Immune System Support for Seniors: Proven Strategies for Better Health

A strong immune system can protect you from outside invaders which are responsible for making you sick. If you want to stay healthy and protected from viruses and bacteria, you can intake some specific foods that are mentioned in this article to improve your immune system. Senior people should definitely consume these foods in order to boost their immune system.

As you get older, your immune system becomes weaker and functions less efficiently when it comes to fighting against infections. In order to boost immune system support for seniors, it is essential to follow a healthy lifestyle. Follow the tips which are mentioned in this article if you want your immune system to prevent & fight against disease and stay healthy.

Tips to Strengthen Immune System Support for Seniors:

Here, we are going to mention some tricks that will help to boost immune system support for seniors.

Wash Your Hands:

It is important to wash hands thoroughly. Usually, germs spread from one person to another. So, cleaning hands thoroughly is essential as it helps to prevent the spread of this disease. Ensure that you are washing your hands using both soap and you should scrub for a minimum of 20 seconds. After twenty seconds, you should rinse your hands with water. CDC, or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, gives advice to washing hands:

• Before you eat
• Before, during, and after you prepare food
• After you use the toilet
• Before and after caring for a patient
• After coughing, blowing your nose, or sneezing

• Eat Well-balanced Meals:

If you are willing to boost your immune system, you have to eat a nutrient-rich diet. For instance, you should intake vegetables and a lot of fruits. These foods have nutrients and antioxidants that are very beneficial when it comes to boosting the immune system. In addition, veggies and fruits contain several minerals and vitamins that help to maintain your immune system. We have given here a few nutrients which are helpful for boosting immune system support for seniors:

B Vitamins:

A common deficiency that is found in older adults is Vitamin B12 deficiency. You should know that grains, dairy products, meats, eggs, and beans contain this vitamin. So, to boost immune system support for seniors, it is essential to consume foods containing vitamin B. However, you should consult with your doctor if you need a supplement.

Vitamin C:

Fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C. This vitamin is mainly available in citrus fruits and red and orange types. As you can get enough of this vitamin from food, you will not need a supplement.

Selenium:

This antioxidant is available in small amounts in meats, nuts, grains, etc.

Zinc:

Beans, oysters, cheese, lentils, and beef contain zinc. Generally, you can get this mineral from the foods you intake. However, a supplement might be essential in some cases.

Some proofs say that you can have a good immune system when you follow a Mediterranean-style diet. Following such a diet is beneficial for preventing chronic diseases and keeping you healthy. For instance, you should eat vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and beans to maintain a good immune system. Try to add the foods which are sources of healthy fats, such as fish, olive oil, olives, nuts, and seeds to your diet list.

• Stay Physically Active:

If you are a senior person, you can keep yourself strong and healthy by staying physically active. To do so, it is important to perform physical activities regularly.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, you should perform moderate-intensity exercises at least 150 minutes weekly. For instance, you can start with walking for 10 minutes. You can perform Tai Chi or Yoga to improve mental health as well as flexibility.

• Get Vaccinated:

If you don't want to suffer from the seasonal flu, the best thing you can do is to get vaccinated.  The senior flu shot is mainly for those who are 65 and older. The immune systems of seniors become weak with their age. That's why they need stronger protection. This vaccine helps them to stay protected from the flu virus.

• Connect With Others:

Keeping yourself in touch with your loved ones helps to eliminate the feeling of loneliness. If you are depressed, your immune system will become weak. Therefore, it becomes essential to stay connected with others. While you can call your loved ones, you can text them to get rid of the feelings of loneliness. Besides, you can use different video technologies like FaceTime, Skype, or Zoom to stay connected with your dear ones.

• Get Plenty Of Sleep:

Lack of sleep can make your immune system weak. As a result, your immune system may not be able to fight against inflammation and infection properly. Sleep disorders can lead to many chronic diseases; for example, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and depression. A sleep disorder that is common among older adults is insomnia. You need to maintain a regular sleep schedule. Besides, you should try to limit your caffeine intake. If these are not helpful, you should seek medical assistance.

If you are willing to improve your sleep quality, you have to do the following:

• Ensure that you sleep in a dark and cool room.
• You need to follow your bedtime routine daily.
• It is important to limit daytime naps to about 45 minutes.
• You should limit your alcohol intake as it can impact your sleep quality badly.
• Try to avoid caffeine before bedtime.

 Stay Hydrated:

Dehydration can cause a lot of health problems for senior people. So, it is very important to stay hydrated in order to improve the immune system. Drinking water leads your body to absorb nutrients and minerals properly. After absorbing the good ones, your body will flush the waste. In order to stay hydrated, you must drink at least 8-9 glasses of water regularly. Try to drink a glass of water before and after every meal and in-between snacks.

• Minimize Alcohol Intake:

If you consume alcohol excessively, it will weaken your immune system. So, it is very important to limit your alcohol consumption. Older men should not consume more than two drinks per day, whereas, for older women, the limit is one drink per day.

• Manage Stress:

Your immune system can become weaker when you have chronic stress. If you are stressed enough, your body produces cortisol hormone more than the normal rate. With the help of the hormone cortisol, the human body can handle stressful situations. However, this hormone can limit some specific bodily functions. If the function of your immune system is limited, you will become more vulnerable to infection. You can't get a life without stress. So, it is important to learn how to reduce stress levels. These are a few things you can do:

• You should make time for reading, gardening, or doing enjoyable things.
• You need to exercise regularly.
• You can follow meditation strategies.

If you are unable to reduce your stress level even after following the tricks mentioned above, you need to consult with a therapist.

• Quit Smoking:

Cigarettes contain certain chemicals that can damage lung tissue. As a result, it boosts the risk of cancer. Besides, your immune response can be suppressed due to smoking. Moreover, smoking can lead to several respiratory diseases; for example, flu, bronchitis, and pneumonia.

You have to quit smoking to boost your immune system level. If you can't quit, you should try to at least reduce smoking. Several smoking cessation aids are available, including — nicotine patches or nicotine gum. Moreover, you can take therapy to reduce smoking. If needed, you have to consult with your doctor to know which medicines you should take to reduce the craving level for cigarettes.

• Spend Time Outdoors:

The last tip that we are going to mention in this article for boosting immune system support for seniors is recommending you to spend time outdoors. For example, according to a lot of people, spending time outdoors helps them to reduce stress levels. Besides, when you spend time outdoors, your body absorbs vitamin D from moderate sun exposure. As we all know vitamin D is very helpful when it comes to improving immunity level. Moreover, vitamin D helps to prevent autoimmune diseases as well as inflammation.

The Bottom Line:

If you want to strengthen your immune system, you should intake such foods which contain vitamins and nutrients; for instance, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, etc. Try to follow a healthy diet chart, along with following the tips that are mentioned above to boost immune system support for seniors. Make sure that you are limiting your alcohol intake and smoking. Try to stay physically active and hydrated, along with maintaining a regular sleep schedule.