I’ve got a friend who seems to go from one cold to another whilst I haven’t taken antibiotics in about 20 years and I get about one virus a year. We’re a similar age and fitness level so why are our general health levels so different? I believe it’s because I take every step I can to boost my immune system.

Your immune system is an amazing protection system that defends you against millions of bacteria, microbes, viruses, toxins and parasites that would love to invade your body. And it does it naturally, without you having to consciously think about it. We really only notice our immune system when it fails for some reason, for example when a cut becomes infected, or when it works in the wrong way: rheumatoid arthritis is caused by the immune system acting inappropriately in the joints.

When you ‘get sick’, your body is not able to work properly or at its full potential. Your immune system first tries to prevent the source of infection from entering your body and then it tries to find and eliminate the problem before it can reproduce. Failing that, it goes into fight mode to eradicate the problem. It’s much more complicated than this obviously but your immune system is the best doctor in the world because no other doctor can heal: they can only help your body heal itself.

Like everything in your body, the immune system is controlled by the central nervous system. Chiropractic adjustment works to remove physical pressure on your nervous system that may be stopping it from doing its job properly. So by helping your nervous system to function better, chiropractic adjustment administered by a suitably qualified practitioner may be able to have a positive effect on your immune system too.

Why should you bother trying to help your immune system function at its optimum level? For a start, you will increase your resistance to minor ailments and allergies and improve your general health and wellbeing. This means that you will more easily fight off colds and viruses and when you get them, they won’t last as long.

I’ve suggested, below, some ways in which you can ramp up your immune system. Remember that just reading about it, won’t help – you have to take consistent action. So start today and see if it makes a difference over the next six months. I’d love to hear the results – you can email me at via our contact page!

Get started today

Adopt these habits for a stronger natural resistance to ailments:

1. Stop smoking. No excuses.
2. Cut down on tea, coffee and alcohol. Replace them with lots of good quality filtered water, un-pasteurised home juiced fruit juices and herbal teas.
3. Talk to a pharmacist or qualified nutritionist about taking the following supplements: zinc, magnesium, of better yet a whole food nutritional product like “juice plus” that myself and my family take.
4. Many people find immune-boosting herbs such as echinacea and astragalus effective at the first sign of symptoms (don’t take these continuously, though, as they’ll lose their effectiveness).
5. Decrease intake of junk and processed foods and increase intake of fresh fruit and vegetables and naturally fermented products like Kefir, or naturally fermented sauerkraut like the one produced by “biona” as well as other immune boosting nutrients.
6. Take regular exercise to stimulate circulation.
7. Get sufficient sleep in a well-ventilated room.
8. Get regular sunshine and fresh air.  Vitamin D from the sun has an amazing effect on your immune system.  Of note rather than using sun creams which aren’t that good for you and actually lower your intake of vitamin D, just sit in the shade.  You will still get a tan, but you will also increase your bone strength, improve your immune system and lessen your chance of getting something unpleasant on your skin as you grow older.
9. Practice stress management and relaxation.
10. Visit a chiropractically trained health practitioner for a check up.
11. Only take medicinal drugs such as antibiotics when absolutely necessary. After taking them your immune system can be depressed further for up to 2 years! So immediately you stop the antibiotics start taking a whole food nutritional supplement and probiotics or the Kefir I talked about
12. Avoid recreational drugs, which may suppress immune function.