Easy and Practical Immune System Boosters for Seniors

Using the right immune system boosters for seniors as a part of your regular lifestyle can help to support your overall wellness. Of course, there isn’t anything that will stop you from catching an infection if you’re exposed to enough of the wrong bacteria, virus or other microbe.  However, there are strategies you can take to help prevent that exposure in the first place and to ramp up your body’s various protection systems to make sure you’re best prepared to fight off anything you might catch.

Will Immune System Boosters for Seniors Keep You Healthy?

It’s important to understand what immune system boosters can realistically do. They help to support your immune system function.  This means that they make sure your body’s first line of defense is working as well as it can and that your internal army for fighting off infection and healing up afterward is functioning at maximum capacity.

That said, there is a difference between having a healthy immune system and being healthy.  You can still catch something even when your body’s defenses are at their best.  The idea is to practice prevention as much as you can and to make sure that if you do catch something, you’re as well as you can to give yourself the best chances of an easy recovery.

What Are Some of These Helpful Immune System Boosters for Seniors?

Use the following immune system boosters for seniors to give your body a much-needed shot in the arm.

Wash Your Hands

This step seems so simple and common that we forget how powerful it truly is.  Soap and water are the top defense against an incredible array of pathogens including viruses, bacteria, yeasts and other unwanted microbes.  Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, making sure to cover front and back, knuckles, thumb, and fingertips.  The CDC recommends washing hands as immune system boosters for seniors:

• Before, during, and after food preparation
• Before and after eating
• After using the toilet
• Before and after caring for an ill person
• After coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose

Get Vaccinated

Vaccines against common and preventable illnesses such as the flu or shingles are important immune system boosters for seniors.  They may not protect you against everything, but when your body isn’t already fighting off one thing, it’s more fortified to keep you safe from something else.

Focus on Nutrition

It’s not realistic to think that every bite you take will be packed with nutrition and won’t contain a single “bad for you” ingredient. However, your overall balanced nutrition helps to keep your body running at its best.  Choose your favorite meals that include lots of veggies, whole grains, lean proteins and a bit of healthy fat to help you enjoy what you eat and give your body what it needs at the same time.