Joy feelings magazine January 2019 issue | Page 82

Get enough sleep and
manage stress. Sleep
deprivation and stress
overload increase the
hormone cortisol,
prolonged elevation of
which suppresses immune
function.
Avoid tobacco smoke. It
undermines basic immune
defenses and raises the
risk of bronchitis and
pneumonia in everyone,
and middle ear infections
in kids.
Drink less alcohol.
Excessive consumption
impairs the immune
system and increases
vulnerability to lung
infections.
Eat plenty of vegetables,
fruits, nuts, and seeds,
which will provide your
body with the nutrients
your immune system
needs. A study in older
adults showed that
boosting fruit and
vegetable intake
improved antibody
response to the
Pneumovax vaccine,
which protects against
Streptococcus
pneumonia.
Consider probiotics.
Studies indicate
supplements reduce the
incidence of respiratory
and gastrointestinal
infections. Fermented
milk products have also