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Take Control of Your Immune Health
Your immune system is a miraculous gift. It began working before you were born and if it is properly cared for, it will continue throughout a long, fulfilling life. With education and the right decisions, there is a lot you can do to support and safeguard this essential system.
This guide was created to help you better understand your immune system and offer some simple steps and advice to help protect it and keep it functioning at peak efficiency.
If you’d like to learn more, we encourage further personal research and study. The following sources will provide an effective starting point.
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Harvard, “How to Boost Your Immune System”
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-to-boost-your-immune-system
AARP, “5 Ways to Boost Your Immune System”
https://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-2020/boosting-immune-response.html
Health Magazine, “How to Boost Your Immune System, According to Experts”
https://www.health.com/condition/infectious-diseases/coronavirus/how-to-boost-your-immune-system
Women’s Health Magazine, “15 Health Habits That Actually Optimize Your Immunity, According to Experts”
https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a32475295/how-to-boost-immune-system/
Runner’s World Magazine, “Exercise Can Boost Your Immune System—Here’s How Much You Need, According to Research”
https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a32801576/exercise-during-coronavirus-immune-system-study/
Outside Magazine, “Supporting Your Immune System Is Simple”
https://www.outsideonline.com/2414752/fishing-can-make-you-happier-and-healthier
Time Magazine, “Here’s the Best Way to Boost Your Immune System”
https://time.com/5482827/how-to-boost-your-immune-system/
Experience Life Magazine, “The Best Defense: Boost Your Immune System”
https://experiencelife.com/article/the-best-defense/
MDVIP, “Will You Be Ready to Fight Off the Next Virus?”
https://www.mdvip.com/about-mdvip/blog/will-you-be-ready-fight-next-virus
John Hopkins, “The Immune System”
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/the-immune-system
“The Skin as an Immune Organ.” Salmon, J. K., et al. The Western Journal of Medicine, vol. 160, no. 2, 1994, pp. 146–152.
“The Skin Microbiome.” Grice, Elizabeth A., Serge, Julia A., Nature reviews. Microbiology, vol. 9, no. 4, 2011, pp. 244–253.
“Antiviral Activities in Human Saliva.” Coogan, Maeve M., et al. Advances in Dental Research, vol. 23, no. 1, 2011, pp. 34–37.
“Ciliary Function and the Role of Cilia in Clearance.” Stannard, Wendy, and Chris O’Callaghan, Journal of Aerosol Medicine, vol. 19, no. 1, 2006, pp. 110–115.
“Intestinal mucosal barrier function in health and disease.” Turner, Jerrold R., Nature Reviews | Immunology, vol. 9, 2009, pp. 799–809
“What Are White Blood Cells?” University of Rochester Medical Center, Online Health Encyclopedia
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=160&ContentID=35
“Overview of the Immune Response.” Chaplin, David D., The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology, vol. 125, Suppl. 2, 2010, pp. S3–23.
“Understanding How Vaccines Work,” Department of Health & Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HCVG15-CHD-1588/08/2018
“Aspects of Gut Microbiota and Immune System Interactions in Infectious Diseases, Immunopathology, and Cancer.” Lazar, Veronica, et. al., Frontiers in Immunology, vol. 9, 2018, article no. 1830
“Fiber and Prebiotics: Mechanisms and Health Benefits.” Slavin, Joanne,Nutrients, vol. 5, 2013, pp. 1417–1435.
“Shifting the balance: antibiotic effects on host-microbiota mutualism.” Willing, Benjamin P., et al., Nature reviews. Microbiology, vol. 9, no. 4, 2011, pp. 233–243.
“Diet and Immune Function.” Childs, Caroline E., et al. Nutrients, vol. 11, 2019, article no. 1933.
“The Role of Vitamins and Minerals on the Immune System.” Alpert, Patricia T. Home Health Care Management & Practice, vol. 29, no. 3, 2017, pp. 199–202.
“Physiological role of antioxidants in the immune system.” Bendich, A., Journal of Dairy Science, Vol. 76, no. 9, 1993, pp. 2789–2794.
“Regulation of Immune Function by Polyphenols.” Ding, Sujuan, et al., Journal of Immunology Research vol. 2018, article ID 1264074.
“Understanding acute and chronic inflammation.” Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School, April 2020.
“Foods that fight inflammation.” Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School, November 2018.
“Demographic Differences and Trends of Vitamin D Insufficiency in the US Population, 1988-2004.” Ginde, Adit A., et al., Archives of Internal Medicine, vol. 169, no. 6, 2009, pp. 626–632.
“Vitamin D and the Immune System.” Aranow, Cynthia, Journal of Investigative Medicine, vol. 59, no. 6, 2011, pp. 881–886.
“Obesity, inflammation and the immune system.” de Herediam, Fátima Pérez, The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, vol. 71, no. 2, 2012, pp. 332–338.
“Water and Your Diet: Staying Slim and Regular With H2O,” Shaw, Gina, Web MD
https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/water-for-weight-loss-diet#1
“Inflammation and exercise: Inhibition of monocytic intracellular TNF production by acute exercise via 2-adrenergic activation.” Dimitrov, Stoyan, et al., Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, vol. 61, 2017, pp. 60–68.
“Exercise and immunity.” MedlinePlus, National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine, January 2020.
“Upper respiratory tract infection is reduced in physically fit and active adults.” Nieman, David C., et al., British Journal of Sports Medicine, vol. 45, 2011, pp. 987–992.
“Behaviorally Assessed Sleep and Susceptibility to the Common Cold.” Prather, Aric A., et al., Sleep, vol. 38, no. 9, 2015, pp. 1353–1359.
“1 in 3 adults don’t get enough sleep.” CDC Newsroom Releases, February 18, 2016, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Sleep and immune function.” Besedovsky, Luciana, et. al., Pflügers Archiv : European journal of physiology, vol. 463, no. 1, 2012, pp. 121–137.
“A sleep expert explains what happens to your body and brain if you don’t get enough sleep.” Friedman, Noah, Business Insider, Mar 14, 2019.
“Why Stress Makes It Harder to Kick the Common Cold.” Sifferlin, Alexandra, Time, April 03, 2012.
“Chronic stress, glucocorticoid receptor resistance, inflammation, and disease risk.” Cohen, Sheldon, et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, vol. 109, no. 16, 2012, pp. 5995–5999.
“The effect of handwashing with water or soap on bacterial contamination of hands.” Burton, Maxine, et. al., International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol.8, no. 1, 2011, pp. 97–104.
“Handwashing: Clean Hands Save Lives.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, July 7, 2020
https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/index.html
“The ecology of microscopic life in household dust.” Barberán, Albert, et al., Proceedings of the Royal Society B. vol. 282, issue 1814, September 2015.
“The Dirty Cell Phone: 25,127 Bacteria per Square Inch.” State Food Safety Resources,
“5 Gadgets With More Germs Than Your Toilet Seat.” Hines, Ree, Forbes.com 2014,
“Porphyromonas gingivalis Manipulates Complement and TLR Signaling to Uncouple Bacterial Clearance from Inflammation and Promote Dysbiosis.” Maekawa, Tomoki, et al., Cell Host & Microbe, vol. 15, pp. 768–778.