{"id":5274,"date":"2020-05-26T16:01:01","date_gmt":"2020-05-26T23:01:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/?p=5274"},"modified":"2021-01-20T14:56:49","modified_gmt":"2021-01-20T21:56:49","slug":"boost-immunue-system","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Boosting Your Immune System Makes You Feel Sicker"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cYou have a supercharged immune system&#8230;and that is why you\u2019re so sick.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I\u2019ll never forget the words from my immunologist. It was the same speculation I heard a week earlier from my oncologist, right after a relieving conversation where she shared that I didn\u2019t have cancer. If I&#8217;m being open, this was the third time I&#8217;d heard about my overachieving immune system, as the words echoed what my rheumatologist had suspected, as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Now, before you think this is about some rare disease or a catchy headline, I&#8217;m sharing my story because it&#8217;s an important lesson for you and how you can protect your health. In the face of coronavirus concerns and immune system hype, I&#8217;ve watched helplessly as supplement manufacturers have blatantly lied about the realities of &#8220;boosting&#8221; your immunity.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For more than 20 years, I\u2019ve suffered from inexplicably high fevers without any answers. My fevers would last for more than 60 days and run upwards of 104 degrees, forcing me into delirium, causing me to lose upwards of 30 pounds, and leaving me a shell of a human.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of all the things I expected to find out \u2014\u00a0 cancer, infectious disease, the plague (that\u2019s what I called my mysterious illness) \u2014 a \u201cboosted immune system\u201d was the last thing on my mind. But, this became my reality once I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want to really understand what you can do to work with the natural functions of your body, it&#8217;s important to know that a \u201cboosted\u201d immune system is not what you think and not what you want. Instead, it&#8217;s time to rethink sickness and disease \u2014 and follow these science-backed recommendations to help you stay as healthy as possible.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_28 counter-hierarchy counter-decimal ez-toc-grey\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"display: none;\"><label for=\"item\" aria-label=\"Table of Content\"><i class=\"ez-toc-glyphicon ez-toc-icon-toggle\"><\/i><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"item\"><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class=\"ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1\"><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/#How_Your_Immune_System_Really_Works\" title=\"How Your Immune System Really Works\">How Your Immune System Really Works<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/#Immune_System_101\" title=\"Immune System 101\">Immune System 101<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/#An_Immune_Boost_Is_Not_Good_For_You\" title=\"An Immune &#8220;Boost&#8221; Is Not Good For You\">An Immune &#8220;Boost&#8221; Is Not Good For You<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/#Stress_Is_The_Original_Immune_System_Killer\" title=\"Stress Is The Original Immune System Killer\">Stress Is The Original Immune System Killer<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/#Count_The_Hours_You_Sleep_-_Or_Else\" title=\"Count The Hours You Sleep \u2014 Or Else\">Count The Hours You Sleep \u2014 Or Else<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/#Movement_Might_Be_The_Best_Medicine\" title=\"Movement Might Be The Best Medicine\">Movement Might Be The Best Medicine<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/#Protein_Protects_Much_More_Than_Muscle\" title=\"Protein Protects (Much More Than Muscle)\">Protein Protects (Much More Than Muscle)<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/#If_You_Supplement_Focus_on_Vitamin_D\" title=\"If You Supplement, Focus on Vitamin D\">If You Supplement, Focus on Vitamin D<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/#You_Booze_You_Lose_Thats_Your_Immune_System_Speaking\" title=\"You Booze, You Lose (That\u2019s Your Immune System Speaking)\">You Booze, You Lose (That\u2019s Your Immune System Speaking)<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/#The_Bottom_Line_How_to_Protect_Your_Immune_System\" title=\"The Bottom Line: How to Protect Your Immune System\">The Bottom Line: How to Protect Your Immune System<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Your_Immune_System_Really_Works\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How Your Immune System Really Works<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It didn\u2019t take the outbreak of coronavirus to make you worry about your immune system. The multivitamin industry is a multi-billion dollar business. From Vitamin C gummies to antioxidant drinks and zinc lozenges, there&#8217;s no shortage of options that promise to protect your immune response.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The only problem is, like most supplements, there\u2019s a lot more smoke (read: marketing) than substance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With a few exceptions, most vitamins and minerals won\u2019t do anything for your immune system unless you are severely malnourished and deficient. And, we\u2019re not talking about missing your daily fruits and vegetables.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We\u2019re talking about you living in a perpetual state of sickness.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The idea that you can pop a pill, drink a fizzy potion, chug kombucha, super-charge with billions and billions of probiotics, mainline IV cocktails, or do anything else to \u201cboost\u201d your immune system is&#8230;well&#8230;how can I put this clearly&#8230;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&#8217;s bullshit.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is not doom and gloom or a haters anthem. Just the opposite. There are a few impactful things you can do (without spending money) to protect your immune system. But, there just happen to be many (many) more potentially useless options that don&#8217;t.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>A quick disclaimer: if you take multivitamins, Greens drinks, or other supplements for a variety of other reasons &#8212; or just to fill the gaps in your diet &#8212; there&#8217;s no need to stop if it works for you. This is just about what you can really do to help support your immune system.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are 8 truths that will change the way you think of your body, save you money, and\u00a0 \u2014 most importantly \u2014 make it easier to course-correct and take care of yourself both before and after you get sick.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Immune_System_101\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Immune System 101<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your immune system might be the most impressive design of the human body. You have two different components that protect you from disease \u2014 the innate and the adaptive.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your body has a first line of defense, like your skin and mucous membranes. Once a disease passes through, that\u2019s when your innate immune response kicks in. These the proteins and cells that fight against any disease or infection by increasing inflammation (yes, inflammation can be a good thing \u2014 more on this later) to create a protective barrier aimed at preventing the spread of any infection that has penetrated your body. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The easiest way to think about this is imagining the behind-the-scenes magic your body works after you get a cut anywhere on your body and you need to heal with simultaneously preventing the creation or spread infection.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the other hand, the adaptive immune response is what you probably think about as your immune system. This how your body responds when you get sick and your body quickly works to recognize the disease, create antibodies or immune cells, and defeat the infection, bacteria, or virus.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This function (and limitations) of your adaptive immune system is both what makes coronavirus so dangerous \u2014 and what makes your immune system so fascinating.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your body has no way of recognizing a disease (this is what makes a virus novel), then you\u2019re going to get sick. But, assuming your body can overcome the disease and create immune cells to overcome the infection, your newfound immunity (the cells) stays in your body forever.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It\u2019s why many doctors believe that it might be impossible for you to suffer from the exact infection twice. Once it\u2019s learned, you\u2019re protected. That&#8217;s also why you shouldn&#8217;t worry about being inside weakening your immunity. It&#8217;s not how your body works.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s the same mechanism that allows vaccines to be effective. The disabled version of the bug is introduced into your body, you &#8220;learn it&#8221; and creates the methods to defeat it, and then you can use this newfound defensive mechanism to keep you safe.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Therein lies the most important part of your adaptive immune system. You have to adapt to the disease, and to do so you must come in contact with it. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But, you\u00a0<em>can&#8217;t<\/em> improve your immune system&#8217;s database without fighting infections first. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"An_Immune_Boost_Is_Not_Good_For_You\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An Immune &#8220;Boost&#8221; Is Not Good For You<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your immune system can\u2019t be easily manipulated. Anyone that tells you they can \u201cboost\u201d one part of your immune system is lying. Not to mention, doing so could be a massive mistake.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Think about the story of my autoimmune disease. As my doctor&#8217;s made painfully clear, I have a &#8220;boosted&#8221; immune system. When I get sick, my body responds by triggering high fevers. This is a natural reaction. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite what you might think, a fever is a good thing. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s your body\u2019s way of fighting disease by heating up your internal system, making the illness uncomfortable and vulnerable so you can kill it off. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But, my reaction is broken. It&#8217;s a supercharged response that means my body heats up even hotter \u2014 and there\u2019s no off-switch. So, I stay hot \u2014 long after the original bug has been killed, and my entire body suffers as a result. This, in a nutshell, is what happens with all autoimmune conditions (but not all result in symptoms like fevers).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, apply that same concept to your own body. When you think about boosting your immune system, you probably imagine being healthier, feeling stronger, and recovering faster.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But, when your immune system is actually boosted and working \u2014 much like my fevers \u2014 the \u201ceffectiveness\u201d would result in you being miserable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Think about when you\u2019re sick. The aches and fevers and even the snot (yeah, I just wrote snot) are\u00a0<em>not<\/em> the symptoms of sickness; they are all a byproduct of your innate immune system at work. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The same goes for allergies. The itchy eyes and burning throat are your immune system reacting, learning, and fighting.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, if you truly boost your immune system, you would intensify those uncomfortable symptoms.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Safe to say, unless your body is in fight-mode, you don\u2019t want an overactive (AKA \u201cboosted\u201d) immune system because that\u2019s what causes autoimmune disorders, a disease to which there is no cure. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instead, you want a healthy, functioning immune system that knows when to fight infection when it&#8217;s needed, can relax when it&#8217;s not, and is able to maintain a strong barrier against disease. To make this your reality, stop looking for boosts and start focusing on the things take make it harder for your body to function normally.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Stress_Is_The_Original_Immune_System_Killer\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stress Is The Original Immune System Killer<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-5275\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/nik-shuliahin-BuNWp1bL0nc-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"783\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/nik-shuliahin-BuNWp1bL0nc-unsplash.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/nik-shuliahin-BuNWp1bL0nc-unsplash-300x196.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/nik-shuliahin-BuNWp1bL0nc-unsplash-1024x668.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/nik-shuliahin-BuNWp1bL0nc-unsplash-768x501.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/nik-shuliahin-BuNWp1bL0nc-unsplash-700x457.jpg 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you really want to help your immune system, start by looking at your stress levels. Whether you feel it or not, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/chapter\/10.1007\/978-3-030-16996-1_6\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">stress disarms your immune system<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and prevents it from working at its normal levels.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As far back as the 1980s, breakthroughs in the stress-immune system relationship occurred in research that focused on students and<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.apa.org\/research\/action\/immune\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> how their immune systems were suppressed<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> leading up to exams. The research found that your T-cells (the fighters that protect you against everything from viruses to life-threatening diseases like cancer) decrease in the face of stress.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There was also fascinating research at Carnegie Mellon, which found that people who had <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/archive.nytimes.com\/www.nytimes.com\/specials\/women\/warchive\/980512_940.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">less stress in their lives were better able to fight off the common cold<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> when exposed to the virus. Similar responses immunosuppression was mimicked in other stressful situations, including studies that show people in difficult relationships heal slower if they suffer cuts or other wounds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So what\u2019s happening? A great immune system is one that isn&#8217;t being dragged down by life (as opposed to &#8220;boosted&#8221; by pills). Better health starts with seeing big-picture immune sabotage, and (thankfully) they are all easy concepts to understand<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your immune system has an army of cells that keep you happy (T and B cells are your main immune fighting cells). And those cells produce an immune response that produces cytokines (friendly protein cells that help your body) and antibodies that destroy foreign pathogens.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unfortunately, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s12026-014-8517-0\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">stressors shut down your natural immune response<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which means your fighter cells can\u2019t function as they normally do to keep you healthy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you need to destress, 10-15 minutes of meditation is a great place to start. If you&#8217;re new to it, try. an app like Stop, Breathe &amp; Think, Calm, or Headspace.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not feeling your inner zen? Here are two additional options with science on their side. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Stress-relief option 1:<\/strong> Take 2 deep breaths when you feel your heart racing, or before you answer a call or have a meeting. According to the Program on Integrative Medicine at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, the deep breath will make you sound more confident and reset your heart rate to reduce stress. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Stress-relief option 2:<\/strong> Grab coffee with your friends. Researchers at the University of Bristol in England discovered that when stressed-out men consumed caffeine by themselves, they remained nervous and jittery. But, when they caffeine-loaded as part of a group, their feelings of stress subsided.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Count_The_Hours_You_Sleep_-_Or_Else\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Count The Hours You Sleep \u2014 Or Else<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sleep deprivation is the other part of the 1-2 combo that can knock out your immune system. If stress <em>stresses<\/em> out your immune system, then sleep deprivation exhausts your body into making mistakes that leave you vulnerable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A lack of sleep can prevent your immune cells from making their way to your lymph nodes (where they help you fight disease) or confuse your body and make it harder for them to create the right antibodies to fight back against infection.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How bad can it be? <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/26118561\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One study <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">showed that regularly sleeping only 6 hours per night makes you <em>four times more likely<\/em> to catch a cold compared to sleeping 7 hours per night. And the risk gets even worse if you sleep fewer than 5 hours per night.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you need help improving your sleep, here are a few simple guidelines that can make it easier to fall (and stay) asleep.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Go to bed around the same time every night<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Time your sleep in 1.5-hour increments. This is a full cycle, so it will help ensure you\u00a0<em>don&#8217;t<\/em> wake up in REM sleep, which could leave you groggy and tired.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Sleep in a colder room than your preferred &#8220;room temperature.&#8221; Some research suggests between 60-70 degrees.<\/li>\n<li>If possible, exercise earlier in the day.<\/li>\n<li>Don&#8217;t consume alcohol before you sleep. (Yes, we realize this might be tough sometimes.)<\/li>\n<li>Limit screen time about 1-hour before you sleep.<\/li>\n<li>Clear your mind. Either watch a comedy, do a puzzle, or journal right before you sleep. This will trigger a part of your brain that will help &#8220;calm&#8221; your thoughts so it&#8217;s easier for you to fall asleep.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Movement_Might_Be_The_Best_Medicine\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Movement Might Be The Best Medicine<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-5277\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/jonny-kennaugh-nPOtzvGLYW0-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"756\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/jonny-kennaugh-nPOtzvGLYW0-unsplash.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/jonny-kennaugh-nPOtzvGLYW0-unsplash-300x189.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/jonny-kennaugh-nPOtzvGLYW0-unsplash-1024x645.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/jonny-kennaugh-nPOtzvGLYW0-unsplash-768x484.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/jonny-kennaugh-nPOtzvGLYW0-unsplash-700x441.jpg 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you go back in time just 10 years ago, many people believed that exercise actually weakens your immune system. Turns out, nothing could be farther from the truth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether you lift weights, run, cycle, or walk \u2014 any type of exercise, especially when combined with more sleep and less stress \u2014 is a key part of keeping your immune system functioning well.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exercise works in many ways to make sure your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2095254618301005\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">immune defensive systems can act quickly and effectively<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and it can even help offset stress or sleep difficulties. (This all assumes that you&#8217;re allowing for proper recovery.)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recent research found that regular exercise:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Helps the overall health of your immune system<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Decreases your risk of illness<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Helps mediate the correct inflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Delays the onset of age-related immune decline<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even better, a review of studies found that <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5911985\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">movement truly is medicine<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. From the study conclusion:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contemporary evidence from epidemiological studies shows that leading a physically active lifestyle reduces the incidence of communicable (e.g., bacterial and viral infections) and non-communicable diseases (e.g., cancer), implying that immune competency is enhanced by regular exercise bouts.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you exercise, your body recognizes stress. Even though it\u2019s good stress, it\u2019s still a strain on your body, so you produce neutrophils and lymphocytes (the T-cell and natural killer cells we mentioned earlier), which flow throughout your body to keep you strong, fight off invaders, and help create antibodies when necessary.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In other words, exercise helps spark more activity in these cells for about 3-4 hours, which means your body is both more likely to find and disable potentially harmful germs and diseases.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As an added bonus, the cells perform \u201cimmune surveillance\u201d and patrol your body searching for infection.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s likely the reason why people who exercise regularly (at least 5 times per week) <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/citeseerx.ist.psu.edu\/viewdoc\/download?doi=10.1.1.1017.4208&amp;rep=rep1&amp;type=pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">miss nearly 50% fewer days from sickness<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> than those who don\u2019t.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What\u2019s more, exercise has been shown to help decrease stress and improve sleep. In other words, exercise might be the first domino to keeping you healthy because it&#8217;s insurance for the other two vulnerabilities (stress and sleep) that weaken your normal immune system function.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Here are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/B-X3Hi_nqy5\/\">bodyweight workouts<\/a> that can help you get in your movement in any situation or location.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Protein_Protects_Much_More_Than_Muscle\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Protein Protects (Much More Than Muscle)<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We\u2019ve mentioned how protein plays a role to help keep your body safe. You might think of protein as the key ingredient in muscle building (it is), but \u2014 when you look at the bigger picture \u2014 <em>protein plays a vital role in every cell in your body<\/em>. This includes your immune system and helping create the cells that help fight disease.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Proteins are a key component of the very antibodies developed by your immune systems designed to keep you safe. Eating protein ensures that your body has enough of the raw materials needed to allow your immune system to respond to bacteria and viruses in your body.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Proteins (cytokines, in particular) also help ensure that your immune system doesn\u2019t go overboard and start working too hard. It&#8217;s all part of a system designed to give your body what it needs and prevent it from targeting your healthy cells.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>High-quality complete protein options include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Dairy products, such as milk, cheese\/cottage cheese, and yogurt<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ladder.sport\/products\/protein-whey\">Whey protein<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Eggs<\/li>\n<li>Seafood and fish<\/li>\n<li>Beef<\/li>\n<li>Chicken<\/li>\n<li>Bison<\/li>\n<li>Pork<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ladder.sport\/products\/protein-plant\">Pea Protein<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Soybeans<\/li>\n<li>Blended meals (beans and rice)<\/li>\n<li>Vegan protein powders with multiple protein sources<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"If_You_Supplement_Focus_on_Vitamin_D\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If You Supplement, Focus on Vitamin D<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-5278\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/stephen-leonardi-wPlzrculha8-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1047\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/stephen-leonardi-wPlzrculha8-unsplash.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/stephen-leonardi-wPlzrculha8-unsplash-300x262.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/stephen-leonardi-wPlzrculha8-unsplash-1024x893.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/stephen-leonardi-wPlzrculha8-unsplash-768x670.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/stephen-leonardi-wPlzrculha8-unsplash-700x611.jpg 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While no one supplement can even come close to providing the benefits of good sleep, less stress, and consistent exercise, there is one vitamin that appears to be more important than others.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More research is still needed, but a lot of emerging data \u2014 especially since the COVID-19 pandemic \u2014 has suggested that Vitamin D deficiency is closely linked to immune system vulnerabilities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One study found that taking higher levels of vitamin D (in older individuals) led to a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedaily.com\/releases\/2016\/11\/161116103005.htm\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">40 percent decrease in respiratory infections<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> over the course of a year.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This makes sense because Vitamin D is thought to play a vital role in both your innate and adaptive immune response (although scientists are still studying to learn how it all works). And Vitamin D plays an essential part in producing antimicrobial proteins that fight back against sickness, especially in the respiratory tract.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Plus, unlike many vitamins and minerals which can be produced by your body naturally or are rarely deficient, Vitamin D deficiency might impact more than 1 billion people worldwide.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To support your body naturally, try to get about 15-20 minutes of sun per day. If that&#8217;s not happening, look towards natural food sources such as:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fatty fish rich in Omega-3\u2019s, such as salmon or mackerel (or you can use cod liver oil)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whole eggs<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mushrooms<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Milk fortified with Vitamin D<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Otherwise, you can use supplements that offer at least 2000-3000 IU of Vitamin D3. (Just be sure to ideally look for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nsfsport.com\/certified-products\/search-results.php?keyword=vitamin+D\">products or brands that are NSF Certified for Sport<\/a>.)<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"You_Booze_You_Lose_Thats_Your_Immune_System_Speaking\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You Booze, You Lose (That\u2019s Your Immune System Speaking)<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You won\u2019t hear us telling you to completely avoid alcohol (life happens, and that includes rough days and celebrations). But, if you\u2019re consistently drinking in essence, then your immune system is the one that&#8217;s suffering.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you look at the research (there\u2019s a lot of it),<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4590612\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> too much alcohol \u2014 and binge drinking moments \u2014 prevent the normal functioning of your immune system<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and it leaves you more susceptible to everything from upper respiratory infections to slower recovery from cuts and muscle injuries.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And, to add insult to injury, it might also alter your gut microbiome in a way that weakens your immune system.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>If you find yourself drinking every day &#8212; or drinking too much when you go out, take the old 1-2-3 method to establish more control.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Step 1: Carve out non-drinking days. This is a commitment and a way to create guardrails and build habits. (If you know you drink every Friday night, don&#8217;t start by removing that day. Make it easy to succeed and build from there.)<\/li>\n<li>Step 2: Remove alcohol from your home. Just like a dieter who struggles with dessert, increasing the difficulty of accessibility makes it easier to drink less.<\/li>\n<li>Step 3: Track your drinks, so you can hold yourself accountable and be honest about how much you&#8217;re drinking and how much you need to cut back.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you love technology, you can try out the <a href=\"https:\/\/lessdrinks.com\/\">Less Drinks<\/a> app and see if that helps.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Bottom_Line_How_to_Protect_Your_Immune_System\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Bottom Line: How to Protect Your Immune System<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remember, no matter how well your immune system functions, if you come in contact with a novel pathogen or virus, you still might get sick. In situations like battling COVID-19, your best line of defense is being smart about your social contact, avoiding touching your face, and washing your hands frequently.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And, while you can\u2019t prevent yourself from getting sick or boost certain aspects of your immune system, you can be sure to do the little things that won\u2019t weaken your immune system or leave you unnecessarily vulnerable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>If you need help creating a plan designed for your lifestyle, check out our <a href=\"https:\/\/bornfitness.com\/coaching\">online coaching program<\/a>. Simply fill out an application, and you&#8217;ll be assigned 2 coaches who will assess your exact needs, create habits that are easy to master, and build a customized plan that will upgrade your fitness and nutrition.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cYou have a supercharged immune system&#8230;and that is why you\u2019re so sick.\u201d I\u2019ll never forget the words from my immunologist. It was the same speculation I heard a week earlier from my oncologist, right after a relieving conversation where she shared that I didn\u2019t have cancer. If I&#8217;m being open, this was the third time [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":5276,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[58],"tags":[996,252,24,825,568,33,721,997,832],"class_list":["post-5274","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nutrition","tag-boost-immunity","tag-exercise","tag-health-2","tag-immune-system","tag-immunity","tag-protein-2","tag-sleep","tag-stress","tag-vitamin-d","bf-level-all-levels"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Why Boosting Your Immune System Makes You Feel Sicker<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"To understand what you can do to work with the natural functions of your body, it&#039;s important to know that a boosted immune system is not what you think.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why Boosting Your Immune System Makes You Feel Sicker\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"To understand what you can do to work with the natural functions of your body, it&#039;s important to know that a boosted immune system is not what you think.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Born Fitness\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BornFitness\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/bornfitness\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-05-26T23:01:01+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2021-01-20T21:56:49+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/fusion-medical-animation-rnr8D3FNUNY-unsplash.jpg?fit=1800%2C1013&ssl=1\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1013\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Adam Bornstein\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@BornFitness\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@bornfitness\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Adam Bornstein\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"16 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Adam Bornstein\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/#\/schema\/person\/06279fc9f7f2162bff15ba67880fb309\"},\"headline\":\"Why Boosting Your Immune System Makes You Feel Sicker\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-05-26T23:01:01+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-01-20T21:56:49+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/\"},\"wordCount\":3288,\"commentCount\":10,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/fusion-medical-animation-rnr8D3FNUNY-unsplash.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"boost immunity\",\"exercise\",\"health\",\"immune system\",\"immunity\",\"protein\",\"sleep\",\"stress\",\"vitamin D\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Nutrition\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/\",\"name\":\"Why Boosting Your Immune System Makes You Feel Sicker\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/fusion-medical-animation-rnr8D3FNUNY-unsplash.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-05-26T23:01:01+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-01-20T21:56:49+00:00\",\"description\":\"To understand what you can do to work with the natural functions of your body, it's important to know that a boosted immune system is not what you think.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/fusion-medical-animation-rnr8D3FNUNY-unsplash.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/fusion-medical-animation-rnr8D3FNUNY-unsplash.jpg\",\"width\":1800,\"height\":1013},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/\",\"name\":\"Born Fitness\",\"description\":\"The Rules of Fitness REBORN\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Born Fitness\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Screen-Shot-2015-09-04-at-8.47.14-PM.png?fit=345%2C162&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Screen-Shot-2015-09-04-at-8.47.14-PM.png?fit=345%2C162&ssl=1\",\"width\":345,\"height\":162,\"caption\":\"Born Fitness\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BornFitness\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/bornfitness\",\"https:\/\/instagram.com\/bornfitness\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/born-fitness\",\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/bornfitness\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/BornFitness\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/#\/schema\/person\/06279fc9f7f2162bff15ba67880fb309\",\"name\":\"Adam Bornstein\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7022d2a7604f7d8a95147365837453ba33954383ba321685df29d447fbc12690?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7022d2a7604f7d8a95147365837453ba33954383ba321685df29d447fbc12690?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Adam Bornstein\"},\"description\":\"Adam Bornstein is a\u00a0New York Times bestselling author and the author of\u00a0You Can't Screw This Up. He is the founder of Born Fitness, and the co-founder of Arnold's Pump Club (with Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Pen Name Consulting. An award-winning writer and editor, Bornstein was previously the Chief Nutrition Officer for Ladder, the Fitness and Nutrition editor for Men\u2019s Health, Editorial Director at\u00a0LIVESTRONG.com, and a columnist for\u00a0SHAPE,\u00a0Men\u2019s Fitness, and\u00a0Muscle &amp; Fitness. He\u2019s also a nutrition and fitness advisor for LeBron James, Cindy Crawford, Lindsey Vonn, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. According to The Huffington Post, Bornstein is \u201cone of the most inspiring sources in all of health and fitness.\u201d His work has been featured in dozens of publications, including The New York Times,\u00a0Fast Company,\u00a0ESPN,\u00a0and\u00a0GQ, and he\u2019s appeared on Good Morning America, The Today Show, and E! News.\",\"sameAs\":[\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/bornfitness\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/bornfitness\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/BornFitness\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/BornFitness\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/author\/ambornstein\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Why Boosting Your Immune System Makes You Feel Sicker","description":"To understand what you can do to work with the natural functions of your body, it's important to know that a boosted immune system is not what you think.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Why Boosting Your Immune System Makes You Feel Sicker","og_description":"To understand what you can do to work with the natural functions of your body, it's important to know that a boosted immune system is not what you think.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/","og_site_name":"Born Fitness","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BornFitness","article_author":"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/bornfitness","article_published_time":"2020-05-26T23:01:01+00:00","article_modified_time":"2021-01-20T21:56:49+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1800,"height":1013,"url":"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/fusion-medical-animation-rnr8D3FNUNY-unsplash.jpg?fit=1800%2C1013&ssl=1","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Adam Bornstein","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@BornFitness","twitter_site":"@bornfitness","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Adam Bornstein","Est. reading time":"16 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/"},"author":{"name":"Adam Bornstein","@id":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/#\/schema\/person\/06279fc9f7f2162bff15ba67880fb309"},"headline":"Why Boosting Your Immune System Makes You Feel Sicker","datePublished":"2020-05-26T23:01:01+00:00","dateModified":"2021-01-20T21:56:49+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/"},"wordCount":3288,"commentCount":10,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/fusion-medical-animation-rnr8D3FNUNY-unsplash.jpg","keywords":["boost immunity","exercise","health","immune system","immunity","protein","sleep","stress","vitamin D"],"articleSection":["Nutrition"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/","url":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/","name":"Why Boosting Your Immune System Makes You Feel Sicker","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/fusion-medical-animation-rnr8D3FNUNY-unsplash.jpg","datePublished":"2020-05-26T23:01:01+00:00","dateModified":"2021-01-20T21:56:49+00:00","description":"To understand what you can do to work with the natural functions of your body, it's important to know that a boosted immune system is not what you think.","inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/boost-immunue-system\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/fusion-medical-animation-rnr8D3FNUNY-unsplash.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/fusion-medical-animation-rnr8D3FNUNY-unsplash.jpg","width":1800,"height":1013},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/","name":"Born Fitness","description":"The Rules of Fitness REBORN","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/#organization","name":"Born Fitness","url":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Screen-Shot-2015-09-04-at-8.47.14-PM.png?fit=345%2C162&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Screen-Shot-2015-09-04-at-8.47.14-PM.png?fit=345%2C162&ssl=1","width":345,"height":162,"caption":"Born Fitness"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BornFitness","https:\/\/x.com\/bornfitness","https:\/\/instagram.com\/bornfitness\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/born-fitness","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/bornfitness\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/BornFitness"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/#\/schema\/person\/06279fc9f7f2162bff15ba67880fb309","name":"Adam Bornstein","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7022d2a7604f7d8a95147365837453ba33954383ba321685df29d447fbc12690?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7022d2a7604f7d8a95147365837453ba33954383ba321685df29d447fbc12690?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Adam Bornstein"},"description":"Adam Bornstein is a\u00a0New York Times bestselling author and the author of\u00a0You Can't Screw This Up. He is the founder of Born Fitness, and the co-founder of Arnold's Pump Club (with Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Pen Name Consulting. An award-winning writer and editor, Bornstein was previously the Chief Nutrition Officer for Ladder, the Fitness and Nutrition editor for Men\u2019s Health, Editorial Director at\u00a0LIVESTRONG.com, and a columnist for\u00a0SHAPE,\u00a0Men\u2019s Fitness, and\u00a0Muscle &amp; Fitness. He\u2019s also a nutrition and fitness advisor for LeBron James, Cindy Crawford, Lindsey Vonn, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. According to The Huffington Post, Bornstein is \u201cone of the most inspiring sources in all of health and fitness.\u201d His work has been featured in dozens of publications, including The New York Times,\u00a0Fast Company,\u00a0ESPN,\u00a0and\u00a0GQ, and he\u2019s appeared on Good Morning America, The Today Show, and E! News.","sameAs":["http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/bornfitness","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/bornfitness\/","https:\/\/x.com\/BornFitness","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/BornFitness"],"url":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/author\/ambornstein\/"}]}},"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5274","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5274"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5274\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5276"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5274"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5274"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5274"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}