8 Ways To Boost Your Immune System

Last year everyone in my family got sick A LOT. It was absolutely horrible and exhausting! We couldn’t do much and were all miserable until late spring. After getting sick so much, I decided to look into ways we could boost our immune system so we can stay healthy!

Here are some ways my family and I will be boosting our immune system to stay healthy this year.

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1. Take Elderberry

Have you heard of elderberry? I only heard about it a few years ago through a friend who uses it for her family to stay healthy. I’m finding out more and more that people use this and swear by it!

Very curious about elderberry, I did some research and found a study conducted by doctors who gave elderberry to a group of patients and gave a placebo (sugar pill) to another group of patients. The study results showed that patients who received the elderberry recovered significantly faster.

What is with elderberry that helps you recover faster and keeps you from getting sick? These berries are packed with vitamins and antioxidants that boosts your immune system and tame inflammation.

I recently got an opportunity to try some from Sambucol through Tryazon. Sambucol has different ways you can take elderberry like gummies and syrup. You can make your own too, but if you choose to buy you can get Sambucol products from Amazon or your local drug store.

2. Avoid Sugar

This is probably no surprise to you, but sugar is known to weaken the immune system. I love chocolate so avoiding sugar is difficult for me, but I will be cutting out sugar as much as I can to stay away from getting sick.

Eat a well balanced meal with lots of colorful veggies. Try adding yogurt for breakfast to get good bacteria in too! When you have a healthy gut you are less likely to get sick. Another key vitamin is vitamin D. Vitamin D fights viruses and bad bacteria.

3. Exercise

Get your body moving by walking, running, dancing, or playing sports. Not only will this help you stay healthy and fit, but it will also give you energy and fight off stress.

Active people can reduce the chance of getting sick by nearly 50%. Just exercising 20 minutes a day can boost your immune system.

4. Avoid or Minimize Stress

Speaking of stress, try to manage your stress, because people who are stressed get sick easier and more often. It’s easier said than done, I know, but there are things you can do to help manage stress.

Praying, meditating, exercising, getting a massage, or talking to your mom or best friend are some ideas to help you reduce stress. Engaging in your hobbies and journaling are great ways to manage stress too!

5. Use Essential Oils

Essential oils are getting really popular these days! I am no expert with essential oils, but it is something that I want to look into more. I’m hoping to get an essential oil diffuser to put in my bedroom. Plus, I love certain smells like lavender and eucalyptus.

If you don’t have an essential oil diffuser consider using a humidifier to keep your mucus membranes from drying out. I like to use ours in the cold months in our bedrooms.

6. Drink Green Tea

Green tea has many benefits and it includes antioxidants. I love the bitter taste of green tea, but if you don’t like it just mix some honey with it. Whenever I feel like my body needs a boost, I drink some green tea right away.

7. Wash Your Hands

Germs are everywhere and they can live on surfaces for sometimes weeks! When we got the stomach bug last season, it seemed like everyone else got it too. If you are out in public, carry hand sanitizer with you and make a habit of washing your hands.

8. Get Enough Sleep

If you aren’t getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep, you may be setting yourself up to get sick. The less sleep you get the more likely you will get sick.

Did you know that you are 30% more likely to get in a car accident on only 6 hours of sleep than after 7 or 9 hours of sleep (Better Homes & Gardens, 1/2019)? That’s enough to convince me to get a good night’s rest!

What are some ways you stay healthy?