The immune system: how can you strengthen yours?

Our immune system protects us against harmful substances and disease-causing cell changes such as cancer. It also protects us from pathogens like viruses, bacteria and fungi. The stronger your immune system, the lower your risk of catching colds, coming down with flu and developing other infections.

The immune system – how it works

The immune system is a complex, sensitive network made up of various organs, cell types and proteins. When describing the immune system, experts also make a distinction between non-specific immunity and specific immunity:

• Non-specific immunity: non-specific immunity is innate and protects the body from all types of pathogens. Cells such as phagocytes and killer cells play a major role here – they fight harmful substances and pathogens that enter the body via the skin or digestive system, for instance.
• Specific immunity: specific immunity is something we acquire over time. It takes over when our non-specific immune system is unable to kill pathogens, producing antibodies that it uses to fight these pathogens specifically. The specific immune system is also capable of recognising recurring pathogens and knows exactly how to deal with them. Our acquired immune system even learns from these encounters, meaning it can fight bacteria and viruses that change over time.

What weakens the immune system? Various factors may contribute to a weak immune system. These include:

• Stress: if you are suffering from a weakened immune system, the culprit could be stress. Chronic stress in particular affects our well-being and the immune system.
• Age: our immune system tends to weaken as we approach old age.
• Nutrition: if you don’t have a balanced diet, this will harm your body’s defences.
• Alcohol and smoking: drinking alcohol and smoking weaken the immune system.
• Lack of exercise: if you don’t get enough exercise (or, worse still, none at all), your immune system is bound to suffer as a result.
• Pregnancy: the body actually suppresses its own immune system during pregnancy. Why? Because half the baby’s cells come from the father. If the immune system weren’t deliberately weakened during this time, it would try to fight off these foreign cells.
• Lack of sleep: if you get too little sleep or have difficulty sleeping, this can negatively affect your immune system.
• Disrupted gut flora: the gut microbiome, or gut flora, describes the microorganisms that colonise our gut. The gut flora play an important role in the immune system, since good bacteria in the gut prevent pathogenic germs from spreading. In other words, a big part of our immune system is located in the gut.
• Medical treatments: aside from the usual suspects such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy, operations can also weaken the immune system.
• Medicinal treatments: treatments involving medication such as cortisone and immunosuppressants often result in a weakened immune system.
• Certain disorders: illnesses such as cancer and diabetes mellitus, infectious diseases and autoimmune disorders can also cause a weakened immune system.

The following symptoms may indicate a weak immune system:

• Severe, recurrent infections
• Sickness and a general feeling of being unwell
• Tiredness and fatigue
• Problems concentrating
• Weakness and a lack of energy
• Loss of appetite

Numerous factors affect the immune system, and there are also plenty of things you can do to strengthen your immune system. A healthy lifestyle is vital for maintaining the body’s defences. Eating a balanced diet, getting enough exercise and mindfulness are all important as well.

However, joy, sadness and other emotions also play a role when it comes to strengthening the immune system. So, what exactly can we do to help our immune system? Read on to find out.

Reduce stress to support your immune system

Stress has a powerful effect on the immune system – and not in a good way. In stressful situations, the body releases more stress hormones and produces more immune cells. The immune system recovers once the situation passes; however, if the situation persists, our immune system has no chance to recover. As a result, the level of stress hormones increases disproportionately, while the number and activity of immune cells decrease. And that’s how stress weakens the immune system.

Constant pressure at work and at home causes stress. But what can you do to strengthen your immune system when this happens? Set clear priorities and learn to say “no” sometimes. Try to allocate some time for longer periods of rest on a regular basis. Relaxation exercises such as meditation, yoga and autogenic training can help you develop a strong immune system.

Strengthening your body’s defences with nutrition

How can you strengthen your immune system using nutrition? Basically, make sure you have a balanced diet. The following foods contain the vitamins and trace elements your body needs to support its natural defences and maintain a strong immune system:

• Dairy products: milk and dairy products are important foods for strengthening the immune system. They contain vitamin A, B vitamins and zinc.
• Fruit and vegetables: fruit is a great source of vitamin C, while vegetables also contain vitamin B complex. Mangoes, pineapples, yellow wax beans and yellow peppers are rich in vitamin A and help to strengthen the body’s defences. Avocados and mushrooms, meanwhile, provide us with vitamin D.
• Fish and meat: including fish and meat in your diet is another way to strengthen your immune system. Both contain vitamin B complex, while fish is also a good source of vitamin D and selenium. Meat provides iron, selenium and zinc. These are all important trace elements for supporting a strong immune system.
• Wholegrain products: wholegrain products also help strengthen the body’s defences. They contain vitamin B complex, copper and zinc.
• Nuts: nuts are a good source of iron, copper and selenium. They are a great choice for a snack between meals and help give the immune system a quick boost.
• Grains: products such as rice, bread and pasta all contain vitamin B complex.
• Pulses: peas, chickpeas, lentils and other pulses contain important trace elements such as copper and selenium.
• Shellfish: crayfish, lobsters and other shellfish are also a source of copper.
• Eggs: these provide us with zinc and contain vitamin B complex – great for supporting a healthy immune system.

As a rule of thumb, you should aim to eat three portions of vegetables and two portions of fruit a day. Make sure you include regular servings of whole grains, pulses, meat, fish, milk and dairy products in your diet, and use fresh ingredients wherever possible.

What else can you do to strengthen your immune system? Making sure you drink enough water is also important. Every mucous membrane in your body has a liquid film protecting it, making it harder for pathogens to get in. That’s why it’s important to drink enough fluids, especially when the air is dry. You should be drinking between 1.5 and 2 litres of water every day. Upping your fluid intake is also a good way to give your immune system a boost when you have a cold. If you don’t like drinking water, unsweetened tea and watered-down juice are good alternatives.

Remember, alcohol has a powerful effect on the immune system – and not in a good way. In fact, alcohol puts certain parts of the immune system out of action for at least 24 hours. So if you want our advice, don’t consume alcohol. Smoking is another sure-fire way to weaken your immune system, as nicotine reduces the number of immune cells and antibodies in the blood.

Exercising to strengthen your immune system

Is exercise also good for the immune system? In a word, yes. Moderate exercise helps the body produce and activate more immune cells. So it’s important to integrate plenty of exercise into your daily routine – ideally in the fresh air and, if possible, in the sunshine, since both are particularly beneficial for the immune system. Getting plenty of exercise outdoors also helps to strengthen the immune system in children. Even little things like taking the stairs rather than the lift and walking for short distances can make a big difference. Have a go at different forms of exercise to see which ones you enjoy, then try to incorporate regular sessions of medium-intensity exercise into your daily routine, aiming for at least two and half hours per week. Swimming, cycling and jogging are all great options, but make sure you don’t overdo it. When we overexert ourselves, our bodies release a continuous supply of stress hormones, which suppress the immune system.

Good to know: the number of immune cells in the body drops immediately after exercise, so you’re particularly susceptible to infection following a workout!

Getting enough sleep to support a strong immune system

Did you know you can even strengthen your immune system while you sleep? How well the body’s defences function largely depends on how long and how well we sleep. Melatonin, which is known as the sleep hormone, helps the body to recover. While we’re asleep, the number of natural immune cells increases. But when we’re suffering from sleep deprivation, the body releases more stress hormones, which suppress the immune system. You can also give your immune system an all-natural helping hand with our practical tips for better sleep.

Strengthening the immune system with medication

Sometimes it helps to give the immune system a boost using medicinal therapy and treatments. There are various ways to do this:

• Medication: you may be able to strengthen your immune system with the help of tablets. These often contain zinc, selenium and important vitamins.
• Convalescent treatments: these can sometimes be a good option for building up the body’s defences. Most suitable treatments include vitamins, trace elements and probiotics, with a typical course of treatment lasting around four weeks.
• Vaccination: one highly effective way to strengthen your immune system is vaccination. It protects the body against various pathogens, depending on the vaccine in question. Vaccination is particularly important when it comes to strengthening the immune system in children, which is why babies will be given their first vaccinations when they are just a few months old.

Remember, do not attempt to strengthen your immune system with the help of convalescent treatment or tablets without talking to a medical professional first. The same goes for over-the-counter products or if you’re considering homeopathy to boost your body’s defences.

Giving your immune system a quick boost: Home remedies

There are many herbal home remedies that can help to strengthen the body’s defences. They contain various active ingredients found in nature. But which plants can help support a strong immune system?

• Echinacea: this home remedy can help boost your immune system.
• Asarabacca: this medicinal plant may also stimulate your immune system.
• Calendula: this plant can help prevent colds and strengthen your immune system.
• Lemon balm: aside from offering a natural alternative for strengthening your immune system, lemon balm may help the body fight off colds.

You should always consult your doctor if you have any questions about herbal remedies that may strengthen the immune system. This is particularly important in the case of small children and babies.

A weak immune system: what else can you do?

Aside from maintaining a healthy lifestyle and seeking medical treatment when you need it, there are many other ways you can support your body’s defences. So, what else can you do to give your immune system a helping hand?

• Regular trips to a sauna are a good way to boost our non-specific immune system, which really benefits from the added stimulus provided by the heat.
• A good laugh can also do wonders for the immune system. Laughing helps produce immune cells and antibodies, putting us in a better position to fight off pathogens. Anyone who suppresses negative feelings over the long term, however, will damage their health. This leaves the immune system more susceptible to infection.
• Kissing is also good for the immune system. When we kiss, we swap our bodies’ own neurotransmitters and thousands of bacteria, strengthening our resistance as we do so.
• Good hygiene is also essential for the immune system. This can be as simple as washing your hands when you get home and after going to the toilet. Make sure you wash them thoroughly, for a good 20 to 30 seconds.

Strong defences are crucial for your health. That’s why it’s important to take an active approach to your well-being and to try to strengthen your immune system. Adults and children can all benefit from a healthy lifestyle. If you have any questions, talk to a medical professional about how to build and maintain a strong, healthy immune system.