Power Up! 17 Simple Health Habits That Can Boost Your Immunity

Karla Walsh

Mon, November 4, 2024 at 8:30 PM UTC

8 min read

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Whether you're trying to steer clear of the common cold, the latest COVID-19 variants or the flu as we enter respiratory virus season, these nutrition, fitness, mental health tips and more will help boost your immunity.

Manage Stress the Best That You Can

"Stress, especially chronic stress, can negatively impact our immune system. That’s because elevated levels of cortisol—which is a natural steroid released from the body in response to almost all circumstances from waking up in the morning to intense exercise—is thought to play a role in how the body functions physiologically," says Rachel Fine, RD, a registered dietitian and owner of the nutrition counseling firm To The Pointe Nutrition in New York City. "As a natural immunosuppressant, chronically-high cortisol can put us at risk for a weakened immune system."

So beyond a more nutritious diet and active lifestyle, these immunity tips below are designed to lower your overall stress load. (Yes, we know that’s easier said than done at the moment, but it can’t hurt to try!)

Give one—or all—of these immune system-supporting strategies to prevent infections or illnesses before they begin.

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Wash Your Hands Often and Properly

The first and most important way to prevent sickness: Wash your hands early and often with soap and water. The United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) suggests doing so for 20 seconds or more any time after you've been in a public place or after using the restroom, blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. Definitely do so before you eat or touch your face, too.

Taste the Rainbow—and We Don't Mean Skittles

Eating a menu rich in natural, whole foods featuring a range of colors will ensure that your diet is loaded with antioxidants—such as vitamin C and E—and flavonoids that can support your immune system, explains Jana Zwilling, PhD, APRN, FNP-C, a clinical associate professor in the Online Master of Science in Nursing program at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. Seek out berries, kale, broccoli, citrus fruit (or orange juice), legumes, tea, nuts, legumes, seafood, eggs and avocado for a vibrant start to your shopping cart. (Check out these 15 bonus recipes to eat every color tomorrow.)

Get Your Produce From the Best Sources for You

Eating a rainbow of fruits and veggies that doesn't mean you need to stock up on all of your fruits and vegetables in the produce aisle alone.

"Fresh, frozen, canned or jarred—fruits and vegetables of all kinds provide us with many of the essential vitamins and minerals we need to keep our immune system strong," says Kris Sollid, RD, the senior director of nutrition communications at the International Food Information Council (IFIC) based in Washington, D.C. "Only about one in 10 Americans eat the recommended amount per day. Be that one!"

Consume More Plant Nutrients

Plant nutrients, called phytochemicals—found in large quantities in raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, sweet potatoes and dark chocolate—also help the body with these important antioxidant-supported activities. Snack on a fruit salad or end your dinner with an ounce of 70+ percent dark chocolate.

Quit Smoking STAT

Smoking weakens the body's natural defenses. That means each and every cigarette puts you more at risk for everything from viruses to autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, per the CDC.

Feed Your White Blood Cells

Think of your white blood cells as the “stormtroopers” inside our bodies, recommends Valerie Schulz, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist and health sciences instructor at the University of Central Florida in Orlando.

"I know stormtroopers are the bad guys in the movies, but put that aside for a moment and consider the white suit. White blood cells emit controlled amounts of free radicals to kill viruses and bacteria," Schulz says. "In order to protect themselves so they can live to fight again, the suit must have plenty of antioxidants."

What foods have those? The aforementioned vitamins C and E, found in many colorful foods, plus the mineral selenium (abundant in Brazil nuts, yellowfin tuna, halibut, sardines and ham).

Adopt a Mindfulness Practice

Even if only for a few minutes, focus on your breathing. Not only will it help easy your anxieties, but research proves it will also reduce your blood pressure—which has been linked to a better immune defense system. Free apps like Calm, 10 Percent Happier, and Headspace can help get you going.

"A daily meditation routine can help with maintaining calm in a time of increasing uncertainty and stress," says. Dana Rose Garfin, Ph.D., an academic psychologist in Orange County, California and an assistant professor at the Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing at the University of California, Irvine

Still need more convincing? Check out these 100 big benefits of mindfulness and meditation.

Find Ways to Ease Your Anxiety

Take a few minutes to jot down a “toolkit” of self-care strategies that lighten the mood, such as slipping on your favorite pair of cushy socks, soaking a warm bath, or lighting a cozy candle.

"When we are under stress–either physically or psychologically–our body engages in 'fight-or-flight' response, which activates the sympathetic nervous system," Garfin says.

Go for a Walk

Fresh air and some on-foot time is good for the body and the brain.

"Walking outdoors is a great way to get exercise and can be calming as well. Being in nature is so restorative," says Nicole Avena, Ph.D., an assistant professor of neuroscience at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and the author of Why Diets Fail.

Get Moving

Moving your muscles indoors if the weather isn't cooperating can do wonders for your body, too.

"Emotional stress can be as tough or even more so on the body than physical stress," Zwilling says. "But integrating daily exercise can give your body a mechanism to release some of this tension that can be a burden on the immune system."

Find inspiration via our top workout apps.

Get Enough Rest

Adequate sleep is vital for a well-functioning immune system, Sollid says.

"How much sleep you need depends on your age," Avena says. "Adults typically need seven to nine hours per night, and kids need longer. Sleep is restorative for the immune system, but if you are stressed, that isn't always easy to achieve." (Enter those meditation tips above and these six tricks to sleep better tonight.)

Pop Some Melatonin If You Can't Sleep

Stressed out and struggling to sleep? Consider melatonin, a hormone your body produces to trigger sleep—but that you can also get in pill form or in foods. Pop a USP-approved melatonin supplement, Avena recommends, or add foods with natural sources of melatonin to your diet. Cherries, grapes and pistachios are tasty ways to add melatonin to your menu.

Indulge in Ginger

Whether you shave some into your smoothie or mince and stir it into curry, this warmly-spiced root ginger acts as back-up to your nose and sinuses.

"Ginger stimulates defensive responses in the upper respiratory and digestive mucosa helping the body fend off infections," Schulz says.

Pump Up your Probiotic Consumption

Think of your gut microbiome as the second-in-command (behind hand washing and stopping germs from entering your body in the first place) to defend your body against foreign invaders. These beneficial gut bacteria are nourished and flourish when supported by probiotic intake.

"Fermented foods add probiotic-friendly bacteria into the gut to ward off the bad bacteria and maintain the intestinal wall intact. Kefir, yogurt, refrigerated sauerkraut, kimchi, miso and natto all offer this," Schulz says.

In addition to adding those probiotics to the body, you need to feed them with prebiotics. Which leads up to...

Eat More Fiber

What do chia seeds, raspberries, lentils, and artichokes have in common? They're all strong sources of fiber—a functional component of foods with unique benefits for gut health. (Learn more about the differences between prebiotics and probiotics.)

"It's important to also consider prebiotics, or the complex carbohydrates that provide nourishment to these immune-supporting microorganisms. This is where fiber comes to play," Fine says. "Fiber resists digestion and can be used as a food source for bacteria in your large intestine, this helps to increase the growth of good gut bacteria, which can diminish after sickness, especially if one is taking antibiotics."

Consume More Zinc

While we still have much more to learn about zinc's exact role in immune function, we do know that it is involved in the development and functioning of immune cells that fend off infection and inflammation, Sollid says. It also helps keep the skin ready to shield from invaders and increases the body's ability to generate new white blood cells. Score more zinc in nuts, whole grains, legumes, red meat, shellfish, eggs, chicken, turkey, oysters, crab and lobster.

Stay Hydrated

Aim to drink about half as many ounces in water each day as your weight in pounds. (Translation: If you weigh 180 pounds, shoot for 90 ounces of H2O).

"Staying hydrated helps to keep systems running smoothly, flushing metabolic byproducts and ridding of toxins through the kidneys," Fine says.

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