How to Boost Your Immune System

Last Updated on May 29, 2023 by Heather Reseck

There are many lifestyle factors that impact the body’s ability to withstand immune system attacks from viruses, bacteria, and other villains.

The NEW START acronym provides a good framework to remember the different lifestyle factors that boost immunity. NEW START is an acronym created by the NEW START Lifestyle Program operated by Weimar Institute in California.

Nutrition:

• Eat a wide variety of vegetables and fruits to get plenty of antioxidants, phytochemicals, vitamin C, and zinc. Aim for 9 servings a day with an array of colors. The fiber promotes a healthy microbiome, which is especially important since about 70% of your immune system is in your gut.
• Focus on the immune-boosting foods: GBOMBS as recommended by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. Learn more about Dr. Fuhrman’s book, Super Immunity: The Essential Nutrition Guide for Boosting Your Body’s Defenses to Live Longer, Stronger, and Disease Free at Dr. Fuhrman’s website.
  • Greens
  • Beans and lentils
  • Onions and garlic
  • Mushrooms
  • Berries
  • Seeds
• Crush, mince, or press garlic ten minutes before cooking it. This allows the cancer-fighting, immune-boosting compounds to develop. Learn more about garlic from Dr. Micheal Greger.

• Make this Lentil Soup that includes greens (Swiss chard), beans (lentils), and onions, and garlic as a tasty way to include three of the GBOMBS foods.
• Avoid overeating and snacking so the body can have more resources to focus on the immune system instead of digestion.
• Occasionally reduce food intake and consume primarily vegetable soup, vegetable juice, vegetable salads, and water.
• Do intermittent fasting. The best way to do it is to eat a good breakfast and lunch and skip eating in the evening.

 

Exercise:

• Get exercise in the fresh air as much as possible.

Water:

• Water Internally: Aim to drink half your weight in ounces.
  •  This keeps the nasal mucous membranes moist and makes it harder for viruses to survive.
• Water Externally:
  • Take Contrast Showers: 60 seconds of as-hot-as-you-can-stand-it water followed by 15 seconds of cold water. Repeat three times, ending with cold.

Sunshine:

• Get exercise outdoors in the sunshine as much as possible.
• Take a vitamin D supplement

Temperance:

• Avoid what is harmful.
• Use the good in moderation.
• Limit or avoid sugar. Sugar suppresses the immune system. It weakens the white blood cells’ ability to destroy bacteria.

Air:

• Breathe deeply.
• Exercise outdoors.
• Sleep with the window open.

Rest:

• Sleep 7-9 hours per night. The hours before midnight are especially important.
• Observe a Sabbath rest.
• Spend time in nature.  The Japanese call a leisurely walk in the woods shin rin yoku, which means “forest bathing.” Scientific studies show that this reduces stress and bolsters the immune system.

Trust in Divine Power:

• Let God carry your burdens and give you peace.
• Focus on faith, not fear.
• Maintain an attitude of gratitude.  Don’t be the surly bird that catches the germ!

Additional Remedies for Boosting Your Immune System:

• Nature’s Penicillin: Create your own immune-boosting elixir from oranges, lemons, grapefruit, garlic, ginger, and cayenne. Here’s a recipe on the LifeandHealth.org website.
• Astragalus root: Add a 2-inch strip of this immune-boosting botanical to soup, stew, or beans.  Remove it before serving like you would a bay leaf. To learn more, refer to Healthy at Home: Get Well and Stay Well Without Prescriptions by Tieraona Low Dog, MD.
• Black Elderberry: It reduces the duration of colds and flu. Choose preparations that don’t contain a lot of sugar.
• Zinc lozenges for a sore throat. Suck on them while lying down for the best effect.
• Activated Charcoal: Take 6 tablets or capsules three times a day for a sore throat. Learn more about charcoal at CharcoalRemedies.com

What natural methods have you found to boost your immune system? Let me know in the comments.