When you’re healthy, it’s easy to take your immune system for granted. It works in the background, keeping you protected from an array of illnesses, infections, and pathogens without you having to give it a single thought. It’s when you get sick that you start considering all the could’ve-s and should’ve-s about your immunity that you’d ignored. After all, the immune system is complex, and boosting your immunity is complicated, too, so it’s easier not to do anything about it, right? Not quite.

You don’t have to change your lifestyle from the core to give your immune system some much-needed support. You just have to pay attention to a few simple things.

Eat healthy foods

Eating healthy foods is the basis of good health — there’s no going around it. Your diet impacts your immunity and your everyday life more than you know. Not only can a good choice of nutrition prevent heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, among other things, but it can also improve your quality of life, making you happier and livelier.

So, make sure that you eat your veggies and throw in a portion of some healthy fats and proteins. You don’t have to change your eating habits from the core and completely disregard your every craving (it will only make your new diet unsustainable). However, you have to include varied foods and get enough macro and micronutrients to boost your immunity.

Stay fit

Staying fit isn’t about successfully squeezing into your favorite pair of jeans or getting more likes on your Instagram posts. It’s about keeping your body strong and resilient regardless of the number on the scales.

Whether you like it or not, you need to commit to some moderate exercise at least a few times a week to ensure a stronger immunity. Exercising can reduce inflammations, strengthen your natural antibodies, flush out bacteria, and even improve immune cell regeneration.

If you’re prone to soreness even after some light exercise, you can benefit from post-workout recovery supplements. After all, nothing can prevent you from staying fit quite like sore muscles and exercise-related injuries.

Get your rest

A good night’s sleep is critical for keeping your immune system up and running. When you’re sleep-deprived, your immunity takes a hit, making you more likely to get sick and develop serious illnesses, including cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. You’re even more likely to catch a virus.

On the other hand, when you’re well-rested, your immune system gets all the resources it needs to function normally.

Try to develop good sleep hygiene and stick to a bedtime routine that suits your lifestyle best.

Watch your stress levels

Finally, for a strong immune system, you’ll need to watch your stress levels. Mental and physical health are more intertwined than you may think, and a change in one will almost always lead to a change in the other.

If you’re constantly stressed and anxious, your body releases stress hormones (corticosteroids) that suppress your immune system and lower the number of white blood cells, which are critical for fighting infection and diseases.

Try meditating, spending more time in nature, or jogging to alleviate stress and boost your immunity.

Final thoughts

When it comes to your health, it’s always better to be proactive than reactive. If you start building up your immune system before it becomes compromised, you’ll lead a healthier, happier life. So, follow these four steps, and give your immunity the support it needs.