4 Ways to Boost Your Immune System Ahead of Cold and Flu Season
As the days get shorter and people ditch their tank tops and shorts for sweaters and tights, the turn of fall signals another new beginning: the start of flu and cold season and Covid winter #3.
according to dr Helen Chu, an epidemiologist and infectious disease physician at the University of Washington School of Public Health, it’s a myth that simply getting cold increases your chances of getting sick. But viruses tend to transmit most efficiently in drier, colder conditions, leading to spikes in the winter months. So now is the time to get serious about immune system health.
Here are four things health experts say you can do to prepare for fall and winter surges.
To become active
Exercise is a great way to improve your health and reduce your susceptibility to disease, said David Nieman, a professor of biology at Appalachian State University who studies exercise, nutrition and immunology. In a study published in 2011, Dr. Nieman and his colleagues surveyed more than 1,000 adults living in North Carolina for three months in 2008. They logged their lifestyle habits — including diet, exercise, and exposure to stressful events — as well as how often they had contracted upper respiratory infections, such as colds or laryngitis, and the severity of their symptoms.
“The #1 lifestyle factor that emerged was physical activity,” said Dr. nobody. Those who exercised five or more days a week were 43 percent less likely to develop an upper respiratory tract infection than those who exercised less than one day a week. But even those who got a little exercise — at least 20 minutes of moderate exercise (as simple as a brisk walk) at least one day a week — did better than those who didn’t exercise.
We see this effect in part because exercise stimulates immune cells to “patrol” the body for virus-infected cells so it can identify and eliminate them, said Dr. nobody. Just a few hours of moderate exercise spread out over a week is enough to get your immune cells circulating optimally, he said. And the exercises don’t have to be intense—just walking, dancing, or “vigorous gardening” is enough to boost your health.
Don’t underestimate the power of stillness
However, too much exercise can tax the body and temporarily suppress the immune system, said Dr. Nieman, which increases the risk of infection. There’s no easy formula for what constitutes too much exercise, the experts said, but if you suddenly feel unwell or constantly tired, or if previously light workouts feel heavy, it could be a signal to slow down.
Research has also shown that getting too little or good quality sleep can decrease your body’s ability to fight off infection, said Kathi Heffner, professor of nursing, medicine and psychiatry at the University of Rochester Medical Center. While not everyone needs the same amount of sleep, the general recommendation for adults is six to eight hours a night, said Dr. heffner
Getting a good night’s sleep can also help regulate your stress, she added. When stress becomes chronic, it can decrease the body’s response to vaccines and infections, and increase inflammation “all of which can increase our susceptibility to infection as well as other types of chronic diseases,” she said. Everyday stressors — like your job, your commute, or your caregiving responsibilities — can also weaken the immune system, she added.
Reducing this type of stress is often difficult, said Dr. Heffner, but finding time to do so, whether it’s through practicing mindfulness practices like meditation or yoga or just “finding time to do pleasurable activities,” can reduce your stress and in turn help your immune health.
Follow a healthy diet
What you eat and drink is one of the most important lifestyle choices that can affect your immune health, said Dr. nobody.
A variety of colorful fruits and vegetables — for example, berries, citrus fruits, red cabbage and kale — are great sources of flavonoids, chemical compounds found in plants that may help the body fight inflammation and disease, he said. Tea, coffee, dark chocolate, and certain grains like buckwheat are also good sources of flavonoids. In the study by Dr. Nieman in 2011, his team found that adults who ate at least three servings of fruit a day had fewer upper respiratory infections year-round than those who didn’t eat as much fruit.
Research has also shown that cigarette smoke and excessive alcohol consumption — more than two drinks a day for men or one drink a day for women — can suppress your immune system. Minimizing alcohol consumption (or at least following dietary guidelines) or quitting smoking can help reduce the risk of infection, said Dr. Chu.
If you’re tempted to try supplements that claim to improve immune system health, she added, don’t — especially if you’re already following a healthy, balanced diet. For the most part, she said, “there really isn’t a lot of data to support the use of most supplements to prevent disease or boost your immunity.”
Comply with the pandemic precautions
“Probably the most important thing people can do now is get both their current Covid booster shots and their flu vaccines as soon as possible,” said Dr. Chu, as flu and Covid-19 cases are almost certain to go this fall and winter.
And while many people have stopped wearing masks in indoor public places, continuing to wear masks will help protect you from all sorts of viruses, not just the coronavirus. This is especially true if you have a weaker immune system. Using rapid Covid tests before gatherings or when symptoms are present and asking others to do the same can also minimize everyone’s risk of infection, said Dr. Chu.
“One of the things we’ve learned through this pandemic is the importance of hygiene,” said Dr. heffner “Washing your hands, keeping your distance when you have a cold – such things are highly effective for maintaining health.”
In fact, said Dr. Chu, good hygiene includes staying home if you have any symptoms of any type of infection at all. “People tend to try to get by even when they’re sick,” she said. “They want to keep doing their job, keep going to school, keep doing what they were doing before.” But this behavior only increases exposure and risk of transmission to other people. Stay home and give yourself time to rest instead, urged Dr. Chu.