boosting immunity

5 Surprising Ways to Improve Your Immunity

Here are some ways to bolster your immune system—your body’s defense against everything from swine flu to salmonella—that you probably never thought of.

By Emily Main

Topics: swine flu (h1n1), lungs and respiratory health, immunity, cold and flu

Start with a healthy lifestyle and plenty of sleep, then take advantage of these less familiar infection preventers.

With cold and flu season here, it’s more important than ever that we all get plenty of sleep, eat a healthy diet, and exercise regularly to keep our immune systems in top shape. But why stop there? If you want to strengthen your body’s defenses by any means necessary, here are some less orthodox tactics:

#1: Get lost (in the woods).
Scientists in Japan have started prescribing “forest therapy” as a way for people to relax and boost their immune health, after a study found that men who’d spent six hours hiking in a forest over the course of two days had higher levels of “natural killer cells,” which strengthen immunity and help fight cancer. The healthy effects of the hike lasted for 30 days. If a few days of arboreal wandering don’t fit your schedule, seek out whatever nature you can find, such as a park or even your own backyard. Being in nature is a natural stress reliever, and relaxation is great for your immune system.

Read More: 5 Ways to Get More Nature Into Your Life

Published on May 1st, 2009

Last updated on January 10th, 2012

boosting immunity

5 Surprising Ways to Improve Your Immunity

Here are some ways to bolster your immune system—your body’s defense against everything from swine flu to salmonella—that you probably never thought of.

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