10 Things You Should Be Doing to Boost Your Immunity

Exercise

3. Stay in Motion
According to several studies, moderate exercise (walking briskly, cycling, or swimming for 45 minutes, five times a week) has been shown to enhance your body’s defenses and even cut down sick days by up to 50 percent. Aerobic exercise enhances blood flow, and “the circulatory system is the route of transport for those cells that fight off infection,” says David Katz, an internist and the director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center, in Derby, Connecticut. But don’t assume that more exercise makes for superhuman bug resistance. Studies have revealed that prolonged, vigorous exercise (like running a marathon) can compromise immunity after the workout.

4. Fit Into Your Skinny Jeans
In a study conducted at Tufts University, researchers put slightly overweight adults with elevated cholesterol levels on a low-fat diet. After 12 weeks, the subjects had lost weight and lowered their cholesterol. More surprising, their T-cell function had noticeably improved. “And we’re not talking about drastic weight loss,” says Meydani. “Losing even a few pounds can yield an improvement in how well your immune cells function.” To drop a pound a week, each day aim to trim 250 calories from your diet and burn 250 calories through exercise.