Immunity Facts & Myths

Your immune system is always working hard to keep you healthy. Understanding how your body protects itself gives you ammunition to fight off illness. When it comes to our immune system there are many rumours and speculations, making it all that more difficult to separate the fact from the fiction. We want to guide you on right path to better immune health, this list busts several of the most common immune system myths, along with facts on what does and doesn’t make you sick.

Myth: Stress doesn’t impact the immune system

Stress absolutely impacts our immunity. Psychological stress has been empirically linked to dysregulation of the immune system, and emerging research about this link is occurring daily. During acute stress that lasts minutes, specific cells are activated, switching on our “fight or flight” response. Both acute and chronic stress increase our overall inflammation.

When we’re stressed, our adrenal glands produce cortisol, our stress hormone. When excess cortisol is released, it increases inflammation and further compromises the immune system.

Myth: Allergies are a sign of a weakened immune system

The opposite is true. Seasonal allergies are the result of an over-reactive immune response mistaking small particles in the air for harmful microorganisms. Consider allergies the hallmark of an over-vigilant immune system, rather than one slacking off.

It can be difficult to distinguish allergies from other upper-respiratory issues. They share many of the same symptoms, but are not contagious. You might experience a headache, congestion, runny nose, watery/itchy eyes, or even a sore throat. All are symptoms of a cold, too. The difference is allergies aren’t triggered by bacteria or viruses. Harmless particles like dust, pollen, or mold are introduced to your body when you breathe. If you have seasonal allergies, your immune system responds to these particles like it would a potential pathogen.

To minimize your allergy symptoms, try to identify the source of your allergy. If it is pollen, avoid blooming plants. Dust allergies can ramp up when it is windy outside. So, consider protecting your mouth and nose with a mask on windy days. These allergies are seasonal, as their name implies. That means time will start to bring relief. Allergy symptoms can be controlled well with proper medication prescribed by a physician. Talk to a doctor and see if they can help you find a way to manage your seasonal allergies.

Myth: Sleep doesn’t impact the immune system

Think of your body as one big rhythmic gymnastics performance. Our bodies work in rhythm. Our body wakes us up in the morning, makes us hungry at certain times and tired at others. The sleep cycle works in a rhythm, too. Our sleep cycle, known as our circadian rhythm, regulates our body function and behaviour. When we’re asleep, the body produces certain cells and performs tasks. These tasks, include looking after our immune system. Sleep and the circadian rhythm exert a strong influence on our immune system. When we’re not sleeping properly, our body is unable to produce immune-fighting cells and processes, leaving us susceptible to disease.

Myth: You only need supplements when you’re sick

While you don’t need to take every single supplement every day, ensure you’re consuming the nutrients you need to function at your best every single day through diet. While it is beneficial to take immune-supporting supplements when you’re sick, prevention is always better than cure. Consider your nutrient intake when choosing products that are right for you.

Myth: Feed a cold, starve a fever

This refrain is one of the more pervasive immune system myths. Your body needs adequate fuel to fight off infections of any kind. Imagine trying to fight a battle on an empty stomach. That’s how your immune system will behave if you restrict what you eat when you’re sick.

There isn’t much evidence to support the notion that fasting reduces a fever. In fact, your body’s calorie demands increase when you fight off an infection. Your immune system needs energy from your diet to increase white-blood-cell production. The rise of your internal body temperature boosts your metabolism, too. This means you need more calories to keep up. However, if you’re feeling sick you might not have a big appetite. This is completely normal. Don’t force yourself to eat if you don’t want to. You might end up feeling nauseous.

But whether you have a cold or fever, it is important to eat what you can when you’re sick. Stick to whole, nutritious foods if you’re under the weather. Many fruits, cooked vegetables, and protein are easy on the stomach and supply you with the essential nutrients your body needs. Choose those that sit well with you.

Myth: Antibiotics are the cure-all for disease

While antibiotics can be great for killing off bad bacteria, too much of a good thing is never a good thing! Antibiotics kill off harmful bacteria in the body, but they also kill off beneficial bacteria. They truly bug the immune system! Antibiotic treatment impairs immune function and can inhibit respiratory activity in immune cells. The immunomodulation antibiotics perform may not be such a good thing after all. A probiotic is a great way to nourish beneficial bacteria in the gut and support immune function.

Myth: Cold weather makes you sick

Sure as the changing of the seasons, you can be certain you’ll wind up catching something in the winter. The question is, why? People often contract common cold viruses in cold months. So, you might believe low temperatures are responsible for making you sick. A link does exist between colder temperatures and sickness, but it is a correlation, not a cause-and-effect relationship. Most likely the changes in behavior associated with cold weather are what trigger these seasonal surges.

Cold weather keeps people indoors for longer periods of time. This leads to the spread of germs between people who are in close contact. Think family members, co-workers, classmates, or the people with whom you share public transport. Proximity to others is the primary way viruses spread, regardless of outdoor temperature. A similar pattern occurs when students return to school after holidays, or when you start attending a new gym or place of employment. Physical closeness to lots of people increases the chance you’ll catch a bug, whether it’s warm or cold outside.

Some research highlights that cooler temperatures provide a better living environment for specific viruses. Rhinovirus (the microbe responsible for the common cold) is usually living dormant in your nasal passages waiting for more suitable temperatures. When cooler weather comes along, it wakes up and reproduces. If you stay inside due to the weather, an inadvertent cough or sneeze sends the cold virus into the air you share with others. Because colder weather brings people closer, a sneeze might be all it takes to spread a cold. But the temperature change was only part of the equation. An interesting observation during the highs of COVID, reported cold and flu case were at an all-time low, with the key factor being the widespread practice of social distancing.

Fact: Sunshine boosts your immune system

There’s nothing better than getting out into the sun, not just because you want to become a bronzed god/goddess, but because it supports your Vitamin D levels. Vitamin D helps express immune cells and can modulate the innate and adaptive immune responses. If you’re unable to get out into the sun or, have inadequate Vitamin D levels, consider a Vitamin D supplement.

Fact: Exercise enhances your immune system

Movement is excellent for a myriad of things, including improving our mood, regulating weight and strengthening our immune function. Exercise can improve our defence activity and improve our metabolic health. Exercise has an anti-inflammatory effect on the body, helping to reduce inflammation. Habitual exercise can even regulate our immune system.

Remember like everything in life, moderation is key. Over exercising and exercising when you’re sick can weaken your immune system and leave you worse for wear. Performing moderate exercise a few days a week and moving your body every day is the perfect way to help your immune system without tiring it out.

Fact: What you eat affects your immune system

This one’s correct. Several factors influence our immune system, and our nutrient intake is one of them. While poor nutrition can compromise immune function, consuming vitamins and minerals can build up our immune system. Various micro-nutrients are needed for a thriving immune system, including Vitamin A, C, D, E, B2, B6, and B12, folic acid, iron, selenium, and zinc. These nutrients are required for several immune-building processes in the body. If you struggle to get all your vitamins into a day, you may consider supplementing with a multivitamin for additional nutritional support.

Bonus Fun Fact: Pets can strengthen your immune health

Your pets are more than cuddly, cute, and loving. They’re beneficial to your health in many ways and building immunity is definitely one of them.

Pets are great for melting stress away and helping you get moderate exercise. You’ve already heard about how exercise and stress management are immune boosting habits. But your pets can do more for your immunity and it’s because they can be kind of gross. That’s right, the microbes your pets naturally have or bring into your house aren’t all bad. They help build your immunity through exposure, which can be more helpful than harmful.

Researchers have found that infants who grow up around animals are less likely to develop allergies. And one study even showed that petting a live dog can increase an important immune system protein called immunoglobulin A. So, give your pet some extra attention and affection for all the help they give your immunity.