While there’s no magic potion to keep flu from knocking on your door, there are ways to make sure your body’s defenses are ready to answer. Think less about quick fixes and more about giving your immune system the tools it needs to do its job. This foundation is more powerful than the latest miracle cure.
“In the 1800s you’d call the snake oil salesman who would sell you a potion that was a cure-all,” said Christopher D. Codispoti, MD, PhD, an allergy and immunology specialist with UT Physicians Allergy & Immunology – Texas Medical Center. “The immune system doesn’t work like that. It has different responses for viruses, bacteria, or parasites. What is important is to have the building blocks in place to support any kind of infection that comes your way so your immune system is balanced.”
Building a proper foundation
Flu season in the United States generally begins in the fall and extends through the winter, with peak activity occurring from December to February. The proper foundation to boost your immune system includes several key basics, including nutrition and adequate sleep.
Nutrition
Codispoti, an associate professor in allergy and immunology at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, said it starts with nutrition. Eating a balanced diet rich in green leafy vegetables, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, as well as consuming adequate protein is key. The fiber will promote the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut. The protein will be digested and converted into amino acids the body can use to re-assemble into proteins. The vitamins and minerals will make enzymes and proteins work properly.
Adequate sleep
Studies have correlated insufficient sleep with a higher risk of infections. Specifically, it revealed those who sleep less than six hours a night are four times more likely to catch the common cold.
Proper rest also helps manage stress, as good restful sleep reduces the negative impact of stress. High cortisol levels from stress can lower immune function. Codispoti said when you’re stressed, you’re more likely to get sick.
Controlling environmental factors
Climate and lifestyle also play a role. In warmer areas, such as Houston, people tend to spend more time outdoors, which, given the greater open space between individuals, reduces virus transmission. When the weather turns cold, we spend more time indoors, allowing viruses to spread more easily in enclosed spaces.
Some immune-compromising habits are worth avoiding entirely. Smoking, for example, prevents the microscopic hairs in our respiratory tract from clearing out viruses.
Understanding how your immune system fights the flu
Understanding what happens when the flu virus enters your body can help illustrate why preparation matters. Codispoti said our immune system has two branches: antibodies and cells. For influenza specifically, both antibodies and cells are the key players in clearing influenza infection.
“Antibodies are proteins secreted into our mucous that are designed to stick to the virus and prevent it from attaching to the surface of our airways,” Codispoti said. “If the virus does get inside the body, other antibodies in our blood and tissue prevent the virus from getting into the cell and reproducing. If a virus does get into a cell, immune cells can eliminate that cell.”
Connecting age and immunity
For most people from childhood through middle age, the immune system should function well, barring other health concerns. For children, however, their immune systems aren’t fully developed at birth and take two to three years to mature. On the other end of the spectrum, the immune system begins to decline in functionality during later years — a process called immunosenescence.
Simple habits like handwashing and avoiding those who are sick can go a long way in keeping you healthy.
“We’ll run into people who start manifesting symptoms or are in the early stages of illness and spread it without even knowing,” Codispoti said. “That’s where immunization has its role — getting a flu vaccine. While the effectiveness of the seasonal flu vaccine varies from year to year, it’s better than zero.”
Staying healthy
Codispoti’s one piece of advice for staying healthy this winter is simple: Reinforce healthy habits. This translates to eating vegetables, getting proper sleep, managing stress, exercising regularly, and washing your hands. Although they may not be the most exciting recommendations, Codispoti said they’re evidence-based.
“I don’t think anyone will argue with eating vegetables and getting a proper amount of sleep,” he said. “Those can go a long way.”
Flu season doesn’t need a miracle cure — it needs consistency. Do the basics right, and your immune system will do the rest.