Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by NOW Foods and may contain affiliate links. All thoughts and opinions are my own. All information is based off of my personal experiences and is not to be taken as medical advice. No information on this site should be used to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease or condition.

This time of year it feels like every time that I turn around someone is coughing, sneezing or wiping a runny nose. While it makes me feel like going into hibernation mode and never leaving my house, that simply isn’t going to happen. As a mother or two, I’ve been doing everything I can to support our immune systems. With it being my oldest first year in school, we’ve being exposed to all the germs so making our health a priority is an absolute must to keep everyone as happy and healthy as possible.

When it comes to health, our immune system is one of the most important things to keep functioning at 100%. There are so many factors that have an effect on your immune system: age, diet, lifestyle choices, diet, and more.  To keep your immune system running optimally, there are plenty of lifestyle choices you can make to help bolster your immune system to ward off nasty bugs and germs.

Below are 6 ways to optimize your immune system function:

Prioritize Sleep

Getting quality sleep and enough sleep is so important to your overall health! Turn off the TV, set your phone in another room and hit the hay early. Aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep to let your body heal and run more efficiently.

Add Herbs

There are some great herbals that you can add to your repertoire to help support and optimize your immune system.* During challenging times, adding a high quality elderberry supplement to your diet is a fabulous way to add a little support.* Elderberry has been used for decades for immune support.* I’ve been taking 1 teaspoon of NOW® Elderberry Concentrate to maintain my health and well-being (almost 50 servings per bottle and 500 mg per teaspoon!).*

To promote healthy immune function, an echinacea supplement can be a great addition as well. I use a few drops of this echinacea extract once a day in my water.

If you’re already feeling worn down on the edge of sickness, during seasonal changes or when you feel like your immune system may be a bit haggard, Elderberry & Zinc lozenges are a great addition.* As soon as I start to feel a little immune stress, I start using these lozenges a few times a day for additional immune support.* Be aware that long-term zinc consumption is not recommended so limit to taking as necessary.

Gut Health*

More and more studies are showing that your gut health is a great indicator of overall health, especially the immune system.* Taking a daily probiotic with multiple strains is beneficial for optimal gut health by balancing the microbiome which in turn can help with immune support.* In our family we use the following probiotics:

Hydrate

Staying hydrated and drinking plenty of water is paramount to good health! To keep hydrated, I constantly have water around me using reusable water bottles. If you find plain water to be boring, you can always add in flavor packets to help entice you to drink more. These Slender Sticks are great as they add flavor without extra sugar or calories (sweetened with Stevia Leaf extract) or you can add a handful of fresh herbs and fruit to naturally flavor your water.

Get Outside

This time of year can make it harder to be outside with cooler temperatures and snowy weather, however Vitamin D is important for immune health, especially immune cells (more on the study here). The best way of getting vitamin D is from the sun (and many in the Northern Hemisphere are vitamin D deficient in the winter months), but you can boost your supply with Vitamin D supplements as well. Bundling up in winter gear and taking a quick neighborhood walk can be a great way to boost your energy, get some fresh air and soak up Vitamin D.

Eat More Citrus and Berries

Berries, citrus fruit, broccoli and peppers are power foods that are full of antioxidants and vitamin C which are both great for supporting your immune system.


To stock up and save on immune support products, use code AMBERNOW10 at nowfoods.com (starting January 1st, 2019)! You’ll receive $10 off your nowfoods.com purchase of $40 or more (before taxes and shipping). Must use coupon code AMBERNOW10 in the Promotion Code field at checkout.

Offer only available on nowfoods.com. Offer valid January 1, 2019 through 11:59 PM CT March 31, 2019. Some exclusions apply. Limit one coupon code per transaction.


For those that prefer Amazon, I’ve linked everything below as well!

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This
product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Note: Consult a doctor before making any health changes, especially any changes related to a specific diagnosis or condition. No information on this site should be relied upon to determine diet, make a medical diagnosis, or determine treatment for a medical condition.

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