Immunity 101

Your immune system is your defense against the ~60,000 germs (on average) that come in contact with your body every day. It’s made up of two parts – the innate immune system and the adaptive immune system. It’s important for both to be in good fighting condition!

Your Innate Immune System

Your innate immune system is your first line of defense against germs. It’s made up of your skin, mucous membranes, special immune system cells and proteins. It acts very quickly to detect and destroy the non-specific germs, but is not always successful.

Your Adaptive Immune System

Your adaptive immune system takes over if your innate immune system is not able to stop the invasion. It’s made up of lymphocytes and antibodies. It acts more slowly to identify and target the specific germs, but when it does it is more accurate.

Support Your Immune System with the 6 S’s

At any given time, we have 380 trillion viruses and 40 trillion bacteria in our body. It’s a wonder we’re not sick more often! We have our immune system to thank for that. Support your immune system with the 6 S’s.

1. Sleep

Good health begins with good sleep. Getting enough of high quality sleep is the single best thing you can do for your health. Sleep is when recovery and repair happen. When you’re in deep sleep, your immune system is busy healing what needs healing and fighting off what needs fighting off. When you’re sleep deprived, you and your immune system suffer.

2. Socializing

Human beings are social creatures — for a reason. Strong social ties strengthen our immune system and support our longevity. A landmark study found that social isolation caused poor sleep and weekend immunity, so much so that it was ranked worse for your health than smoking.

3. Stress Relief

Believe it or not, stressing about getting sick might actually increase the likelihood of it. Chronic stress causes elevated cortisol levels and increased low-grade inflammation that impair how the immune system functions. It’s more important than ever to find healthy ways of coping with stress, like spending time in nature. 

4. Sunshine

There’s nothing a little sunshine can’t fix. Well, that’s not entirely true, but sunlight is a natural source of ultraviolet B, which stimulates the skin to produce vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential for the proper functioning of the immune system. It helps activate immune cells to support the body’s defense against infection. 

5. Superfoods

Superfoods to the rescue! Foods high in vitamin C (like oranges) help enhance the production of immune cells. Foods high in zinc (like wholegrains, seeds, and nuts) help stop viruses from replicating, so your body doesn’t get overrun. And foods high in vitamin A (like leafy greens) help strengthen your cell walls, making your body a stronger fortress!

6. Supplement with Immunity Hero™

Ideal for families and people with busy lives, Immunity Hero™ is here to save the day and help you and yours stay healthy not just this cold + flu season but all year round. Immunity Hero™ is a clinical strength immune defense complex containing a synergistic blend of powerful antiviral botanicals to help stop sickness in its tracks.