5 Easy Tips to Prevent a Waning Immune System

5 Easy Tips to “Turn Back the Clock” and Supercharge Your Immunity!

Your immune system is the first “line of defense” against pathogens, infections, and mutant cells. When we are young, whatever comes at us, we seem to be able to fend off pretty effortlessly. As we age, however, our immune function “wanes” and becomes less and less effective.

While you may not be able to stop the clock completely, there are LOTS of things you can do to prevent immune system waning (also called “immunosessence”) and boost your immune system as you age. Here is all you need to know to “turn back the clock” and prevent immune system waning no matter what your age!

Your Immune System and Aging

Your immune system is pretty incredible. Since you were just a “wee one” until today, the billions of immune system cells that make up this system have “stood guard” over your body.

In fact, each day this system does its job of cleaning up old and dying cells, fending off pathogens and viruses, getting rid of mutations, and generally “cleaning house” of anything that could do you harm. (1) What’s more, it has done all this throughout the years despite being exposed to a constant onslaught of toxins vying for its energy and resources. These may include environmental pollutants, pesticides in foods, toxins in sundry products, harmful substances in cleaning products, and internal toxins caused by chronic emotional stress, hormone imbalance, and more.

According to the US EPA, there are about 80,000 different kinds of chemical substances that we may be exposed to on any given day. That is a lot for our immune system (and our connected organs of metabolism and detoxification) to deal with. (2)

In our teens and twenties, many of us may have also exposed our bodies to a constant onslaught of harmful lifestyle behaviors such drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, eating junk food, and lack of sleep. Most of us didn’t think twice about all the bad habits we might have regularly engaged in in our youth. Our immune system simply “bounced back” with each new day.

As we get older, however, things change dramatically. Especially after age 45, those bad habits start to catch up to us. Our immune system begins to wane, and we experience “immunosessence.” According to a 2019 joint study conducted by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, age-related immunosessence is characterized by the slowing down of all organs in the body and a higher propensity for sickness and disease caused by lower immune system function on all levels. (3)

5 Easy Actions to Stop Immune System Waning and Boost Health at Any Age

Ever wonder why you seem to grow more and more tired with each passing year?

Because of age-related immune system waning, or “immunosessence,” it simply takes a lot more energy for all of our hard-working immune system cells and mechanisms to do their jobs of protecting us. The end result is a body that is fatigued and vulnerable to attack.

There ARE ways to turn back the biological clock, however. What’s more, these ways are easy and very effective. All they take is a commitment on your part to “stick to it.”

1. Lower Chronic Stress

There is perhaps no other condition that can negatively affect immune function more than chronic stress. While some amount of short-term stress is actually a good thing for keeping your immune system active and flexible, chemical stress that goes on for days or stress responses that never stops (i.e., chronic stress) can lead to high inflammation levels, low immune system function, and a higher risk for disease.

A thorough, insightful investigation into the relationship between stress and immune system health was conducted in 2014 by researchers at Stanford University. (4)

“…short-term stress is one of nature’s fundamental but under-appreciated survival mechanisms that could be clinically harnessed to enhance immunoprotection,” say the researchers in the study report published in the journal Immunologic Research.  “In contrast, long-term stress suppresses or dysregulates innate and adaptive immune responses…”

Some benefits of short-term stress may include the production of immune system cells such as cytokines and macrophages, amongst other things. On the other hand, long term or chronic stress can lead to cytokine imbalance, immune system suppression at the cellular level, and a higher susceptibility to certain diseases, including cancer.

If you feel like you are constantly running on the chemicals of stress (i.e., cortisol and adrenaline), know that there are a lot of things you can do about it.

All of the other immune-boosting tips in this section can help to lower stress too, so keep reading! In addition, you can utilize specific tools and protocols that have been proven to bring stress chemicals down while at the same time boost “happy hormones” which can nourish the immune system.

Some of these stress-busting, immune system-boosting modalities include deep breathing, grounding in nature, using an infrared sauna, and Emotional Freedom Technique (or EFT). (5) Studies suggest that practicing EFT can not only lower stress but can also balance out Heart Rate Variability (HRV). HRV can be an indication of immune function and general health. (6)

2. Eat a Nutrient-Dense, Anti-Inflammatory Diet

You can focus on lowering inflammation and boosting immunity and still get all the nutrients you need through eating a whole foods diet. In fact, a nutrient-dense diet is just as important as lowering stress responses for immune health.

When it comes to diet, the foods that you leave out are just as important as the foods you include. And the most important thing to cut out is extra processed sugar. This is because too much sugar and simple carbs can lead directly to higher inflammatory levels, imbalanced gut flora, metabolic disease, increased obesity, higher risk of disease, and lower immune function. Studies have shown that high points in sugar intake correspond directly to dips in immune function. (7)

Instead of sugar and other immunity busters like saturated fats and excessive red meats, “eat the rainbow” instead. This means getting in plenty of green leafy and cruciferous vegetables, antioxidant-rich fruits like blueberries, lean sources of protein such as chicken, high omega 3 foods like fish and nuts, and plenty of hydrating fresh, filtered water.

The key to an immune-boosting diet is one that nourishes your gut and nervous system, keeps inflammation levels low, and provides your body with all the nutrients your body needs to function properly.

3. Support Your Gut

Of course, a whole food, anti-inflammatory diet is also going to support a diverse and robust gut microbiota. This might not seem like a big deal, but it really is if your goal is to kick start immunity.

Think of it this way. The GI system is one of the main ways that the body interacts with the outside world. It is also the home to 80% of our immune system cells. By taking action to strengthen the gut, you are not only upping your nutrient quotient. You are also helping your immune system do a better job of protecting you.

Researchers at Sloan-Kettering Institute conducted a study on thousands of patients over a 10-year period. They found that the kinds of immune system cells in the blood changed in direct relation to specific strains of bacteria which were present in the gut. (8)  Furthermore, a 2017 Chinese study found that a healthy gut microbiota can play a vital role in maintaining “intestinal homeostasis” and preventing gut dysbiosis via the “mucosal immune system.” (9)

Healing your gut does take time and requires replacing bad eating and lifestyle habits with healthy ones every day. If you keep at it, however, you are going to see results.

Besides eating a nutrient dense diet which includes plenty of fiber and probiotic as well as prebiotic foods, other ways to help your gut include staying away from foods you may be intolerant of (such as gluten), consuming probiotic supplements, getting plenty of exercise, keeping stress low, staying hydrated, and thoroughly chewing your food for healthy digestion.

4. Move Your Body Every Day

Believe it or not, getting a little bit of cardiovascular exercise in every day can also be a great boost to your immune system, not to mention your overall health.

There are several reasons why. We already mentioned the connection between exercise and stress reduction as well as exercise and gut health. In addition, physical activity can help flush bacteria out of the airways and lungs and help strengthen and increase white blood cells (WBC). WBCs are the body’s main immune system cells for fighting disease.

“There is a general consensus that regular bouts of short-lasting (i.e., up to 45 minutes) moderate intensity exercise is beneficial for host immune defense, particularly in older adults and people with chronic diseases,” write the authors of a 2020 report published in the journal Exercise Immunology Review. (10)

So, what kind of exercise is best to do? The answer to that question depends on you! Be sure to choose a kind of physical movement that you can do safely. It is okay if it is somewhat challenging, but always stay away from exercise that causes pain or is too strenuous.

And if you really don’t know what to do, just start walking! The U.S. Centers for Disease Control recommends 150 minutes of brisk walking per week. This usually translates to a 30-minute walk, 5 days a week, for most people. (11)

5. Use Key Natural Substances to Help Your Immune System, Like Beta Glucans!

In addition to all of the great lifestyle tips mentioned above, there are also many kinds of natural whole foods and supplements that can specifically boost immune system health.

One of the substances that have been proved effective the most by scientific research  are “beta glucans.” Beta glucans are polysaccharides that naturally occur along the cell walls of many kinds of grains as well as certain types of fungi and yeasts. When they are ingested, they go directly to immune system cells through small openings called Peyer’s Patches. Once beta glucans enter the immune system, they catalyze immune cells to go on “high alert.”

They activate immune system cells, macrophages, and other immune system cells which can then do their job of gobbling up infectious pathogens and other threats at a must faster, more efficient rate. A 2020 joint investigation conducted by Texas Tech University amongst others found that yeast-derived beta glucans can kick start specific immune system functions connected to “cytokine markers for inflammation.” (12)

When it comes to the immune system, beta glucans sourced from Baker’s Yeast (Saccharomyes cerevisae) have been shown to be the best. Studies from the University of Texas found that Baker’s Yeast beta glucans were able to activate the immune system on several fronts. The immune system in response was able to level-up immunoglobin and monocyte counts and increase the production and effectiveness of T cells. (13)

You CAN Prevent Immune System Waning and Experience Youthful Vigor Again!

You don’t have to suffer from constant lack of energy, ongoing infections, or higher risk of disease as you age. By making just a few lifestyle changes, focusing on a gut healing anti-inflammatory diet, and including key substances such as beta glucans in the mix, you can be on your way to great immune health again.

And if beta glucans are something you want to add in your immune system-boosting routine, then be sure to check out Better Way Health’s patented, one-of-a-kind, non-GMO Baker’s Yeast-derived formula.

You CAN repair your immune system, lower inflammation, and put the “vim and vigor” back in your life on all levels.