How To Build & Maintain a Strong Immune System

The immune system is the body's defense against injury and illness, and is made up of the thymus gland, bone marrow and lymph tissues. However, the entire body is involved in mounting immune responses that fight off foreign substances and pathogens, and keeping all of the body's systems functioning smoothly will help the immune system to work at peak efficiency.

Instructions

How to Improve Immune System Function

• 1

  Get adequate rest. The amount of sleep that is needed by each individual can vary, but experts believe that eight hours is optimum. A recent study by German scientists for the Journal of Evolutionary Biology found that among human and non-human mammals animals that slept eight hours or more per night had six times as many immune cells as those with less than seven hours per night. Lack of sleep increases the production of stress hormones, which prematurely ages the body and stresses all of its systems.

• 2

  Get active. An active lifestyle helps keep your body functioning at its best, especially as far as the immune system is concerned. Moderate exercise increases blood flow to all of the organs, and consequently also increases the circulation of immune cells. However, it is important to note that overdoing exercise can actually have the opposite effect by stressing the body unnecessarily, which ultimately suppresses immunity.

• 3

  Use antibiotics responsibly. Antibiotics are responsible for saving millions of lives every year, and have greatly improved public health. Unfortunately, in cases in which antibiotics are overused or taken incorrectly, the net result can be that a person develops an immunity against the effects of the medication, rendering it useless. When antibiotics are prescribed, it is vital that the patient take the medication for the entire course of treatment, rather than stopping it when he or she feels better.

• 4

  Take moderate amounts of zinc. The Office of Dietary Supplements of the National Institute of Health notes that zinc deficiency results in suppressed immune response. Zinc supplements are available in many different forms such as lozenges or tablets, and is also included in many multivitamin/mineral formulas.

• 5

  Eat a healthy, balanced diet. Diets that contain less than adequate calories and/or nutrients put individuals at increased risk for infections by stressing the body. Certain foods also contain ingredients that can naturally boost immune function. One example is cultured products with probiotics. They are "healthy bacteria" that help to maintain a balance that discourages the growth of unhealthy, pathogenic bacteria in the digestive system.