Parenting 101
10 Ways to Turbo Charge Your Immune System
By Sandra Gordon
March/April 2008

Q: My child seems to catch every little cold that comes along. Is there something I can do to help boost his immunity?

You can take control. True, the world is filled with nasty viruses, bacteria and carcinogens just waiting to do you in. That’s especially true if you’ve got germ magnets, otherwise known as kids. Babies put dropped pacifiers in their mouths. Toddlers share sippy cups and juice boxes with each other.

Preschoolers use their hands instead of a tissue and cough with their mouths wide open. And children of all ages seem to attract bad bugs everywhere they go, many of which land on Mom. At the very least, these bad bugs can cause temporary sickness and misery. Worse, they can make you more vulnerable to killer conditions like cancer. The good news? You don’t have to take it. Here, simple ways to mobilize your immune system’s illness-fighting forces-the T cells, natural killer cells and antibodies that declare war on the enemy and attack. Just follow these easy steps, and you’ll increase your body’s natural defenses against colds, flu and the chronic conditions we dread.

Don’t get caught dirty handed
Be sure to wash your hands before eating and after using the bathroom, changing a diaper and touching raw meat, poultry, fish or eggs. Hand washing is one of the most effective ways to prevent microbes that cause colds, flu and foodborne illness from entering your body. And don’t worry about buying special anti-bacterial soap. Plain soap will do.

Take a breather
Evidence suggests that unmanaged stress sets off a chain of hormonal events that can decrease the activity of natural killer cells, says Gailen Marshall, M.D., Ph.D., director of the division of allergy and immunology at the University of Texas-Houston Medical School. Runaway stress can also make you susceptible to colds and aggravate chronic conditions such as asthma and allergies. “Recognize your limitations and give yourself permission to have time just for you,” she advises. Schedule in at least 20 minutes of daily down time, and find a hobby that lets you have fun.

Get some shut eye
Studies suggest that sleep deprivation causes sluggish production of natural killer cells, a type of white blood cell that can obliterate certain microbes and cancer cells. While more researcher is needed, your best bet is to aim for a solid eight hours of sleep each night, says Merrill Mitler, Ph.D., a professor of neural pharmacology at Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California. If that’s not possible, nap if you can, and be sure to catch up on lost sleep on the weekends.

Don’t be a fat phobic
A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids (found in fatty fish like salmon) may help reduce your body’s production of eicosanoids from omega-6 fatty acids, hormone-like substances that can over-stimulate your immune system, says Artemis Simopoulos, M.D., coauthor of The Omega Plan. That might explain why high levels of eicosanoids are associated with autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, diverticulitis, multiple sclerosis and lupus, which occur when an overalert immune system attacks the body’s own cells as a “foreign invader.” To up your diet’s omega-3 intake, eat fish two or three times a week, Dr. Simopoulos recommends.

Go beyond broccoli
Eat your sweet potatoes, spinach, apples, oranges – the whole cornucopia. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables (at least five servings a day) can reduce your cancer risk by 20 percent. A hefty dose of this “plant power” comes from cancer-fighting antioxidants. These nutrients help neutralize free radicals, unstable oxygen molecules produced by your body that can damage cell DNA and lead to cancer. The disease busters in plant foods tend to work best as a team, so aim for variety.

Give yourself a shot against illness
Talk to your doctor about getting a flu shot (which is 70 to 90 percent effective at preventing the illness in healthy people) between September to mid-November – especially if you have a chronic condition like asthma, diabetes or heart disease, you’re pregnant or age 50 or older. One caveat: The flu shot isn’t recommended if you’re allergic to eggs or have a history of Guillain-Barre syndrome, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

Exercise your options
Doing moderate workouts (like walking or jogging) for at least 30 minutes five or more times a week can increase the circulation of immune-boosting natural killer cells in your body, even when you’re at rest, according to Susanna Cunningham-Rundles, Ph.D., Director of the Immunology Research Laboratory at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. But overdosing may work against you. The stress of intense exercise (approximately 75 minutes or more at a strenuous pace, or anything that makes you feel as if you’re pushing yourself too hard) may stimulate stress hormones like cortisol, which some studies suggest can suppress natural killer cells. The upshot? If you’re a long-distance runner or serious athlete, you may be at increased risk for colds and flu. Take other stay-healthy steps, like getting plenty of sleep, eating a well-balanced diet and asking your doctor about a flu shot, recommends Cunningham-Rundles.

Guard against weight gain
Research shows that obesity may alter your immune system response. Add to that the many health risks associated with being overweight (including heart disease, diabetes and sleep apnea), and avoiding the 20- to 30-pound gain that many adults pack on as they age becomes an important way to safeguard your well-being, says Madelyn H. Fernstrom, Ph.D., Director of the Weight Management Center at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. The number you don’t want to hit: a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher, which is considered overweight. To determine your BMI, log onto http://nhlbisupport.com/bmi/bmicalc.htm, the Web site for the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

Get more zinc
Most Americans fall short of the daily recommendation for zinc (12 milligrams) by about 20 percent. Besides being a free-radical-fighting antioxidant, zinc enhances the quality and number of your body’s T cells, major players in the immune system that combat viruses and bacteria. Getting enough may increase your resistance to infections such as diarrhea and pneumonia, says Sunil Sazawal, Ph.D., an associate scientist in the department of International Health at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Fill your quota by adding zinc-rich foods like lean meat, fish, poultry, beans and nuts to your diet. 

Don’t go it alone
Can you name someone who’d help you in a pinch? Do you have a confidante? Answering yes puts you at lower risk for illness, particularly heart disease, says Marty Sullivan, M.D., codirector of the Integrative Medicine Initiative at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina. Studies show that people who have a diverse social network (including friends, family, coworkers, etc.) have greater resistance to colds. 

Sandra Gordon is a journalist specializing in health and is a frequent contributor to many national magazines, including Ladies’ Home Journal, Prevention, Parents, American Baby, Fitness and Child. She is also the author of Consumer Reports Best Baby Products, 2007.