---
title: Boost Your Immune System This Fall
url: "https://arizonacollege.edu/blog/boost-your-immune-system-this-fall/"
type: post
date_published: 2014-11-13
date_modified: 2025-12-26
schema:
  @type: Article
language: en-US
word_count: 679
reading_time: 4 min
canonical: "https://arizonacollege.edu/blog/boost-your-immune-system-this-fall/"
categories:
  - "Health & Wellness"
topic:
  - Healthcare
---

# Boost Your Immune System This Fall

Say goodbye to the lazy days of summer and triple digit heat…Say hello to cool,
crisp morning and evening air as Fall has arrived!  Our favorite indications of
Fall are here; everything pumpkin (pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin bread, pumpkin
pie), Halloween, scare crows, corn mazes and just around the corner,
Thanksgiving!  Unfortunately, the wonderful, highly anticipated change of
weather often brings with it the unwelcomed cold and flu season.  Enjoy all the
splendors of this Fall and boost your immune system to prevent unwanted colds
and flus that make you feel under the weather.

The immune system is vitally important to overall health.  It protects the body
from disease and other potentially harmful foreign bodies.  What can you do to
boost your immune system this cold and flu season?

- **Manage stress levels**-Too much stress increases the hormone Cortisol. If
  Cortisol levels remain high for a long period of time, it can suppress the
  immune system. Try practicing yoga to relax at the end of the day or make some
  lifestyle changes to minimize stress.
- **Get sufficient sleep**-A good nights rest consisting of 7-8 hours of
  un-interrupted sleep is optimal. Sleep resets the immune system, increases
  t-cells and decreases inflammation-causing cells.
- **Avoid smoking**-Smoking and secondhand smoke interrupts proper function of
  the immune system and increases the probability of bronchitis, pneumonia and
  cancer in the lungs.
- **Eat a well balanced diet**-A diet that contains a wide variety of naturally
  occurring/minimally processed foods including fruits, vegetables, nuts, and
  seeds provides the body with dense nutrients, antioxidants, vitamins, and
  minerals that support and help rebuild the immune system and it’s cells.
- **Get some sun**-Sunlight prompts the skin to produce a natural form of
  vitamin D. A deficiency of vitamin D has been shown to increase the likelihood
  of contracting a respiratory infection. Sunlight is also a natural way to
  reduce stress and invigorate the body and soul.
- **Get moving**-Exercise increases blood flow, oxygen intake, and muscle
  endurance, all of which have an amazing impact on the amount of oxygen
  available in the body.. The more oxygen available to your cells improves the
  functionality and efficiency of cells that fight infection and bacteria.
- **Eat garlic**-Garlic is an amazing broad-spectrum, antimicrobial agent and
  immune booster. Garlic contains Allicin, which is a naturally occurring form
  of anti-biotic and is used in alternative medicine. Make sure you ingest the
  garlic raw for maximum benefit as heat reduces the effectiveness of key
  properties.
- **Hydrate**-Drink at least 8 glasses of water each day to replenish the body
  and assist with the elimination of toxins. Water assists cells by providing
  much needed oxygen and helps the kidneys circulate fluid and remove
  contaminants. If caffeinated beverages are consumed, an equal portion of water
  should be consumed in addition to the recommended 8 glasses.

Many physicians recommend getting a yearly flu vaccine.  If vaccinated, it does
not mean that you will not come down with the flu, however; typically the
symptoms and the duration of the flu would not be as severe.  As Benjamin
Franklin once said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”  By
boosting your immune system in a few simple ways, your body will be well
equipped to battle this year’s cold and flu season.

Does the world of medicine and healthcare interest you?  It takes a wide range
of healthcare professionals to keep people healthy and prevent illness. 
[Arizona College](https://www.arizonacollege.edu/) offers allied health programs
including
[Medical Assisting with Phlebotomy](https://www.arizonacollege.edu/all-programs/medical-assisting/)
,
[Dental Assisting](https://www.arizonacollege.edu/all-programs/dental-assisting/)
,
[Pharmacy Technician,](https://www.arizonacollege.edu/all-programs/pharmacy-technician/)
 [Massage Therapy](https://www.arizonacollege.edu/all-programs/massage-therapy/)
,
[Medical Billing and Coding](https://www.arizonacollege.edu/all-programs/medical-billing-coding/)
, and even a
[Bachelor of Science in Nursing](https://www.arizonacollege.edu/nursing/nursing-program-information/)
.  Contact us for information about starting a new healthcare career today!

---

_Information in this blog post is accurate as of November 13, 2014._

**Categories:** Health & Wellness