Your immune system is responsible for protecting you from environmental and internal threats. This means that supporting immune function is important to the health of every system in your body and keeps you feeling good and functioning properly.
An integrative approach to immune health with healthy lifestyle habits can help you maintain proper immune responses and help your body’s ability to respond to common problems. The morning is a great time to start habits that can set the tone for the day and get your immune health off to a good start.
5 Morning Habits for Immune Health
1. Drink Water
Start every morning with a full glass of water. Your body loses water as you sleep, so it is important to replenish this first thing. Lymph, the clear fluid responsible for transporting white blood cells throughout the body, is mostly made from water. So, staying hydrated supports the lymphatic system, which helps remove occasional toxins, waste, debris, abnormal cells, and seasonal threats from the system.
2. Meditate
Meditation can be done at any time of day, but starting your day off with a few moments alone can help focus the mind for the day. A calm, focused mind helps maintain low amounts of stress hormones that can cause unnecessary immune responses.
All you need is ten minutes a day to help the body manage everyday stress and promote a sense of calm and focus. Meditation can include deep breathing, listening to music, writing in a journal, or yoga. Some great yoga poses to promote calm and support immune health include Down Dog, Cobra Pose, and Child’s Pose.
3. Get Moving
Morning makes an ideal time to get in exercise for a few reasons. Not only can it help promote healthy energy and focus for the day ahead, but when you exercise first thing, you are more likely to stick to this new routine. By leaving it to the end of the day, you may be exhausted, distracted, or too tired.
Physicians recommend at least 30 minutes of exercise a day. A brisk walk, jog, or bike ride in the morning can help support the healthy circulation of nutrients, oxygen, and immune cells throughout your body. According to a 6-year study, lymph circulation increases after just five minutes of exercise, so the more you move, the better your defenses can be.
4. Get Some Sun
When you start your day with a brisk walk or a bike ride, you can also get some much-needed vitamin D. This essential vitamin is produced in the skin in response to sunlight exposure. With increased concerns over sun exposure, many people are not getting as much of this vitamin as they need, which can affect immune function.
Vitamin D benefits immune system health in the following ways:
♦ Activates key peptides in the immune system that help defend against environmental threats
♦ Supports immune cell activity, specifically T-cells
♦ Plays a role in immune response activation, which helps reduce unwanted immune responses
5. Eat a Nutrient-Rich Breakfast
Diet is one of the most important lifestyle factors influencing immune health and is completely within your control. A morning smoothie is a convenient way to get plenty of nutrients to support immune and whole-body health.
Start your day with any combination of fruits and vegetables you like, or try our Sweet Green Smoothie recipe below:
1 cup chopped spinach and kale
1 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk (or alternative non-dairy milk)
½ cup mango
½ cup pineapple
½ cup kiwi
½ teaspoon freshly grated ginger
½ lemon, juiced
Just be sure to get plenty of vitamin C from citrus fruits, berries, and spinach, and vitamin E from foods like pumpkin and avocado. Other ideas for breakfast that can help support immune function by promoting microbiome and gut health include oatmeal, fruit, and yogurt.
For Extra Immune System Support
Your immune system works hard to protect you from environmental and seasonal threats and requires nutrients to maintain optimal function. In addition to the five morning habits above, give your immune health a little extra support with the naturally-sourced ingredients found in 1MD Nutrition’s immune health supplements.
ImmunityMD®
ImmunityMD® works to promote immune system health by supporting a healthy microbiome balance in the gut. Two potent, doctor-selected probiotic strains nourished by prebiotics help to support gut health, which lies at the center of immune system strength. The addition of l-lysine helps the body manage everyday stress, while zinc helps activate immune cells for proper immune responses.
BreatheMD™
BreatheMD™ is scientifically-formulated to support lung, respiratory, and overall immune health. The powerful botanical African geranium promotes the body’s natural healing while supporting proper lung function. Vitamin D3 supports lung and respiratory tissue health, while vitamin E and chromium help promote immune cell activity to fight off seasonal threats. Marshmallow root and l-cysteine work together to support mucosal activity, and elderberry helps to support the body’s natural ability to heal.
Final Thoughts
An integrative approach to immune health is the best way to support overall wellbeing and longevity. These immune-supporting habits can help you establish a morning routine that provides balanced nutrition, regular exercise, everyday stress management tools, and the extra support of BreatheMD™ and ImmunityMD® for proper immune system function. Your best immune health starts with a good morning.
Dr. Brian Greenberg
Dr. Brian Greenberg is an immunologist, allergist, and pediatrician who received his medical degree from the University of Florida, and completed his residency and fellowship at UCLA. He has practiced medicine in Southern California for almost 25 years.
