Our bodies have an amazing ability to fight off illness and infections. While we know the immune system protects us from harmful substances, there is still a lot we don’t understand about it.

Some people believe we either have a good immune system or we don’t, but there are lots of things we can do to build and strengthen our immunity. Healthy lifestyle habits play a big role in this!

Here are some natural ways to support your immune system and help it to function at its best:

Eat lots of fruits and vegetables – so many of the nutrients our bodies need to stay healthy come from fruits and vegetables. For example, antioxidants can help to reduce inflammation in the body and fibre can help us maintain a healthy digestive system and gut biome.

Drink plenty of water – drinking at least six glasses of fresh pure water every day is the very best way to help our body stay hydrated.

Get a good night’s sleep – we tend to be more susceptible to illness when we haven’t had enough quality sleep. At a minimum, we should be aiming for seven hours of sleep each night. Establishing a good bedtime routine can help you improve the quality of your sleep.

Exercise regularly – moderate exercise on a regular basis can help our bodies fight infections. However, it’s also important we don’t overtrain as this can lower our immune system. Make sure you include recovery days in your fitness routine to allow your body to rest and restore.

Practice good hygiene – you can help prevent the spread of germs and avoid infections by washing your hands thoroughly with soap and running water or hand sanitiser. It’s important to wash your hands regularly, especially after you go to the toilet, cough or sneeze, before eating, and whenever you are handing or preparing food.

Minimise stress – high levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, can cause inflammation in the body and weaken our immune system. Finding ways to manage your stress will help your immune system to function better and mean you feel better too!