Illness is an inescapable part of life. Fortunately, there are a number of ways for people to bolster themselves against many of the harmful organisms and physical developments that negatively affect their health. Following are several tips that will show you how to avoid sickness, even when everyone else around you is feeling feverish and dizzy.

Sufficient Sleep
Depriving your body of sufficient sleep is one of the quickest ways to decrease your immune system’s abilities. While you may not be able to get a full 8 hours of rest every night, you should try to do so as often as you can. It’s important to remember that sleep balances your moods, keeps you focused and will help you to be more productive in both physical and cognitive tasks. Staying up late might seem like the best way to get more done, but it will actually have a detrimental impact on your efficiency and your overall health.

Dietary
Eating too many refined sugars and empty calories will negatively impact your general health and immune system. A diet that is rich in fresh vegetables and fruits will contain a vast array of vitamins that your body needs for optimal performance. In fact, the more colorful your produce selection, the better protected you will be against common forms of illness. This is especially important during the flu and cold season. You should also know that fresh onions and garlic have many anti-fungal and antiseptic properties. If you feel an illness coming on, indulging in homemade soup or a fresh salad that contain lots of onions and garlic may just help to stave this sickness off.

Drinking Water
Staying hydrated is another vital measure for avoiding illness. If your body doesn’t have sufficient fluids, many systems will begin to shut down. You should be drinking at least five, eight ounce glasses of water each day. If you exercise regularly, use tobacco products or consume a number of caffeinated beverages each day, you should be drinking more water to compensate for the effects of these activities.

Detoxification
Ridding yourself of internal toxins on a routine basis is a great way to ensure that your body is in optimal condition for protecting itself. Healthy people are much less likely to get sick after having come in contact with illness than those who live unhealthy lifestyles. Unless you follow a strict natural and/or organic diet, you are (through no fault of your own) constantly introducing toxins into your body. These come from the foods you consume, the beauty and self-care products you are using and even your external environment. When too many of these build-up in your system, your immune system can become overwhelmed. Detoxification can be as simple as taking a break from junk foods, fast foods and even meat. You can go on an all-vegetable diet for several days or a juice fast. You can even purchase detoxification products from a local health store. These efforts work best at preventing illness if they are performed at least once every six months.

Regular Exercise
Any physician will tell you that staying active is a vital part of good health. When you engage in activities that increase your circulation, your body filters out toxins more effectively. You don’t have to become a marathon runner. Simply taking a walk for thirty minutes is enough to bolster your immune system. Studies have also shown that exercise can help your body prevent cancer.

Supplements
You can also stave off illness by giving your body more of what it needs in the form of herbal supplements. Products like black walnut hulls help to cleanse the intestines of parasitic organisms and they also restore internal pH balance. Colloidal silver, echinacea, garlic and other supplements will aid your fight against illness too, and one of the most effective supplement is fish oil. Most people could do with a daily dose of fish oil in addition to a multivitamin.

Ultimately, the key to avoiding illness lies in promoting optimal health. You are exposed to viruses, bacteria and germs all day, everyday, but if you’re well rested, properly hydrated and nourished with a proper diet, you will be far less susceptible to sickness when it passes your way. Exercising and ridding your body of toxins are additional measures that you can take to ensure a robust immune system.

Vincent Marguiles writes about health and nutrition. His recent work is on the Top 10 Most Affordable Online RN to BSN Programs.

Thank you, Vincent Marguiles, for this advice on how to keep well.  Keep hand sanitizer at work, and in your car, in order to cut down on the germs on doors, money, or any surfaces you touch.  Clean hands help avoid illness.