Some simple, natural things cancer survivors ( and others) can do to boost one's immune system

 After having had pneumonia, bronchitis, and fracturing my L1 vertebra after a fall, I have returned to writing my blog. I thought it might be appropriate to research some simple things that we can all do to boost our immune systems to stay healthier. These are especially important for cancer survivors like me and many others. And of course, as we age (!) healthier living seems to be more of a challenge. The article that I referenced is from the Harvard School of Medicine, and was reviewed by Dr. Howard LeWine, Chief Medical Editor for the Harvard Health publishing. The majority of things mentioned are pretty simple, really. And most of us are aware of what we need to do. The key is to actually do these things often enough to make them a habit- a part of our everyday living. 

* Exercise- improves heart health, helps lower blood pressure, helps to control weight, and more.

 *Do not smoke; limit alcohol to moderate amounts, if used.

.* Eat a healthy diet, which includes plenty of vegetables and fruits. 

*Get good, restful sleep. Poor sleep quality increases cortisol production, which can cause our bodies not to be able to deal with stress as well, and can actually cause us to gain weight, among other things.

*Practice good hygiene - hand washing is very important.

*Reduce stress. When someone figures this one out, please let me know!

*Get all the recommended vaccines. This will help one's immune system fight off infections before the infection becomes invasive. And this is especially important for us as one ages. Older adults are more likely to contract ( and  possibly die) from respiratory diseases- like pneumonia, flu ,and Covid 19 as compared to younger adults. This may be that as we age, our bodies do not make as many T cells which are necessary to fight off infection. Another reason may be that our bone marrow does not produce as many stem cells as we age. More study is obviously needed in this area.

* Good nutrition is extremely important, especially for older adults. As we age, we eat less and have less variety in our diets. This causes deficiency in essential vitamins and minerals which are necessary  to keep one healthy. A multivitamin and mineral supplement is most likely a good idea for older adults, especially if their diet is limited. Megadoses of one vitamin or mineral is not recommended.

So, these are simple things that one can do to improve one's immune system and stay healthier. The trick is to , as I said earlier, put these things into practice until they become a habit. As cancer patients and survivors, our immune systems have taken a hit- from the cancer as well as the treatments. We can boost our immune systems, though, by following these guidelines. 

And thank you for reading my blogs! I try my best to provide information that is useful and hopefully  relevant. I have kept my blog going for the past 15 years- since I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. I have incorporated some breast cancer information for the past 10 years, after my breast cancer diagnosis. I am hoping to continue my blogs as long as I feel that I am helping others. 

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