of germs as well as a
goodhandwashing does, but
formulas with at least 60%
alcohol can kill some of them
until you can get to a sink.
While you’re at it, consider
opting for a fist bump or high
five instead of shaking hands.
One study found that a
handshake transferred nearly
twice as many bacteria as the
other two.
3. Get it on.
People who have sex on a
regular basis may have higher
levels of an immune system
protein called
immunoglobulin A (IgA).
Researchers at Wilkes
University in Pennsylvania
found that college students
who got between the sheets
once or twice a week had
higher levels of IgA
compared to students who did
it less often.
4. Mix up your meal plans.
Fad diets won’t do your
Joy feelings magazine
immune system any favors.
Instead, eat a wide variety of
healthy foods. “There’s not
just one specific nutrient or
food component that’s linked
to staying healthy,” says
Jackie Newgent, RDN,
author of The AllNatural Diabetes Cookbook.
“Instead, it’s about synergy.”
A few tips:
Build your meal around
vegetables. “Aim to fill half
your plate with non-starchy
vegetables, such as gingery
stir-fried asparagus, roasted
curry cauliflower, sautéed
garlic spinach, fresh tomato
salad, or grilled mushrooms - and always do this first,”
Newgent says. Fruits and
vegetables are full
of nutrients called
antioxidants that build up
your immune system.
Drink green tea. It may
increase the number of an
important type of immune
cell, called regulatory T cells,
according to one study.
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