In this day and age, having strong immunity is heavy on a lot of people’s minds and many people are on the lookout for signs of a strong immune system. The truth of the matter is that there are plenty of healthy ways to boost the immune system and improve family immunity, you just have to know what those ways are! 

We put together this article full of immune system boosters so you can feel more equipped when it comes to staying healthy. 

One of the top 3 ways to boost your immune system is getting good sleep (1). Poor quality sleep is linked to being susceptible to sickness, so this is one of the best ways to boost the immune system against viruses. 

One of the top 10 ways to boost your immune system is to eat more whole plant foods. Whole plant foods are foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes - they are rich in nutrients and antioxidants that can help to fight off harmful pathogens. 

Eating healthy fats is another great way to boost your immunity - like fats found in olive oil and salmon - because these may help to boost your body’s natural immune response to pathogens by decreasing inflammation inside the body. 

The tip that not many of us want to hear is that we should limit added sugars in order to keep our immune systems strong. Eating refined carbs and added sugars may contribute to obesity, which can increase your risk of getting sick. 

Engaging in moderate exercise is another great way to keep your immune system as fit as your body. As little as one exercise session can boost the effectiveness of vaccines in people with compromised immune systems.

Here’s an important one: Stay hydrated! Drinking water is a great way to boost your immune system when you’re sick. If you’re feeling under the weather, drinking water is hugely beneficial. It prevents dehydration, which then contributes to your general health. 

How To Boost Immune System Quickly

In today’s world, we like to do everything fast. That’s why it’s important for people to know how to boost their immune system quickly. It can also be helpful if there are bugs going around and you want to protect your family from them.

If you’ve ever asked yourself: How can I boost my immune system in 24 hours? Here’s how (2):

Like we said before, drinking water is never a bad idea. And when the body is fighting infections, the need for hydration increases. Drink more than you usually would in order to boost the immune system quickly, as doing this regenerates disease-fighting lymphatic cells. 

Drinking bone broth is an immediate immune booster. It’s packed full of nutrients and a ton of vitamins and minerals that can help get you back on your feet (or prepare you for cold and flu season). 

Increasing your vitamin C content is another way to boost your immune system fast, because it can help the body fight infection. At the first sign of a cold, take vitamin C! 

You might not expect this one, but it’s a great tip regarding how to boost one’s immune system quickly for a child. Get outside! Vitamin D is essential in helping to regulate the immune response, and getting exposed to the sun’s UVB rays can really help. Even during the chilly months, getting outside for at least 15 minutes a day can be a game changer. 

Kids’ Immune System

Kids’ immune systems are constantly growing and strengthening as they get older, which is why it’s important to encourage good habits and take the right steps in order to boost their immune systems from an early age. 

The best immune booster for kids starts at the earliest age possible. If you have a newborn, consider breastfeeding them. It’s a very personal decision and it’s not always possible, but if you are able to exclusively breastfeed your child for the first six months of their life, it could have powerful benefits to their immune system (3). 

As your child gets older, the best immune booster for kids is simply promoting the regular washing of hands. Did you know that 80% of infections are spread through touch? If you take the time to teach your child the importance of washing their hands after sneezing, coughing, and going to the bathroom, you could save them from a lot of harmful germs. This is also how to boost a toddler's immune system, as toddlers are reaching the age where they are interested in touching everything! 

Another important note on boosting immunity is to not skip immunizations. It’s very important to follow your pediatrician’s advice when it comes to your child’s vaccine schedule, and this is another way to boost your toddler’s immune system for daycare as well. Immunizations start during infancy and continue through adulthood, and they can prevent measles, mumps, chicken pox, rotavirus, and other serious infections. 

Sleep is also so important for children. You may see symptoms of a weak immune system in toddlers if your child is not getting enough sleep each night, because the body uses the time spent sleeping to heal itself. 

A healthy and balanced diet is also very important in keeping your child’s immunity boosted. Encouraging your child to eat colorful foods and a good selection of whole grains while keeping processed food to a minimum will help them stay healthy. 

How To Boost A Child’s Immune System Naturally

Many parents wonder how to boost a child’s immune system naturally, and we’re here to tell you that it’s not a difficult process. 

It’s good to remember that naturally boosting a child’s immune system depends heavily on the food that they eat (4). Foods to increase immunity in a child naturally include fruits and vegetables (five servings a day is what’s recommended), whole grains, and lean protein. A well-rounded diet includes dairy, calcium, and healthy fats as well. 

We’ve talked about sleep a lot, but it can’t be overstated how important it is. It’s when our bodies are able to recharge. You can encourage good sleep by limiting screen time and keeping a regular sleep schedule. 

How you boost your immune system naturally also relies on getting active. Active children who exercise for at least an hour every day are less likely to get sick - and exercising could be as simple as playing on the playground or going for a walk. 

Managing stress is also important for children. Stressed out kids get sick more often, so it’s important to make sure that your kids have enough downtime to play and to spend time around people that make them happy. 

Supplements To Boost Immune System

If you have a hard time maintaining your immune system, you might be curious about supplements that can help you do this. We’ve created a list of vitamins for the immune system for adults and also supplements to boost a child's immune system, as the best immune system supplements can be helpful for those of any age (5). 

One of the best antiviral supplements is vitamin C. It can prevent infections or shorten the time that they stick around. 

Vitamin E is another great antioxidant that can help your body fight infection. This one is critical for immune system function. 

Vitamin A is another supplement that you need for an immune system boost. It’s also a powerful infection-fighter. 

You also can’t go wrong with vitamin D, also known as the sunshine vitamin. It’s one of the main supporters of the immune system, as it holds the most important and powerful nutrients that a healthy immune system needs to function. 

Iron is yet another supplement that can help out your immune system because of the way it helps your body carry oxygen to cells. Because of this, it plays a vital role in many immune system processes. 

Selenium can be a big immune system booster, too. It plays a key role in preventing infections.

And lastly, zinc helps with the production of new immune system cells. Because of this, it’s great for immune system strength. 

30 Best Immune Boosting Foods

The great news is that there are some amazing immune system booster foods out there. The 30 best immune-boosting foods are as follows (6):

Chicken soup is actually one of the best immunity-boosting foods for adults and children alike. It has anti-inflammatory properties that can help with colds and nasal congestion. 

Ginger tea is probably the best immune booster drink that you can find. It also has anti-inflammatory properties and the root has the power to fight the cold and flu! 

Oranges are great immunity booster fruits, as they’re packed with vitamin C - and vitamin C is a great way to build up your immune system when you’re feeling under the weather. 

Turmeric is a spice that contains curcumin, which is an anti-inflammatory compound. It also activates the production of T-cells, which help strengthen your immune system. 

Water is a simple answer, but it holds true. It’s one of the easiest and best drinks to boost the immune system. Staying hydrated can help to shift and loosen trapped mucus, and it helps because our bodies tend to lose more fluid when we’re sick. 

Greek yogurt is another one of the best immune-boosting foods. It contains probiotics that fight sickness and it’s packed with more protein than regular yogurt. 

Blueberries are another great choice, as they are filled with antioxidants that can help treat and prevent coughs and colds. 

Ginseng tea, much like ginger tea, is also used to help with upper-respiratory tract infections and the common cold. 

Tomatoes are another go-to immune-boosting food choice. They are high in vitamin C, which means that they act as fuel to your immune system. 

The rest of the 30 foods include: wild salmon, dark chocolate, red peppers, broccoli, extra virgin olive oil, green tea, spinach, whole grain bread, eggs, garlic, apples, nuts, light white tuna, rosemary, bone broth, oysters, raw honey, miso, mushrooms, anise tea, and fennel. 

Resources

1. Shoemaker, SaVanna. "9 Ways to Boost Your Body’s Natural Defenses." Healthline, 1 Apr. 2020, www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-boost-immune-health#7.-Stay-hydrated.
2. Murray, Louise. "TOP 7 TIPS TO BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM IN 24 HOURS..." Healing Holidays, www.healingholidays.com/blog/boost-your-immune-system-in-24-hours.
3. "5 Ways to Boost Your Child’s Immune System for Life." Cleveland Clinic, health.clevelandclinic.org/want-boost-childs-immune-system-5-tips/.
4. McCarthy, Claire. "Boosting your child’s immune system." Harvard Health Publishing, 12 Oct. 2021, www.health.harvard.edu/blog/boosting-your-childs-immune-system-202110122614.
5. "8 Vitamins & Minerals You Need for a Healthy Immune System." Cleveland Clinic, 4 Dec. 2020, health.clevelandclinic.org/eat-these-foods-to-boost-your-immune-system/.
6. Hussein, Jennifer. "30 Best Immune-Boosting Foods." Eat This, Not That!, 1 Apr. 2021, www.eatthis.com/immune-boosting-foods/.