When you’re feeling good and healthy, it’s easy to forget the feelings of falling victim to a cold or virus. But when a sickness arrives, you realize how much you took your good health for granted, and will do almost anything to feel better again.

No matter the season, but especially in times like now, it is vital to take care of your health and to help keep your immune system working properly. This way, if you come in contact with any germs that make you more prone to illness, you can have a better chance to fight them off.

With the majority of people currently staying at home and thrown off of regular schedules, it can also be tempting to move less, eat more, and stay up later — so we have to be especially careful to keep our immune systems working optimally. It is still important to make sure we’re paying attention to what we put in our bodies!

Attentiveness toward what we consume can be one of the greatest gifts we give ourselves during this time. Adequate hydration, eating a colorful variety of fruits and veggies, and mindful eating can lend itself to greater enjoyment and is one of the best ways we can support our immune system!

If you want to help ensure that your immune system is working properly and aiding your body to fight off viruses, there are a few guidelines that you can follow to try to stay safe and healthy.

Sleep Well

Do not underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep! As busy people, it can be easy to push ourselves too much to wake up earlier or stay up too late to accomplish more tasks. But the simple truth is, if you aren’t getting the sleep that your body requires, not only are you going to feel more sluggish, but your body won’t perform as well, either.

Although getting enough sleep doesn’t necessarily support your immune system, without sufficient quality sleep, your immune system becomes more vulnerable to sickness, and it cannot recover from a virus or cold as well.

Aim for those 8 hours every night and be mindful to give yourself a relaxing space that lends itself to restful sleep!

Eat Healthy

Proper nutrition isn’t only important for your overall health, but also has a direct impact on your immune system. This means eating a well-balanced and adequate diet, as being undernourished is also detrimental to the immune system. 

By eating nutritious and colorful fruits and vegetables, you are providing your body with the vitamins and nutrients it needs. On the opposite end, consuming foods or drinks high in sugars are shown* to weaken immune cell responses for hours after consumption. Make sure that you are feeding your body properly and sufficiently. 

According to research*, optimal nutrition best supports the function of cells in the immune system, which aids them in having effective responses against any bacteria or viruses, and also helps to prevent other underlying conditions. Put simply, having a good diet will help your immune system work properly to keep you healthy.

Exercise Regularly

Exercise, also important for a healthy lifestyle, is another good way to ensure you are keeping your immune system working well. While exercising regularly or more often than normal won’t necessarily increase your immune system response, it helps to keep it regulated and efficient.

Exercise has been shown to create changes in white blood cell count, which are the cells that help protect against antigens such as viruses and parasites. By getting at least 30 minutes of movement per day, you are helping your body perform better, not only physically but internally as well.

Wash Your Hands

It’s not news to anyone, but it doesn’t hurt to be said again. Washing your hands is important to help protect yourself against illness. According to the CDC*, “handwashing can prevent about 30% of diarrhea-related sicknesses and about 20% of respiratory infections (e.g., colds).”

Ensure Adequate Vitamin Intake

By eating a well-balanced, nutritional diet, you should be able to get most of the vitamins and nutrients that your body needs to have an optimal working immune system. Yet, sometimes our diets or our bodies aren’t able to get enough of the vitamins and minerals they crave. This is when it may be time to turn to a vitamin or supplement to make sure that you are getting all of the proper nutrients to keep your immune system running well.

A simple multivitamin may be enough to fill the gap between what your diet provides and the suggested intake. But not all multivitamins are created equally — pay attention to the vitamins present and servings of each included.

MaryRuth’s aims to have the most efficient vitamins and supplements for every body. Our Liquid Morning Multivitamin has many of the essentials required to keep our bodies thriving; trace minerals Zinc and Selenium, B-vitamins, and vitamins C, D, and E all support immunity at the cellular level. And our Essentials+ Multivitamin has the added benefit of K2 & Elderberry in the blend!  

Elderberries have been used for generations, primarily for immune support. Our Elderberry Drops contain extract from black elderberries, which are known to have high levels of flavonoids — giving them antioxidant properties. Elderberries also boast vitamins and nutrients that benefit overall health, including fiber, vitamin A, potassium, and vitamin C!   

If you don’t think a multivitamin is necessary for you, but you still feel that you are lacking a few of the vitamins and nutrients that help support a healthy immune system, you can also opt for supplements that are created specifically for immune support. Our Immunity Gummies are specially formulated just for this purpose. They’re a powerful blend of Zinc, Elderberry, Vitamin C, and Echinacea. Vitamin C and Echinacea have both been shown to support white blood cell production, cells which are important in immune response. Plus, kids love the cherry gummies!

Incorporate Probiotics Into Your Diet

You may be wondering: how do probiotics support the immune system? 

Humans have billions of friendly bacteria living in our digestive tracts, as well as bacteria that isn’t so friendly to our systems. Probiotics — beneficial or “friendly” bacteria — help us to digest our food and absorb nutrients effectively, while overgrowth of bacteria like Candida can negatively impact digestion and lead to other complications like yeast infections and oral thrush. Besides promoting a healthy immune system by supporting digestion, probiotics have also been found to support immunity through modulating immune responses!  

With a USDA Organic Liquid Probiotic, you can feel confident that you are only supporting your immune system even more.

Stay Immune Healthy

The immune system is an intricate and integral part of the body, and there are many factors to be aware of while doing your best to keep it healthy.

Your best bet when it comes to keeping your immune system healthy is to be aware of your body and your overall well-being, as well as to supplement wherever you’re missing essential vitamins and nutrients. Getting your blood work done by your physician or healthcare professional can help you assess your nutrient needs. By following these tips, as well as the Art of Health for Busy People, you will be taking steps towards your healthy lifestyle.

*References available upon request.