Get Your Immune System Kicking Up Its Heels!

It’s the cold and flu season and if you’re feeling a little run down then you’re in good company. You’ve probably got so much to do and yet your energy is at a dangerously low level.

What can you do to improve your health forecast for the weeks and months ahead? The answer is to get your immune system humming with health and vitality.

Here we look at some of the most significant ways to boost your immune system.

Eat lots of fruits and vegetables and keep eating them often. Do not allow yourself to tire of eating all of the natural good stuff that is full of nutrients and antioxidants. Find ways to make your vegetable and fruit intake more exciting. For example, try making a parfait out of low fat or non-fat vanilla yogurt, a variety of fruits such as berries, grapes and peaches and then add bran cereal or flax seed powder.

Keep your water content high so you don’t become dehydrated. Your immune system needs lots of liquids to keep it strong and healthy. Water is the most important beverage for you to consume. You should also add herbal tea to the list. Drink it often. Experiment with different types to find the one that is most enjoyable to your taste buds.

You need to get your beauty sleep each and every night. Something many people do not know is that when you constantly short-change yourself on sleep this renders your immune system less effective. In fact your immune system will be reduced in effectiveness by as much as 50 percent. An occasional night of tossing and turning is one thing but lots of nights of not enough sleep can lead to insomnia and can also make you less alert and focused in the daytime and make the potential for getting sick much greater.

When you are going through a particularly stressful period in your life your immune system has greater demands placed upon it. This is when you are more susceptible to getting sick.

Do what is necessary to reduce your stress load. You should also give your immune system a helping hand by taking a well-balanced vitamin and mineral supplement. Your health and well-being can benefit tremendously from a supplement. When you are feeling stressed you are less likely to be eating as healthy which is another reason why a supplement is a very wise choice at this point in time.

Vitamin E has been known to boost the work of the immune system. If you feel a sore throat and cold coming on then 500 milligrams of vitamin C taken once a day can help you to feel better. The mineral zinc can soothe your throat that feels raw and dry from sickness. You can buy zinc throat lozenges at natural health food stores and in the alternative health food aisle of grocery stores and drug stores.  Zinc throat lozenges should only be used on a full stomach.

It is not recommended that they be popped into your mouth when your stomach is empty.

Follow these simple suggestions and you’ll immune system will soon kick back in top gear and get you through the cold season to spring fever.

Becca Scott