For most of us, our immune system does an amazing job of protecting us from disease-causing microorganisms. If it didn’t, we wouldn’t survive for very long. When a germ tries to make you sick, your antibodies kick in and put a stop to the invasion. But the immune system is not perfect, and it can be improved with the right steps. Try out the following 5 tips to improve your immune function and better protect yourself from illness.

1. Diet

The immune system is fueled the same way as all your other bodily functions, through your diet. Like a fine automobile, your immune system prefers high-quality fuel. Sure, it will still get down the road with lower-grade fuel, but it won’t win any races that way or function at its peak performance.

You should pack your diet with healthy foods, including lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and healthy proteins. It’s a good idea to try to eat the rainbow; choosing a variety of healthy foods throughout the week to ensure you get a wide range of vitamins and minerals.

Supplementation can be helpful, too, particularly if you don’t like vegetables. Just avoid mega doses of single vitamins. More vitamins is not necessarily better.

2. Exercise

Exercise is another pillar of good health. Regular exercise helps you maintain a healthy weight, improves your cardiovascular health, and keeps your blood pressure under control. It also improves circulation, which can help your immune system process more efficiently.

With exercise, you want to aim to do things you enjoy because you will be more likely to do them regularly.

3. Adequate Sleep

Most people can get behind the idea that diet and exercise are important, but some have a harder time thinking of sleep as important. Our society tends to reward overworking, late nights, and hyper-productivity. Some people can learn, incorrectly, that they should get only as much sleep as they absolutely need and no more so they can keep up with the rat race.

Studies have shown that we likely need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep a night unless you are quite unusual. Test it out for yourself. Try getting more and less sleep over a period of a week and see how you feel. You will discover that getting enough sleep can make your life feel and function drastically better.

4. Minimize Stress

Stress is another factor that many people fail to consider when it comes to immune health. Stress is corrosive to your health. It may be a slow form of corrosion, particularly with low-level stress that you have become accustomed to, but it is still corrosion. It will wear down your body and your immune system.

Seek to minimize stress. You can’t eliminate it, nor should you try. But you can look for ways to keep stress at bay, like meditation, walking, gardening, painting and so on. Find ways to calm down and get some enjoyment out of your life.

5. Chiropractic Care

Regular chiropractic care aligns your body so that it can function at the optimum level. Dr. Bonnie can help iron out the kinks in your body to improve circulation and nerve function, which in turn will help improve your immune function.