Each sickness season, we become more vulnerable to illnesses including the flu, colds, COVID, and RSV. As we worry for our health and our kids’, many of us wonder: how best can we care for our immune systems during this time?
Supporting Our Immunity
Immunity refers to the ways that we protect and fight against disease. Our immune response is a complicated and interwoven system, each part connected to and working alongside the others. In her book Immunity: The Science of Staying Well, immunologist Dr. Jenna Macciochi describes the immune system as a castle – “a fortress with many layers of defense, all working as a close-knit team.” Because the immune system is so intricate – containing a network of specialized organs and cells – creating immune system balance is similarly multifaceted. Just as the castle depends on its moat, it also depends on its soldiers. Also important are steadfast walls, or vision of the lands around. No single unit can protect the castle on its own, but plays a role in mounting a defense. The immune system works best under a similar harmony between many areas: diet, exercise, sleep, and many others that influence the body and its function.
This article primarily covers individuals and how we can support our immune systems. However, note that population-level interventions are also important to a community’s health and safety. Measures like masking during a COVID surge as recommended by Johns Hopkins, or dental hygiene education like the World Health Organization recommends can prevent disease before it begins.
That being said, sickness is still all around us. Here are some measures we can take to protect ourselves and our families.
Disclaimer: for professional medical advice please consult a licensed physician.
Sleep
Sleep is often just as important as it is elusive, especially for single parents.
When we sleep, our immune system creates infection- and inflammation-fighting cytokines, as UC Health explains. Number of hours slept, the quality of those hours, and having a consistent sleep schedule are all necessary for our bodies to catch up from the day, although UC Health notes the difficulty of creating a sleep routine in our society.
While we unfortunately can’t add more hours to the day, sleep quality may be simpler to address. For example, take blue light: blue light is a wavelength emitted by many of our devices that triggers attention and boosts reaction times, but also disrupts circadian rhythms and makes it difficult to fall asleep. It is one of many factors that can affect our sleep quality.
Measures to reduce blue light are surprisingly simple. Your browser’s dark mode or your phone’s night mode can limit blue light instantly (although not eliminate it). Immunologist Dr. Macchiochi suggests quality blue light glasses. As she cites, “wearing good-quality-blue-light-blocking glasses is almost as effective as no screens at all,” referencing this study in Chronobiology International. Or, you can stop device usage near bedtime altogether – Cleveland Clinic recommends putting devices away about an hour or two before sleep, although there is no definitive rule regarding time.
Exercise
Exercise is both a stress reducer and immune booster. According to Healthline, an hour (or less) of moderate exercise per day can help immune cells circulate and help reduce inflammation (among other benefits). Just remember that more is not always better – overdoing your workout through too high of intensity can decrease immune function temporarily.
For most of us, though, the struggle is finding the time and energy to exercise. This is one cue we might take from our kids – young children are often full of energy and naturals at keeping active. Joining in on a game of catch, having a mini dance party, or a visit to the park could be a step toward supporting both of your immune systems.
Another convenient way to add exercise to your routine might be investing in small equipment. Check out our article here for more info.
Fruits and Vegetables
According to Columbia University, vegetables are loaded with micronutrients and fiber, both of which are necessary to support our gut microbiome and ward off harmful microbes.
Which fruits and veggies are best? Any and all of them. In fact, a variety of vegetables is ideal. WebMD recommends “eating the rainbow” to support immune health, incorporating foods such as carrots, green peppers, strawberries, and cantaloupe.
If you are in need of food assistance, check out our list of food resources here.
Hand Washing
Hand washing is a pillar of immunity, both protecting us from sickness and limiting its spread to others.
Hand washing benefits our kids especially – hand washing education can increase kids’ attendance in school and protect kids from both respiratory and diarrheal disease, which are some of the most common sicknesses.
However, many of us are not benefiting from hand washing nearly as much as we could. In fact, participants of one USDA study were washing their hands incorrectly about 97% of the time – just think of how much more disease they could prevent, and likely us too.
Proper hand washing technique involves washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, scrubbing between fingers, under nails, and the backs of our hands, according to the CDC. And as we pass this knowledge to our kids, we can all protect each other.
Final Thoughts
While our immune system is expansive, that also means there are many ways we can support it. Whether it’s putting our phone in night mode or washing our hands for the full 20 seconds, there are many ways to help our immune system to function as strong as possible.
