From focusing on the food you eat to getting enough sleep, you can give your immune system the boost it needs.

When it comes to fighting illness, everyday precautions such as washing your hands often and avoiding sick people are key. But research suggests that there are other immune boosting strategies you can easily incorporate into your lifestyle that may help keep those germs at bay. From focusing on the food you eat to getting enough sleep, you can give your immune system the boost it needs.

Here are three simple immune boosting strategies you can implement right now.

Focus on Food

Eighty percent of your immune system is in the gut, so when it’s healthy, your body can fight off infections faster and better. When your gut isn’t healthy, it can weaken your immune system making you more susceptible to infection.  The Mediterranean style of eating, which includes a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats, found in foods such as fatty fish, nuts and olive oil is recommended.  

This eating pattern is high in nutrients such as vitamin C, zinc and other antioxidants shown to help reduce inflammation and fight infection. One recent study found that adults between the ages of 65 and 79 who followed a Mediterranean type of diet, along with taking a daily 400 IU vitamin D supplement for a year, showed small increases in disease-fighting cells such as T cells.

Limit Stress

There’s a strong link between your immune system and your mental health. If you suffer from chronic stress or anxiety, your body produces stress hormones that can suppress your immune system. Research done at Carnegie Mellon University has found that people who are stressed are more susceptible to developing the common cold.

In another study, 276 healthy adults were exposed to the cold virus, then monitored in quarantine for five days. Those who were stressed were more likely to produce cytokines, molecules that trigger inflammation, and were about twice as likely to get sick. In addition, people who are stressed are less likely to pay attention to other healthy habits, like eating right and getting enough sleep, which can affect immunity.

Get Plenty of Sleep

When it comes to your health, sleep plays an important role. While more sleep won’t necessarily prevent you from getting sick, not getting enough of it could adversely affect your immune system, leaving you susceptible to a bad cold or case of the flu. 

Without sufficient sleep, your body makes fewer cytokines, a type of protein that targets infection and inflammation, effectively creating an immune response. Cytokines are both produced and released during sleep, causing a double whammy if you’re not getting enough.

To keep your immune system functioning at its best, you should aim for the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep a night. This will help keep your immune system in fighting shape, and also protect you from other health issues including heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.