We know that the immune system plays a role in repelling infectious diseases, but many of you may not know what an important ally it truly is in protecting against foreign invaders such as bacteria, parasites, fungi, viruses, and other pathogenic microbes.
If you are one of the thousands who get sick every autumn and winter, this article is for you. You probably know that getting sick is NOT an inevitable part of the changing seasons, and you certainly know a handful of people who seemingly never get sick - perhaps they work in the office or even share your home? These people are able to avoid illness not because they are not exposed to germs, but because their immune system is resilient.
Don't get sick just because you're exposed to germs!
There's a common misconception that if you get the flu, it's because you were exposed to the flu virus, while your office colleague stays healthy because they weren't. The truth is, germs are literally everywhere, and while you cautiously take measures to avoid them, such as washing your hands, it's naive to think you can avoid them entirely.
But this is not really a big problem if you are healthy, because your body is designed to deal with this exposure to pathogens and will protect you from illness if your immune system is strong.
In fact, new research reveals that when 17 healthy people were exposed to the flu virus, only half of them got sick. All of them had an active immune response, but yielded different results, with some getting sick and others showing only symptoms like sneezing and a runny nose. Therefore, researchers conclude that the immune system's response to the flu virus is a more important factor in whether or not you get sick, probably even more important than a single exposure to the virus. They state:
"Exposure to influenza viruses is necessary but not sufficient for healthy people to develop symptomatic illness. The immune system's response is an important factor in the development of the disease."
What can you do to strengthen your immune system before the change of seasons?
1. Get your antioxidants
Antioxidants are one of the best ways to limit free radicals in the body while optimizing the immune system. Try to include a variety of fruits and vegetables in your diet, as this will also provide you with a wide range of antioxidants, which is important because each antioxidant has a slightly different effect on the immune system.
For example, vitamin C and vitamin E help the immune system work at its full potential to neutralize free radicals, when converted to their biologically active forms.
Carotenoids, found in many fruits and vegetables such as sweet potatoes, melon, peaches, pumpkin, and others, positively affect the immune system in many aspects of immune function. The trace element selenium, found in Brazil nuts, tuna, beef, poultry, sunflower seeds, and wheat germ, helps prevent cellular damage from free radicals and also participates in maintaining the immune system.
2. Vitamin D - "the sunshine vitamin"
