize things that aggravate your stress (such as the constant barrage of news media on TV or social media). Journaling, meditation, or yoga can also help to clear your mind.
When you feel your heart rate quicken and start to experience that anxious feeling in your chest or stomach, take a moment to try deep breathing exercises. Deep diaphragmatic breathing helps to calm the sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the "fight or flight response."
4. Exercise Regularly
Regular moderate exercise (an average of 30 minutes per day) decreases systemic inflammation, improves immune function, helps maintain a healthy weight, and reduces the risk of developing chronic diseases.
If you aren't able to do this much activity, or have been inactive for a while, gradually build your way up to it. Even a little bit of exercise is more beneficial than none!
Find ways to move everyday that you find enjoyable. If running isn't your thing, that's ok! There are plenty of other activities to choose from: dancing, swimming, biking, playing sports... the list goes on. The more you enjoy the activity, the more likely you are to continue doing it.
Excessive or prolonged high-intensity exercise can have a negative effect on immune function, however, so keep it in balance.
Remember: Exercise is a celebration of what your body can do, not a punishment for what you ate :)
5. Limit Alcohol
Chronic heavy drinking has immunosuppressive effects and harms the gut microbiome (our healthy bacteria), leading to an increased risk of infections. Excessive alcohol consumption can also inhibit nutrient absorption in the gut.
You can enjoy a glass of wine as light to moderate drinking does not demonstrate negative effects on immune health... just make sure not to overdo it. It's always about balance!
If you are struggling with alcohol addiction, Wellness Together Canada provides FREE resources including counselling. You can also join a support group (e.g. Alcoholics Anonymous) to help you stay on track to reach your goals.
6. Don't Smoke
Quitting smoking is the single most important thing you can do to improve your health.
Cigarette smoke suppresses the immune system and increases the risk of developing infections, cancers, and autoimmune diseases. It also causes direct damage to certain parts of the immune system, such as the cilia in the airways, which are the lung's first line of defence against airborne pathogens. Cigarette smoke actually harms every organ, and quitting will alleviate a significant amount of stress on the body.
If you are trying to quit smoking, you can access supportive resources to help you achieve your goals and reclaim your health.
7. Get Outside
Vitamin D is naturally produced by our skin when it is exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D has a critical role in helping our immune system; all of our immune cells have Vitamin D receptors and Vitamin D has strong immunomodulatory effects.
Studies show that low levels of Vitamin D are associated with an increased risk of respiratory diseases including tuberculosis, asthma, COPD, and viral respiratory infections.
For more information on Vitamin D and its connection to our health, check out this post.
Summary
While there is no quick fix or magic bullet to improving immunity, a healthy lifestyle is essential for supporting our immune system to give ourselves the best fighting chance against threats to our health.
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