Boost Your Immune System - 5 Ways To Keep Your Immune System Strong

Your immune system is your body's natural first line of defense against disease and infection. So keeping it in tip top shape helps it keep you in good shape. That's why the following 5 healthy habits will keep your immunity high and able to ward off contaminants when you need it most.

Eat Healthy-5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily supply your body with the nutrients necessary for it to function efficiently. And even though you may miss the daily requirements there are other healthy measures that you can take.

Limiting processed foods, excessive sweet and salty foods and snacks give your body a greater chance of avoiding chronic illnesses like diabetes and high blood pressure. These diseases put even more stress on the immune system. Staying hydrated with fluids that are low in salt and sugar can help flush your system of impurities saving your immune system for those threats that are harder to eliminate.

Vitamins-Insure that your body stays equipped with daily vitamin requirements that it may not be getting enough of in your daily diet. A daily vitamin supplement or a Prenatal Vitamin (don't laugh it works) are a good idea. If you find that the vitamins increase your appetite, take them last thing at night. If you are more disciplined about your food consumption, substitute healthy snacks such as fruit and vegetables for the readily accessible candy, sweets, and high carbohydrate snacks.

Practice Good Hygiene-You've probably heard this 1,000 and one times now, but frequent hand washing greatly reduces the number of germs to which your body is exposed. This in itself saves stress on the immune system and puts in better shape to fight more serious infections.

Exercise Regularly-Before you decide this won't work, it doesn't necessarily mean joining a gym and lifting weights, thank goodness. Exercise that will be the rewarding and will work best for you should include things you like to do. So gardening, bicycling, walking the dog, cleaning the house, walking your child to and from school are all things that if done on a regular basis will give your immune system a leg up.

Reduce Exposure to Contaminants-Avoiding crowded places during cold and flu season is an easy way to limit your exposure to viruses and bacteria that can cause problems. Avoiding people who are sick and obviously contagious is also a good idea. Using a high efficiency particle arresting (or HEPA) air purifier to filter your indoor air continually is an effective but non-invasive way to clear the air in your home and office so that your immune system doesn't have to.