If you want to avoid coming down with the flu—and especially with COVID still circulating, most of us do—here are 65+ immune-boosting tips you can employ to equip you to fight off germs all season long.
66 tips to boost your immune system
1. Get your flu shot.
We get it, one more errand to run or appointment to make is probably the last thing you want on your to-do list. Getting your flu shot might not be convenient, but neither is getting the flu!
2. Keep up with your kids’ vaccines.
Keep the whole family healthy to avoid exposure to influenza when possible.
3. Wash your hands.
Handwashing plays a major role in preventing the spread of infectious disease, and some experts believe if everyone washed their hands regularly, we could prevent a million deaths around the world each year.
4. Carry hand sanitizer.
It’s great for less-than-desirable situations like an unexpected sneeze by a friend.
5. Teach your kids to wash their hands.
Let’s face it, those cute little munchkins are pros at spreading germs. Use this new app that teaches kids how to wash their hands to prevent the flu at home.
6. Disinfect doorknobs and light switches.
7. Avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
This could help prevent you getting sick from germs you’ve come in contact with.
8. Drink more water.
Staying hydrated keeps your body working optimally, including your immune system. Adopt healthy habits for the whole family and drink more water!
9. Set a water intake goal.
The recommendation is that most people shoot for eight glasses of water, about eight ounces each. Set a goal, make a chart, and give yourself a gold star each time you empty a glass.
10. Hydrate creatively.
Don’t like water? There are other ways to stay hydrated, like drinking this Classic Peach Iced Tea.
11. Eat your water.
Foods like watermelon, cucumber and strawberries can help you stay hydrated.
12. Drink less alcohol.
Excessive drinking has been linked to a weakened immune system.
13. Quit smoking or vaping.
It isn’t easy, but the future of your health depends on it. Find out how to quit Juul.
14. Move more.
A stronger immune system is just one of 7 benefits of aerobic workouts.
15. Schedule a family walk.
Keep everyone in your home healthier by making exercise a family activity. Great for bonding and your immune system!
16. Enlist a workout buddy.
It’s hard to stay active during the winter months, but a friend who shares your goals can be a great source of accountability.
17. Drink bone broth.
Amino acids found in foods can improve your immune function, and bone broth is a great source of these nutrients. Make your own Slow Cooker Bone Broth and drink it like tea when you’re feeling under the weather.
18. Cook with bone broth.
If you can’t stomach the idea of broth as a sippable drink, use it as the base for cooking your quinoa or rice and add a little extra protein and nutrition to your meal.
19. Eat more veggies.
There’s no question that your body needs the nutrients provided by vegetables to fight off illness.
20. Munch on bell peppers.
Loaded with vitamins A and C, bell peppers are a great example of how snacking on veggies could give your immune system a boost.
21. Add peppers to your soups.
Need a recipe for cooking with nutritious bell peppers? How about this 30 Minute Italian Sausage and Pepper Soup?
22. Cook with garlic.
Thanks to the immune-boosting powers of garlic, it is a great addition to any of your flu-season cooking. This tutorial on how to peel garlic in 7 seconds makes it easier than ever to add garlic to your meals.
23. Add spinach to your eggs.
With vitamin E, B6, and C, spinach brings a little extra germ-fighting power to your meals. Start your day with Mini Breakfast Egg, Tomato, and Spinach Flatbread Pizzas.
24. Snack on blueberries for the health benefits of flavonoids.
25. Cook pasta for dinner.
The vitamin C content of tomatoes is the excuse you needed to eat to eat pasta smothered in Buttery Tomato Sauce with Onion.
26. Quit your low-carb diet.
Whole grains are good for your body, keeping your gut healthy enough to defend your body against illness.
27. Enjoy wild-caught salmon to increase the zinc in your diet and fight off potential infections.
28. Take probiotic supplements.
Research confirms that probiotics are the healthy bacteria your body needs that will also boost your immune system.
29. Eat more yogurt.
Supplements are great, but eating your probiotics is even better! Look for a yogurt with a label that reads “live active cultures.”
30. Dish up a parfait.
Loaded with whole grains from granola and probiotic yogurt, a yogurt parfait is an immune-boosting start to your busy day.
31. Drink your probiotics.
After hearing about the fiber, vitamins and probiotics in this Orange Probiotic Smoothie, you’ll want to have one all winter long.
32. Drink a Local Juicery Cold Kicker Shot.
Raw food chef Summer Sanders shares a recipe from her new cookbook, Love Your Body Feed Your Soul, that is meant to fight off illness.
1 cup orange juice (best if made fresh)4 ounces beet juice (optional)1 tablespoon minced ginger1 tablespoon minced turmeric1 teaspoon black peppercorns1-2 garlic cloves1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar1/4 teaspoon pink salt1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Combine all ingredients in your blender and blend on high for 30 seconds. Run through a mesh strainer and discard pulp. Pour into your favorite shot glass and drink up!
33. Add fermented foods to your diet.
Are you dairy-free? No worries! You can still get probiotics from other fermented foods like sauerkraut and kombucha.
34. Get 8 hours of sleep.
People who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to catch the infections they’re exposed to and the right amount of sleep can strengthen your immune system enough to “prevent or limit infection in your body,” according to the National Sleep Foundation.
35. Practice good sleep hygiene.
If getting to bed earlier isn’t enough for you to sleep well, adopt sleep hygiene practices that will help you get enough sleep, like ditching electronics in the hours leading up to bedtime.
36. Take a nap.
Struggling to get enough sleep at night? Taking a nap can boost your immune system, too.
37. Lose weight.
For individuals who are obese, losing even a small amount of weight could play a role in better immune function.
38. But make sure you eat enough!
Restricting your calorie intake can actually weaken your immune system, which could counteract the positive effects of weight loss.
39. Stress less.
When you get too stressed, your immune system takes a hit.
40. Adopt a yoga practice.
It’s one thing to want to stress less, and another to actually make that happen. A daily yoga practice is a great way to tune into your body and reduce stress.
41. Meditate on the go.
Reducing stress and giving your immune system a break on the go is possible if you learn to incorporate meditation into the busy parts of your day.
42. Connect with nature.
Getting outside during the cold of winter isn’t easy, but spending more time in nature encourages good health.
43. Take the 1000 Hour Challenge.
Looking for a challenge that will support better immune function? Commit to 1000 Hours Outside in 2020.
44. Engage in forest therapy.
Since we know that being in nature could improve happiness and boost the immune system, we recommend learning more about forest therapy and the ways you can get outside in every season.
45. Eat more citrus.
Vitamin C is great for fighting off sickness and helping you get well more quickly. Eat more citrus to encourage a healthier flu season. Or if you’d rather drink your citrus, try pouring yourself a tall glass of Tropicana OJ.
46. Make an omelette for the vitamin D found in egg yolks.
47. Grab an apple.
Phytochemical antioxidants are immune-boosting and can be found in apples.
48. Eat more greens.
A Broccoli and Pear Salad with Ginger Yogurt Vinaigrette isn’t just delicious—it has cold and flu-fighting powers.
49. Eat more avocado.
You’ll be glad to know that avocado is loaded with vitamins. Pass the guac!
50. Make a smoothie.
The right combination of fruits and vegetables can give your body an immune boost during the winter months. With mango, oranges, and greens, this Green Mango Orange Smoothie does just that.
51. Make a Ginger Hot Toddy and get the amazing health benefits of the ginger root, which include anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
52. Drink more green tea.
The health benefits of tea are impressive and include a lower risk of infections.
53. Make elderberry syrup.
Elderberry, a plant-based supplement does an amazing job helping to prevent and shorten the length of influenza.
54. Eat chicken soup.
This comfort food isn’t just food for the soul, it is packed with veggies and bone broth, making it one of the best home remedies to fight germs.
55. More chocolate, please.
Researchers have linked eating cocoa with improving the immune system.
56. Get enough essential vitamins.
There are certain vitamins that support your body as it fights off or heals from illness. If you’re struggling to get enough of these vitamins, consider supplementing with a multivitamin each day.
57. Increase B6 by eating a sweet potato yogurt almond butter breakfast parfait.
58. Increase Vitamin C with 18 delicious recipes that add more vitamin C to your table.
59. Increase Vitamin E with a delicious trail mix that boosts the immune system and fights colon cancer.
60. Increase Zinc to support the immune system with an energizing green smoothie.
61. Make Fire Cider.
If it doesn’t fight off the flu, we’re not sure anything will. Fire cider, with its garlic, lemon, raw honey, cayenne pepper and apple cider vinegar isn’t for the faint of heart.
62. Think happy thoughts.
Positive thinking could support your immune system as it fights off the flu this year.
63. Get emotional support if you are struggling by seeing a therapist or joining a support group.
Depression, loneliness, and grief all take a toll on the immune system.
64. Say “Thank You” and reap the health benefits of practicing gratitude.
65. Keep a gratitude journal.
If you find that feeling grateful doesn’t come naturally, a more intentional practice like a gratitude journal can turn this practice into a daily habit.
66. Spend time with friends.
Friendships experience big changes during middle age but strong relationships come with health benefits and are worth the effort. Find out how to create a mom self-care club for support and health.
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