Eating a wide variety of whole, minimally processed foods can help your immune system to stay strong. Many adults over the age of 65 are at nutrition risk, which can compromise their immune response.

The general recommendation is to focus on fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes and wholegrains, as well as smaller amounts of high-quality meats and dairy products. Avoid refined and highly processed foods.[1]

For a strong immune system, try to prioritise these nutrients:[2]

• Vitamin A from eggs, cheese, kumara, pumpkin, carrots, spinach, broccoli, rock melon and dried apricots.
• Vitamin C from citrus fruits, kiwifruit, pineapple, leafy green veges and capsicum.
• Vitamin D from eggs, salmon, fortified dairy products and 10 minutes of sun exposure on bare skin each day.
• Vitamin E from almonds, peanuts, sunflower seeds and avocado.
• Zinc from shellfish, red meat, chickpeas, eggs, dairy products and cashew nuts.
• Folate from leafy greens, legumes and avocado.
• Iron from red meat, poultry, oily fish, beans, broccoli and kale.
• Selenium from eggs, seafood, meat, poultry and Brazil nuts.
• The foods mentioned here are just a few easy-to-find examples. For each nutrient, there are many other sources.

Do something every day that gets your heart pumping and your muscles moving. Movement promotes good circulation, which helps your immune system to operate more effectively.[3]

Here are some exercise ideas:

• Go for a brisk walk around your neighbourhood.
• Try the walking version of interval training: walk as fast as you can for 20 seconds, then slowly for 10 seconds, repeat until you get home.
• Find a gym that specialises in fitness classes for over 60s.
• Hire a personal trainer to help you and a couple of friends get fit; you can share the cost.
• Find a yoga class or senior workout on You Tube – there are heaps of them. See if you can stream You Tube through your TV, to see a bigger screen.
• Download an exercise app for your phone, like Daily Workouts or 30 Day Fitness at Home.
• Put on your favourite music and dance around the living room.
• Vacuum the house, sweep leaves, pull weeds or mow the lawn.
• Find a second hand stationary bike or treadmill. Listen to audio books to prevent boredom.

Around 70% of your immune system is located in the gut, so if gut health is compromised it can negatively affect your immune function.[4]

Try these eating tips to include more prebiotics and fibre and improve gut health:

• Kiwifruit, garlic, leeks and onions are particular good prebiotics, so try including these foods in your daily diet.
• Snack on raw fruits, nuts, or seeds.
• Include two to three vegetables (and their skin!) in each meal.
• Swap meat for legumes or beans occasionally.
• Try oats for breakfast and opt for wholegrain/brown bread, brown rice and wholewheat pasta when possible.
• Consume probiotic foods, like natural yoghurt. Other probiotic foods that are commonly available today are kombucha (a fermented drink), sauerkraut (fermented cabbage) and miso (fermented soya bean paste).

A lack of sleep can impair your immune system, because your body carries out cellular repair processes when you’re asleep.[5]

For better sleep, avoid coffee and tea after midday. Find a herbal or fruit tea you like, as an alternative. Also, avoid watching TV or looking at your phone right before bed. Instead, read or listen to a book until you feel sleepy. To calm your mind when the lights go out, try ‘square breathing’ – breathe in for three counts, hold for three counts, out for three counts, hold for three counts, repeat until you fall asleep.

Water is important for delivering nutrients around the body. It also aids digestion, and keeps your nose and throat moist. This is important, because mucous is one of the immune system’s first defence barriers. To ensure you’re drinking enough water every day, fill a jug or water bottle with 1.5 litres in the morning. See if you can get through all of it before bed (in addition to tea and coffee).

[1] How to boost your immune system - Harvard Health

[2] 8 Vitamins for an Immune System Boost (clevelandclinic.org)

[3] Aerobic exercise: Top 10 reasons to get physical - Mayo Clinic

[4] Allergy and the gastrointestinal system - PMC (nih.gov)

[5] Sleep and immune function - PMC (nih.gov)