Steps To Undertake To Keep Immune System Going Strong As You Age

Things tend to get weaker with age, and the immune system- your body’s defense system- is no exception. For older adults, having a strong immune system is important as they tend to get sick easier and take longer to recover from illnesses. No matter how old you are, there are steps people can take throughout their lives to keep their immune system going strong as they age with the most important step being leading a healthy lifestyle from eating right to exercising regularly to sleeping well, which can reap immense benefits for the immune system.

Doctors are still trying to figure out exactly how and why the immunity decreases with age, what researchers do know is that most older adults are more likely to get sick, don’t respond as well to vaccines, and recover from injuries, infection, and illnesses more slowly. However, there’s no fixed age when immunity decreases, it varies for every individual. It highlights the importance of visiting your doctor regularly and get medical help if you get sick often or if you’re having trouble healing after an illness or injury.

Here’s how you can strengthen your immune system:

Regular Exercise- Moderate exercise helps you keep fit, which benefits the immune system. Exercise protects the body from serious diseases like heart disease, which in turn, lowers risk for cardiac emergencies like a cardiac arrest or heart attack. Although the specific immunity benefits from exercise aren’t yet certain, but it’s no news that a healthy lifestyle helps keep your immune system in great shape.

Eat Well- Good nutrition helps boost your immune system. You should have a varied diet full of vitamin- and mineral-rich foods (like fresh vegetables and fruits) to help your immune system function at its best. Eating a healthy diet also keeps weight in check, which may put less stress on your body and boost immunity. Eat more citrus fruits and strawberries since they are a rich source of Vitamin C- a well-known immune system helper. Eat nuts for your fill of Vitamin E, and enjoy lean meats, seafood, beans and seeds for zinc.

Sleep Well- You should be sleeping for at least eight hours a night since too little sleep or poor-quality sleep has shown to lower immunity, even in young healthy people. Getting adequate sleep will help your immunity by reducing stress, and most importantly, gives your body the physical rest that it needs to stay healthy.

Get Your Vaccines- Vaccines are an important way to reduce your risk of many serious illnesses, such as flu and pneumonia. Check with your healthcare provider to make sure you are up to date on your vaccinations, which will make it easy for your immune system to fight off illnesses. It might be wise to stay away from sick people, which can go a long way in helping your immune system do its job.

Quit Smoking- Smoking makes you more prone to illness and infection by weakening the body’s immune response. Figure out how you can quit in consultation with your doctor.

Senior Sanctuary of Anthem is an acclaimed Anthem assisted living facility in Phoenix, we ensure our residents follow a healthy lifestyle for your immune system to fight off infections efficiently.