If protecting your immune system feels top of mind right now, you’re not alone. In nearly every conversation I’ve had with friends, family, or coworkers as of late, someone mentions immunity and how to be resilient in times such as these. So, the curious editor I am, I decided to scour mbg’s library to find some answers.
“At night when it gets dark, there’s a drop in our stress hormone cortisol, along with hormones from our sympathetic nervous system like epinephrine and norepinephrine,” she explains. “At the same time, hormones connected to immune function, such as melatonin, are elevated when we sleep.”
On top of all that, integrative family physician Bindiya Gandhi, M.D., says sleep gives the immune system time to rest, repair, and produce helper T-cells—all of which strengthen your body’s natural defenses against whatever may come its way.
2. Up your supplement game.
If you dreaded chewing chalky vitamins as a kid, it’s totally fair to feel an aversion to supplements as a grown-up. But hear us out: old school vitamins have gotten a major upgrade lately—and it may be time to reclaim the habit.
Certain nutrients, like vitamin C, vitamin D3, and zinc, can be tricky to get through diet alone every day, which is where targeted immune-support supplements can come in handy. (Here’s a few of our favorites, btw).
“Instead of being reactive, my personal nutrition philosophy is proactive when it comes to daily immune support,” mbg’s director of scientific affairs and in-house nutritionist Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN says. Taking mbg’s immune support+ supplement is just one way she lives out that philosophy, adding “I have peace of mind knowing I’m laying my daily foundation of essential immune-support nutrients with vitamin C, vitamin D3, and zinc, while simultaneously strengthening my innate defenses and immune resilience via key plant bioactives quercetin and beta-glucan.”*
While citrus fruits and bone broth get their fair share of attention as immune-supporting foods, Moday says fiber-rich foods shouldn’t be left out of the conversation.
