What You Need To Know About Your Immune System

What are the immune system basics? The immune system is a complex network of organs, cells, and tissues that operates as our body's first line of defense. Each part of the immune system serves a distinct function in the body, and all of them require support from essential nutrients in our diet.

Why Understanding Your Immune System Matters

That's why it's vital to ensure you fill your diet with nutrient-dense foods and consider supplementation as a way to provide your body with proactive immune support. Let's explore how the immune system functions, how to build your immune system routine for support, and what supplements and lifestyle tips for immune support.

How the Immune System Works

The immune system is split into two basic parts. The first part is our innate immune system. The innate immune system is all the defenses you are born with and operates without needing any previous experience. The innate immune system includes skin, mucous membranes, specific proteins and immune system cells.^[1]

The second part of your immune system is the adaptive immune system. As you might guess from the name, the adaptive immune system learns and grows with you, developing with age to recognize threats from experience. The adaptive immune system includes T-cells, B-cells, and antibodies. The adaptive immune system learns and grows, enabling it to provide a more targeted defense in the future, allowing the body to react immediately.^[1]

Ways to Build and Support Your Immune System Routine

It's essential to take proactive measures to support your immune system. Nature Made expert Kalyn Willians, RDN, has this to say about how to support your immune system routine:

"We all live busy lives, and it can be easy to forget that our immune systems are constantly working in the background, supporting us year-round. Luckily, there are so many micro-habits that you can implement into your daily life that support your immune system: take a 15-minute walk in the sunshine on your lunch break, end your day with a quick meditation, pack that orange as a snack, or pair a supplement with your breakfast."

Here are a few more key tips on how to build your immune system support routine and how to strengthen immunity.

Nutrition

One of the best ways to support your immune health is by incorporating vitamins and minerals for immune health into your daily diet. Vitamin C and Vitamin D are both immune-supporting vitamins, and fortunately, you can find both of these nutrients if you know what to look for. Vitamin C is commonly found in fruits, particularly citrus fruits like oranges and lemons.

Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin because the sun is our primary source as it is not found in a lot of foods. Instead, our body produces Vitamin D in response to sunlight on our skin. You can get Vitamin D by spending at least fifteen minutes in the sun without sunscreen and with your arms, legs, and face uncovered.

Minerals like Zinc and Selenium also help support a healthy immune system. Zinc is found in foods such as oysters, crab, turkey, yogurt, milk, beans, nuts, and fortified breakfast cereals. Looking for sources of Selenium? Look to proteins like tuna, shrimp, and Brazil nuts, as they are the best sources of Selenium. You can also find Selenium in grain products, but not as much as in protein sources.

Lifestyle

Immune system support isn't just a matter of what you buy at the grocery store; several lifestyle changes can give your immune cells a solid foundation. Sleep, stress, and our immune system are deeply interconnected, and caring for all of them can help support whole-body wellness.

More regular, restful sleep can help manage stress, which in turn supports immune system function. Try to practice good sleep hygiene by setting a regular bedtime, avoiding caffeinated or sugary drinks before bed, and limiting screen time for an hour or two before bedtime to help your brain ease into sleep. Learning productive ways to manage your stress can have immune benefits, as chronic stress places a significant load on our immune system, making it less able to respond when needed.^[2]

Practicing stress management tools, such as breathing exercises, mindfulness, and meditation, can help you better deal with daily stressors. Leading an active lifestyle and exercising regularly releases endorphins and can be a great way to manage stress in the moment.

Supplementation

If you're looking for a convenient way to improve daily nutrition and immune support, dietary supplementation can be an easy wellness practice to work into your daily routine. While the best way to obtain nutrients is through the inclusion of nutrient-rich foods in your diet, inconsistent meals, a lack of access to nutrient-dense foods, and other factors can make this difficult at times.

In addition, weather, geographic location, and lifestyle choices can limit your exposure to sunlight, which is an essential source of Vitamin D. If you feel that any of those might apply to you, consulting with your primary care provider can help you determine what supplements might work in your daily routine.

Nature Made Products That Support Immunity Routine

If you're looking for supplements to support your immune system, Nature Made offers a wide range that may be of interest to you. Our Immune Supplements include single-letter vitamins, such as our Vitamin D3 Softgels, to help raise and maintain healthy Vitamin D levels in the body, and Vitamin C Extra Strength Gummies, with 500 mg per serving of this antioxidant that supports the immune system.^†

Nature Made also offers a range of supplement blends, like Immune MAX^® Gummies, which offer 3 benefits in 1 blend, including Vitamin D, Zinc, and Selenium for immune support and Maximum Strength^▲ Vitamin C to help support a healthy upper respiratory tract and provide antioxidant support.^†

The Bottom Line

Our immune system works tirelessly, and it requires support through our nutrition and lifestyle choices. By making proactive choices, such as incorporating immune-boosting nutrients into your diet, maintaining an active lifestyle, and addressing all aspects of the stress-sleep-immune triangle, you can support your immune system as it performs its vital work. Consulting with your primary care provider can help you make informed decisions about supplements to achieve your personal wellness goals.

▲Higher dose as compared to the leading immune support gummy as of the date of manufacture.

† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

References

1. Informed Health. The Innate and Adaptive Immune Systems. National Library of Medicine. Published August 14, 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279396/
2. Alotiby A. Immunology of Stress: A Review Article. J Clin Med. 2024;13(21):6394. Published 2024 Oct 25. doi:10.3390/jcm13216394