In a year upended by COVID-19, it seems like our immune systems have received more attention than ever before. But many unhealthy behaviors brought on by the pandemic make it harder for our bodies to fight off infections.Here are some tips on maintaining a balanced immune system that can protect you this winter:

The first line of defense is a healthy lifestyle. These factors can put you at risk:

Eating too much, or too little, can be harmful. Make sure that you include enough healthy foods in your diet, and avoid consuming too many items that are low in fiberor high in fat, salt and/or sugar. Unhealthy eating can contribute to the risk of developinghealth problems and even some illnesses:

No supplement will cure or prevent disease. However, aproper diet can help prepare the body to better fight disease.

"The thing about foods is that they combine a bunch of nutrients and vitamins into a complete package," said Sandra Darling, a preventive medicine physician at Cleveland Clinic."You can't extract one compound like antioxidant green tea and just take that one compound and expect to have benefits. It doesn't work like that."

Make sure to include fresh fruits and vegetables in your daily diet. Don't forget about whole grains and nuts.

Vitamin C can stimulate the production of white blood cells, which are key to fighting infections.Citrus fruits, strawberries, red bell peppers and kiwis are richin vitamin C.With such a variety to choose from, its easy to addfoods high in this nutrientto any meal. However, high doses of some vitaminscan be toxic, especially when taken regularly.

Beta carotenefunctions as anantioxidant, a compoundthathelps defend your cells from damage caused by potentially harmful molecules called free radicals. Eating a diet rich in antioxidants can help reduce risk of chronic diseases and boost health. Carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, and broccoli contain high amounts of beta carotene. Vitamin A, which the body creates from beta carotene,helpsthe lungs work properly in addition to other benefits.

Studies have shown that compounds in garliccan boost the disease-fighting response of some types of white blood cells in the body when they encounter viruses. Eating it while you are sick can help decreasehow long you stay sick and reduce the severity of symptoms. Garlic can also lowerthe risk of becoming sick in the first place.

Ginger may help decrease inflammation andrelieve congestion. It may alsosoothe nausea and digestive issues. Don't focus too much on the particular foods or supplements, but make sure are getting a sufficient amount of all the necessary nutrients from healthy foods in your diet.

Health-promoting bacteria in the colon are also animportant part of the immune system, Darling said. Focus on high-fiber foods, and specifically foods that contain the type of fiber called inulin. Good sources of inulin include artichoke, asparagus, and chicory root. Yogurt contains live and active cultures or probiotics. Try to choose the low-fat plain kindrather than theflavored varieties that can be loaded with sugar.

Don't forget to drink plenty of water.Try to avoid snacking irregularly. If you do snack, choosefresh fruits and raw vegetables rather than foods that are high in sugar, salt or fat.

"Pack carrot sticks, pack almonds,"said Erin Michos, preventive cardiologist at the Johns Hopkins Hospital."I'm a snacker, so I'm not going to tell you not to snack. I am just going to say snack on things that are good for your body, that boost your immunity."

It's important to maintain yourweight within healthy ranges. One of the measures that can help in measuring and interpreting yourweight is body mass index(BMI).BMI from18.5 to 24.9 is considered to bewithinhealthy range. Fat cells are not justpassive reservoir of energy, but canactually secretehormones thatincrease inflammation making overweight people more vulnerable to diseases. Making meal plans and schedulingfood intakesin advance can help to keep weight under control, especially if you are working remotely.

Studies indicate that sleep plays a crucial role in the functioning of the immune system. Breathing and muscle activity slows down, freeing up energy for the body to fight off illness. Sleep is important forimprovingT cellfunctioning. T cellsrespond to viral infections and boost the immune function of other cells. Cytokines, a type of protein in theimmune system that target infections,are also produced and released during sleep.Studies have also shown that sleep even improves the effects of vaccines.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society recommend that adults aged 1860 years sleep at least sevenhours each night. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 3adults dont get enough sleep.

Insufficient sleep makes it more likely one willcatch the common cold or the flu. A study showed that people whosleep less than six or seven hours per night have a higher risk of infection in a short term.

Researchshows creating a good sleep routineis essential for a good nightsleep and helping your immune system. Limit the amount of caffeine and alcoholyou consume before bed. Alcohol can make you sleepy, but can affect your sleep cycle. Caffeine can cause you to you feel wired, making it hard to fall asleep. Darling recommends avoiding electronic screens for at least 60 minutes before sleep.

Create a sleep schedule. Havingconsistent cues before bed can playa large role in your nighttimeroutine. Brushing your teeth, readinga bookand other activities can give your body signsit's time foryou to wind down for the day.

Moderate exercise improves cardiovascular health, lowers blood pressure andhelps control body weight. It also promotescirculation of the cells and substances of the immune system, which allows them to move through the body freely and do their job efficiently. It may reduce inflammation and help your immune cells regenerate regularly.

Unfortunately, only about 1 in 5 adults and teens get enough exercise to maintain good health, according to American Heart Association.Here is how lack of activity can affect the body and lower your immune response:

Moderatephysical activityis recommended during the pandemic and can also combat obesity, heart disease and diabetes. Health experts recommend a moderate-intensity exercise routine, two to three times a week,for up to 45-minutesfor good immune health. Try to aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week, or 30 minutes, five days a week. Maintaining continued exercise routinemight be particularly essential for the elderly.

However, avoid pushing yourself too hard for too long.Prolonged (more than 1.5 hours) intense exerciseperformed without food intake can temporarilysuppress your immune system,providing the opportunity for infections to take hold. To determine whether the exercise is moderate or vigorous, you can use the "talk test."

"When you're doing a moderate activity like brisk walking, you can talk but you can't sing," Darling said."And then if you are doing vigorous physical activity, likeswimming laps, or jogging or playing tennis, you would not be able to talk or sing."

As the pandemic continues, many people have been experiencingvarious levels of continued stress. Nearly 8 in 10 adults say the coronavirus pandemic is amajor source of stress in their life.

Stress causes your body to release cortisol, the body's primary stress hormone. Increased cortisol levels in the bloodstream can cause inflammation, which altershow your body's immune system responds toinfections. Moreover, long-term inflammation promotes imbalances in immune cell function and can evensuppress immune response. Children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable to the effects of stresson immune system.

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine,controlling your stress is key to improving your immune system. Here's a look the impact stress has on the body:

Once you know your triggers workloads, kids or relationships you can makesmall changes can help manageyour stress levels. Here are a few modification to help reduce your stress:

If you can't minimize stress, make sure to have acoping mechanism that works for you, says Michos, the preventive cardiologist from Johns Hopkins. Some of the activitiesthat may help you manage your stress includemeditation, exercise, journaling, yoga, and other mindfulness practices. Stay away from adverse coping mechanisms like smoking or drinking too much alcohol. Smoking can actually weaken your body's defenses.

Ifyoure experiencing a mental health crisis or having thoughts of suicide, go to an emergency room, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255or visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness site,nami.org,for additional resources.

Overall, maintaining a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, engaging in regular physical activity, and keeping stress down are some of the most important ways to help keep your immune system healthy and reduce your chances of infection and disease. Take it easy, take a walkand put down those smokes.

However, don't go overboard. Too muchimmune response can causeimmune system to malfunction as well.

"You've probably heard about autoimmune diseases like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, or even in COVID, where the immune system might go overdrive," Michos said."So, we don't wanthyperimmunity either. What you're talking about is trying to have overall balance, so everything is working in check."

It's also important to keep wearing mask in public, maintaining social distancing and sanitizinghands before touching face. These measures will help you to avoid exposure to novel coronavirus and flu viruses, among others.

SOURCE Healthline.com; John Hopkins Medicine; Mayo Clinic; Stress.org and USA TODAY research

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How to strengthen your immune system this winter - USA TODAY

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