01/26/2026
12 Strategies to Strengthen Your Immune System
Your immune system is a complex system and not all systems function alike. We are all susceptible to catching the occasional cold or virus, but some may wonder why you catch colds more frequently than the average bear.
Here are some tips to strengthen the immune system and keep those bad bugs to a minimum, if not eliminated all winter long.
1. Eat the good stuff. Poor nutrition only causes havoc for the immune system. French fries, soft drinks and whiskey have never improved any immune system. Diets high in vegetables, fruits and nuts are rich in nutrients the immune system requires. Adequate protein intake is also important; either from plant or animal. Just know that your protein comes from a reputable source.
Medicinal mushrooms such as sh*take and reishi contain beta-glucans that enhance immunity and have antiviral and cancer properties. Focus on mushroom extracts that are alcohol-based, teas or doing a nice sauté and eating them.
Try staying away from the sugars. Fruit juices and cookies suppress the immune system allowing for opportunistic pathogens to take over.
For new mothers, breast milk provides essential nutrients and immune components for your growing child. Breast-fed babies have fewer infections and future illnesses than formula-fed babies.
2. Stress Less. When you are stressed, your adrenal glands pump out adrenaline and cortisol. While this boosts your immune system during short stressful episodes, long-term stress exhausts the adrenals and can suppress the immune system causing long-term issues such as allergies, asthma and autoimmune disease. Try meditation or massage (which moves the lymphatic system) to reduce stress levels and make positive changes to the immune system.
3. Get Moving. Moderate exercise discharges tension and stress, increases natural killer cells in the body to fight off infections. In a 2006 study, 115 obese, sedentary, postmenopausal women were assigned either stretching once a week or 45 minutes of moderate exercise. At the end of the study, the stretching group had 3 times more colds than the moderate-exercise group.
4. Sleep well. Sleep is the body’s time to recharge, repair and prepare for the next day’s activity. Deprivation will raise stress levels and inflammatory markers and ultimately depress immune function. In one study, after researcher inoculated volunteers’ nose with cold viruses, men and women who slept less than 7 hours, were three times more likely to develop a cold compared to those who slept 8 hours or more.
5. Socialize more. People with richer social lives enjoy improved health and longevity than their loner counterparts do. You may think that socializing may increase your chances of picking up a cold or a virus. Not true. Studies that have inoculated volunteers with viruses found that social butterflies were less susceptible to developing colds than the hermits. The days of “antibacterial soaps” are becoming a thing of past. Build a strong immune system and no worries about little Jimmy’s runny nose. And for you hermits that cannot bring yourself to the social scene, get yourself a pet. Studies have shown that petting Rover will increase IgG (and immune protein) levels in the blood to fight infections.
6. Make Love not War. Speaking of “socializing”, a 2004 study has shown the close contact of lo******ng reduces the risk of colds. And having s*x once or twice per week will increase IgA antibodies in the body.
7. No after s*x smoke though… Actually, no more smoking period. It triggers inflammation, increases mucus and inhibits the nasal cavity from clearing that mucus. This can lead to bronchitis, colds, pneumonia, sinusitis and ear infections. It’s just bad for you and everyone surrounding you. Stop.
8. Take probiotics. There is a battle going on in your digestive track. The opportunistic “bad” bacteria are always trying to weasel their way into a new home. Consuming “good” bacteria to outcompete those bad doers will enhance your immune function. Fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut or vegetables are great sources. There are good supplements out there as well. Make sure they have at least 5 species of bacteria and at least 5 billion per dose.
9. Worship the sun, a little. We have scared people into lathering up with sun screen, hats and shirts so much, we now have a vitamin D deficiency (1/3 of the U.S.!). Vitamin D deficiency has been correlated with asthma, cancer, autoimmune disorders and susceptibility to colds and flus. We recommend a minimum of 4000 IU/day for men and 6000 IU/day for females. For people in sunny climates, 20-30 minutes of exposure without sun screen (there, I said it) will get you your daily allowance. Be smart. Get the exposure during non-peak hours making sure the arms and legs are exposed.
10. Choose a good multivitamin wisely. Good nutrition is vital for proper immune function. A great mix of fruits, vegetables and protein will get you all the nutrients you will need. If you need a multivitamin to supplement, make sure the source is good, coming from food sources is preferable.
11. Try some immune-enhancing herbs. This grandfather of pharmaceutics, do still exist and can be a great resource to enhance immune activity. These include Echinacea, ginseng, astragalus, garlic, shiitake and reishi mushrooms. Garlic is a common staple for most that have anticancer and antiviral properties. The best way I have found to take it is swallowing in its raw form. Take a clove and cut it into thirds. Take one morning, noon and night for added insurance against the flu.
12. PMA – Positive Mental Attitude. Mental health is a major player in physical health and should not be overlooked. Negative attitudes and energy drain not only the individual, but those surrounding them. This decreases mental health and immunity. Stay positive, think good thoughts of others and steer away from the negative. Intent is everything and can go a long way to keeping you healthy. The true healthcare system.
