What can a person do to strengthen their immune system?

Since I get asked this question constantly, I’ll give you the same answer I gave everyone else, with a 2017 update:

The only minimal evidence for “boosting” one’s immune system is a slight increase of neutrophil activity upon fasting for ~48 hours, and this is based upon test tube experiments from the 1970s, not human subjects. In human subjects (in vivo) the opposite effect - moderately diminished neutrophil activity, was observed after fasting. Therefore for now it’s safe to say:

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A) Nothing you can buy in a bottle at Vitamin Village will “boost" your Immune system.
B) This is a good thing, because if it did, it could cause very serious illness or even kill you.

What you really want is a well-educated and balanced immune system

The first best thing you can do to improve your general immune function is to get vaccinated for diseases endemic to your geographic region. Vaccines educate your immune system to recognize and attack specific dangerous bacteria and viruses. If you travel, you probably need a few extra vaccines to be safe overseas.

Expose yourself to the outdoors, warm, cold and hot. Get a little sunshine, but don't get sunburned. Run, play, laugh, get dirty, go skinny-dipping and have fun. Raise a puppy. Pet all the pets you encounter. This is actually an ancient form of vaccination: Remember, we evolved over a million years in the wild and among other critters; living in antiseptic, indoor, temperature controlled environments is not our species’ natural state. Keep the windows in your home open as much as practical.

Third, anything that's good for your general health is good for your immune system. Conversely, anything that is deleterious to your general health is bad for it. Here are my recommendations:

Eat a healthful diet including a wide variety of foods, and try new things. Make a large proportion of your foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, a small proportion fish, poultry & meat. There is recent evidence that eating spicy foods are healthful, while the typical American diet is very bland. This is perhaps one reason Americans add so much unhealthy salt and sugars to their meals. I prefer pungent seasonings like garlic, ginger and cayenne pepper & very little salt. Ideally, all your nutrition should come from your food. That said, I take a multivitamin/multi mineral tablet about 3-4 times/week just as ‘insurance.’

Maintain an appropriate weight.

Drink lots of fresh water.

There is no evidence that mega-doses of any particular vitamin is healthful; there is a sold body of evidence that certain vitamins are toxic in excessive doses. Remember, what your body doesn't need, it must excrete. This puts an additional burden on your liver and kidneys, which have to work overtime to get rid of the excess.

Get regular exercise, preferably outdoors. Even walking 30minutes a day will give you a physical and emotional boost. If possible, walk or bike to school and/or work. Resistance exercise helps build muscle and helps keep your bones strong as well.

SLEEP: Always get at least 7 hours of sleep every night. Eight is what I need, sometimes more. During sleep, your body rests and rejuvenates itself, and your brain undergoes essential processes related to both learning and healing.

Do whatever you like that relieves your stress, I used to like kicking and punching a heavy bag; now I enjoy yoga and tai chi. Practice meditation.

Limit alcohol to one to two servings of wine or beer per day, if you are slight of stature, no more than one serving is wise.

Now the don'ts: Don't smoke anything. If you use cannabis for "medical purposes," use it in cooking. Inhaling burning plant matter is never a healthy practice.

Do not take antibiotics unless prescribed, then take them exactly as directed, no more, no less.

Avoid breathing toxic vapors like gasoline fumes, organic solvents like benzene, or trichloroethylene, etc.

Do not go on fad diets

Do not do anything Dr. Oz recommends. Do not waste your money on the latest "nutritional supplement," it's garbage. Better yet, don't waste your time watching Dr. Oz, he’s a whore.

Do not buy anything that promises amazing results; it won’t do what it claims, and it may even be harmful. If you have a particular need for a special diet or supplement, let an MD, DO or registered dietitian make the recommendation. The vast majority of "alternative medicine" is quackery with no scientific support.

Avoid sugar Sugary foods trigger a rapid insulin release, which has many negative effects on one’s metabolism. A small treat like dark chocolate once or twice a week is fine if you enjoy such things.

Be smart; don't be easily tricked. Be skeptical, especially of wild claims and miracle cures. Far too many people are fooled because something is labeled "All Natural." I could name 500 things that are “100% All Natural” that are also lethal poisons. —Natural does not equal healthful.

If you follow this general plan, your immune system will function as well as it can, but we all will get sick occasionally. Catching a cold 2-3 times a year is average for an adult.
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