How to Boost Your Immune System Quickly

Support Your Immune System

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people have become increasingly aware of the need to boost their immunity to disease. There has never been a better time to gain interest in how our bodies were created to withstand and heal quickly from pathogens, viruses, and other health threats.

The great news is that we as humans are quite resilient! We are equipped with so many features that enable us to thrive in the face of danger. On the flip side, however, our lifestyles have a great impact on whether or not we can take full advantage of those features.

If you’re interested in finding out what you can do to tap into your body’s protective and healing mechanisms, read on…

What Are Signs of a Weak Immune System?

First, let’s find out what we’re working with. How do you know whether or not your immune system is strong enough to withstand the Coronavirus or any other biological threat?

Before we discuss the potential strength of your immune system, let’s get our terminology correct. The term “weak immune system” doesn’t necessarily mean your body is a wimp. It could mean that your immune system is actually quite functional, but it is busy fighting something else, and perhaps after months or years of being inundated with pathogens, it is simply battle-worn. It’s also possible that you acquired a battle-worn immune system from birth due to a prolonged or even generational fight against the disease. This is called “primary immunodeficiency,” and if you have been labeled with that term, you are likely quite familiar with chronic illness, as you have an increased susceptibility to infection.

On the other hand, your immune system may also be hyperactive. This can occur when you suffer from an allergic reaction to food or something in your environment to which you are constantly exposed.

What Are the Symptoms of an Overactive Immune System?

An overactive immune system occurs when the immune system is overstimulated by perceived threats in the environment. The triggers that set off this reaction can range from seasonal plants, pollen and cat dander, to various foods. The problem with this is that the inflammation the body produces as a mechanism to heal and repair damaged tissue can, in the long run, lead to other health issues.

When the immune system becomes so overactive, to the point that it begins to attack its own body, the resulting range of conditions is collectively known as autoimmune disease. The most common autoimmune diseases include Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD), Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Psoriasis. Even eczema has recently been classified into this category.

What can complicate this further is that most prescription medical treatments for allergies and autoimmune diseases suppress the immune system. So, if you are currently taking prescription medication for an autoimmune condition, you are likely considered immuno-compromised. If this is you, your immune system has been intentionally weakened so that it does not attack other systems in your body; but that means you are unprotected from other threats, ranging from the common cold to more serious pathogens and viruses.

What Causes Immune System Disorder?

To sum it up, your immune system can be compromised by the following:

If you were born with or acquired a low immune system through chronic or prolonged illness, you may suffer from primary immunodeficiency.
On the condition you succumbed to a disease that is taxing your immune system, you may suffer from acquired immunodeficiency.
If you suffer from a chronic allergic reaction, you may have an immune system that is overly active.
Suffer from chronic ailments caused by an immune system that is attacking your own body, this is referred to as autoimmune disease.

What Are the First Signs of a Weak Immune System?

Chronic illness: If you are always sick–always sniffling, coughing, suffering stomach problems, have frequent aches and pains, your immune system is likely burdened by a pre-existing battle.
Susceptibility to infection: If you are otherwise pain-free, yet always seem to be the first to catch whatever bug is going around, your immune system may be compromised without you knowing it. If you have been depriving your body of sleep, essential nutrients, or over burdening it with excess stress and/or toxic foods, your immune system is most likely too weak to fight off invaders.
Your wounds do not heal quickly: If you cut yourself and the wound lingers for longer than it should, that means your immune cells are not helping your skin to regenerate as it should. This leaves you vulnerable to a secondary infection, which could lead to more serious problems.
You suffer from persistent skin rashes and irritations: If you are always falling prey to an infectious skin rash, chances are your defenses are down. If your skin is constantly flakey, itchy and red, but not infectious, this can be a sign of a hyper-active immune system. As noted above, eczema has recently been categorized as an auto-immune disorder, so it’s a good idea to stop using whatever topical cream you might be using to treat the problem and look into a possible underlying condition.
Chronic fatigue: If you are constantly feeling exhausted, this should be a signal that something is out of whack. If it’s a result of sleep deprivation, you may be putting your immune system at risk. If you think you are getting enough sleep but still feel tired all the time, that may be a sign that your immune system is already compromised… it feels exactly the way you feel and is unable to respond quickly to invaders.

How Does Stress Affect the Immune System?

If you’ve paid attention to any type of wellness information, you’re likely already aware of the negative impact stress can have on your body. You may be familiar with how you feel when you are stressed. Typically, you can feel your heart beating faster, your breath quickening, and your muscles becoming more tense. All of these physical responses prepare you to react quickly in emergency situations.

What you may not be able to feel is the array of hormones your brain sends out during this response. The main hormone released in this defense mechanism is cortisol, which is often referred to as the “stress hormone.” In reality, cortisol helps protect many different body functions, including blood sugar levels, metabolism, memory formulation, blood pressure, and it can help reduce inflammation. But when cortisol is released in abundance, over and over again, it creates imbalance in your hormone levels that will increase your susceptibility to disease.

Experts have suggested that stress is the culprit behind up to 90% of all illness, including serious diseases such as cancer and heart disease. They claim that too much cortisol decreases white blood cells and increases tumor development, infection and tissue damage.

So, if you find yourself in high-stress situations often, it is imperative that you develop some good habits to counteract the effects of stress on your body.

Stress Management Techniques

Breathe deeply. As soon as you feel your heart rate quicken, you’ll probably notice your breath is shorter, as well. Counteract this by taking long deep breaths. It’s always best to breathe through your nose, unless you are too congested to do so. Inhale for as long as you can (slowly count to 3 or longer), and then exhale for the same amount of time. Repeat this at least three times, or as many times as necessary to feel a difference in your heart rate.
Take a walk. If you can get outside for a 10-minute or longer walk, this will do wonders to clear your head and rejuvenate your body to handle the anxiety you are feeling.
Focus your thoughts. Often when we are stressed our minds jump to the most negative and fear-inducing thoughts we can imagine, which only increases anxiety. Pay attention to what thoughts are racing through your mind in the moment you feel stressed and counteract those thoughts with something positive and calming.
Meditate. Slow down your brain by focusing on that one positive thought that gives you peace. Just like a period makes you pause at the end of a sentence, you can stop your thoughts with an intentional period. Repeat that positive thought over and over again. It may take practice to control your thoughts, but it will help you to learn how to focus and calm the fire that may be raging within your body.
Exercise. Just a 20-minute session of intense exercise will not only boost your mood, but doing so regularly will also help regulate your cortisol levels and improve your overall health.

What Can I Eat or Drink to Boost My Immune System?

When it comes to boosting your immune system, it is probably equally important to ask what you should avoid eating, in addition to asking what you should be eating.

Foods to limit or avoid altogether:

Sugar: Just one teaspoon of sugar may weaken your immune system for up to four hours after consumption. So if you are feeling ill or trying to boost your immune, you should avoid sugar at all costs.
Excessive alcohol: While wine in moderation (a glass with dinner, for example) can be a healthy way to help digest food, drinking too much alcohol can suppress your immune system.
Processed foods and refined carbohydrates: This pretty much includes anything packaged in a box or a bag–even many “organic” varieties. These foods are typically high in sugar and vegetable oils, which wreak havoc on your health and make your immune system sluggish.
Allergens: This will likely vary from person to person, but some of the common allergens and inflammation causing foods include peanuts, conventional dairy foods and gluten. While some people tolerate peanuts just fine, others may be completely allergic. High quality dairy products that are pasture raised and not ultra-pasteurized can be a healthy addition to the diet. But if you are lactose intolerant or only have access to conventional dairy, these foods can be highly inflammatory. And gluten is a byproduct of wheat that many people cannot tolerate, even if they don’t see visible evidence of gluten intolerance. Often eliminating gluten from the diet will result in an immediate increase of energy.

Foods that support your immune system:

Fresh vegetables, including broccoli, spinach and bell peppers
Anti-inflammatory foods, such as turmeric, ginger, and garlic
Citrus fruits, including lemons, oranges, grapefruits and lime, as well as other foods high in vitamin C, such as strawberries, tomatoes, kiwifruit, kale and cantaloupe
Bone broth and homemade soup
Probiotic rich foods, such as homemade kefir, yogurt (non-commercial), sauerkraut and kimchi

What Vitamins Can Boost Your Immune System?

Vitamin C: It’s always best to get vitamins from high quality foods, but you can also supplement with vitamin C
Vitamin D: When it comes to vitamin D, do your best to get it from direct sunlight for twenty to thirty minutes each day. Consuming fatty fish, liver from pasture raised beef or poultry, and egg yolks from pastured chickens
Zinc: If you supplement, do not consume more than 30mg of zinc each day, as too much zinc can deplete other minerals in your body. Otherwise, you can get zinc naturally by eating pumpkin seeds, legumes, oysters, and grass fed beef
Beta-carotene: The best source for adding beta-carotene to your diet is by eating colorful fruits and vegetables: yellow, orange and red fruits and veggies, as well as leafy greens

Do Probiotics Boost Your Immune System?

Yes. One of the major benefits of taking probiotics is boosting your immune system. It is now widely understood that 60-70% of our immune cells reside in our gut, so keeping a healthy balance of bacteria in your digestive system is key to maintaining a healthy immune system.

Reachers have discovered that microbial cells outnumber human cells in our bodies by approximately ten to one. Since that discovery, they have been mapping the human microbiome to better understand its relationship to human health and disease through a project called The Human Microbiome Project. Thus far, researchers have found that numerous ailments–including autoimmune diseases–may be caused by an unhealthy balance of bacteria in the gut. Many alternative medical providers have been successful at healing people with debilitating chronic ailments through diet changes and probiotic supplementation.

Which Probiotics Are Best for the Immune System?

Specifically, one study showed that Bifidobacterium animalis (subsp. lactis BB-12), Lactobacillus rhamnosus, L. acidophilus, L. casei, L. reuteri, B. bifidium, and Streptococcus thermophilus are effective probiotic strains for supporting the immune system against pathogenic activity.

Is Fasting Good for the Immune System?

Yes! Fasting has been proven to be an excellent way to support the immune system. From intermittent fasting (skipping one to two meals a day) to prolonged fasting (24 hours or more), science backs up one of the most powerful spiritual tools promoted in the bible.

One study showed that a 72-hour (3-day) fast can essentially reboot the immune system. Further, it was shown that repeat cycles of prolonged fasting can both protect the immune system from damage, but it can also help the immune system regenerate itself after chemotherapy by reviving dormant stem cells into a state of self-renewal.

Please consult with your healthcare professional before you begin fasting–especially prolonged fasting!

How Can I Boost My Immune System Fast?

There is no overnight method for boosting your immune system, but you can greatly increase your immune health by making positive changes to your nutrition and lifestyle. If you can eliminate unhealthy foods, get more sleep, counteract stress, take probiotics, and incorporate intermittent or prolonged fasting into your routine, you will not only begin to feel better, but you will see your body gaining the strength it needs to heal from illness and fight off threats from the environment.

When it comes to COVID-19, follow the CDC guidelines by practicing excellent hygiene, wash your hands for 20-30 seconds, do not touch your face, and disinfect if you are unable to hand wash. Keep your immune system healthy so that if you do get exposed to the Coronavirus, chances are good that you’ll be among the 80% of people who experience only mild symptoms.

Learn more about promoting and supporting your health and wellness.

How to Boost Your Immune System Quickly – Athlete’s Guide