Ask HN: How can I improve my immune system?

[fefb]

I want information about how improve my immune system from the HN community. Do you take any supplements? Do you think about it ? Any special/secret small tip that you think is important for your .

For me, I realized that drinking a lot of water make the difference for my general health including my immune system.

Thanks in Advance

[troughway]

> [...] that drinking a lot of water make the difference for my general health [...]

Anything that you eat or drink will affect your "general health"; from your gut bacteria to the pores on your skin. Water and caffeine-free herbal loose-leaf green are both very healthy in this regard.

Others have mentioned diet, sleeping, stress management, eating lots of fruits/veggies.

I'll add: Get regular, consistent, intensive exercise. Preferably something that targets your larger muscles (your legs/glutes) and your core. Doesn't matter what it is. Some people swear by Rippetoe's Starting Strength, but you choose what you like.

"Immune system" is a holistic term. Making sure your heart is healthy and strong, your bones are healthy, your gut is healthy, and so on, all contributes to your immune system.

Supplements are supplements. They're nice to have but they can't replace a diet that you can depend on every day. And they can't replace breaking a sweat during exercise either.

[fefb]

Nice thanks. Yeah exercise is great. I started work out when I was a teenager, 12 year ago. Lifting weights is a pleasure for me, I have a strong body. However, it is so normal in my life that I do not have a "basis/notion" to compare . About coffee free teas, I believe I can help my body decreasing my caffeine daily dose. It will help my sleep. Thanks again

[silicon2401]

Just pointing out that green tea isn't caffeine free. I don't consume caffeine, which means I can't have black, white, green teas, in addition to other stuff. Caffeine-free teas are generally herbal teas such as chamomile, peppermint, etc.

[pascalxus]

Eat lots of fruits and veggies. try to make 50% of your diet fruits and veggies. the other 50% should be Whole grain, beans, nuts/seeds.

if fruits and veggies don't sound appealing, it's usually because someone's taste buds have been blasted to death with artificial ingredients. but, if you get off all that stuff for a few months, your normal taste buds should re-emerge.

Fasting has been shown to have countless numerous benefits that is extremely powerful for many purposes.

Be Careful with Supplements. in the US they are COMPLETELY unregulated. They could put whatever they wanted in there, even if it contradicts what's on the label. You don't need supplements in the first place. Just eat food. Nature's food already has everything the body could ever want. humans spent millions of years adapting to Nature's food, there's nothing better out there than that.

[fefb]

Thanks. I believe I can improve my diet with more veggies, fruits and grains. My diet has a lot of animal protein .

Yeah supplement market in US is crazy. I am another country where I buy from a great source when I need to complete my diet.

[meiraleal]

> Thanks. I believe I can improve my diet with more veggies, fruits and grains. My diet has a lot of animal protein .

I believe that if you do that, your problems are going to get worse. Ketogenic diet (with animal protein) has been credited to cure lots of autoimmune diseases, diabetes and to lose useless weight.

[pascalxus]

> Thanks. I believe I can improve my diet with more veggies, fruits and grains.

That sounds like a great start!

Once in a while, i like to take a hike in the forest and look around and marvel at all the nature. It's really impressive. And to think, that everything you see before your eyes was the only thing humans had to eat: mostly edible weeds, various types of leafy green veggies, and whenever they were lucky enough to find it, they'd gorge themselves on a fruit tree/bush. One of the things you'll notice very quickly is how much abundance of choice we have in the supermarket (compared to how little in the forests and plains) with so much access to so many delicious fruits and veggies - it really makes you greatful for all the abundance we now have.

[aprdm]

Do you have some articles on why fasting is good ?

[pcurve]

It's encouraging that you've had good result from staying hydrated. I think it makes sense.

I've learned the hard way the importance of mental health as someone who had unfortunate pleasure of getting shingles in late 30s.

The first thing my doc asked me when I suspected shingles; "are you under a lot of stress?"

I nearly broke down and cried. I realized killed myself over work for nothing. For what? Never again. My outlook changed since then.

[fefb]

Absolutely. Mental health has a big influence in our body and immune system. I work a lot in this moment of my life, but my exercises, books and relaxing times are mandatory in my week.

And some days of the week I avoid to be with a lot of people for a long time. I don't know, but for me after a meeting or group work I fell drained.

[PaulHoule]

Get sleep. Manage stress.

If you are worried about coronavirus, flu, etc. the best protection is washing with soap and water frequently.

[tmaly]

Washing hands and not touching your face are still the best recommendations.

[PaulHoule]

It drives me nuts that so much crackpot advice has been voted over this. It's how doctors and nurses manage to see many sick people a day and not be sick all the time.

[lioeters]

Sunlight, fresh air, food, sleep, exercise. Fermented foods. Medicinal mushrooms like Shiitake, Reishi, Oyster..

[bellwether]

My wife has an auto immune disease and we have both switched (through progressive stages) to the Wahl's Protocol. I've never felt healthier and her symptoms are improving--she's also on disease modifying treatment, so we're doing this in addition to medication, not instead of it.

The Wahl's Protocol is designed for cell and brain health, so it may be exactly what you're looking for.

See Dr. Terry Wahl's Ted Talk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLjgBLwH3Wc

[fefb]

Nice that you are improving together. I will give a look. thanks for sharing.

[peteradio]

It surprised me how important my oral health was for my overall health. I started taking it more seriously in the last year and had a much better year.

[abhikandoi2000]

In India, it is pretty common to eat the leaves of the plant Tulsi, as it is known to improve the immune system. Personally, I used to catch cold almost 3-4 times a year, but taking Tulsi (in the form of one drop of concentrated tulsi extract mixed in my morning drinking water) has helped me immensely. The frequency with which I catch cold/fever has reduced dramatically.

[jerome-jh]

Maybe not the answer you are expecting, but the true way is to expose yourself to diseases.

D vitamin may help: you best get it by exposing your naked skin to sunlight.

[fefb]

Yeah . Nice add. I believe I already was exposed to differents diseases. I grew up in a third world country. Also, I did a exchange program in a multicultural US University where I had contact with different people from around the world.

I will try to expose more to sunlight , arms and legs. I spend all my day indoor.

[silicon2401]

I will add on to this that you can get enough vitamin D via diet, whereas exposure to sunlight is one of the primary contributors to aging.

[eu]

Get breastfed for the first 2-3 years of your life.

[enz]

Eating good stuff, good sleep, doing physical exercise if you like that, managing stress if any.

[libx]

Coconut seems to be very good for the immune system. Turmeric is also very good. You may consider taking daily pills on magnesium, omega-3 and C vitamin. Don't take sugars, either directly, from sodas, etc, or indirectly from grains, bread, cakes... Take oils instead. From walnuts and others. You'll improve a lot with this discipline.

[sendilkumarn]

turmeric is more or less similar to antiseptic

[meiraleal]

Eat less times a day, eat more meat and less vegetables. Look for Carnivore Diet.

[throwaway4392]

Focus on lowering inflammation in the body. Try intermittent fasting, etc.

[sendilkumarn]

black pepper is very good for your immune system

[fefb]

Oh, I didn't know. I will try it. Thanks

[vicmgon]

Goji berries.