Oftentimes someone who has been diagnosed with an illness or chronic condition will say that it “just came out of nowhere.”

And while it may certainly feel that way, many health problems develop gradually over time, influenced by a combination of genetics, lifestyle, environment, nutrition and other factors.

One important piece of that puzzle is your immune system—and how many demands your body is asking it to handle at once.

The more your body is dealing with—chronic stress, inadequate sleep, poor nutrition, infections and certain environmental exposures, for example—the more important it becomes to give your immune system the support it needs to function properly.

And although “immune overload” isn't a medical diagnosis, it's a useful way to think about the many factors that can influence how well your immune system functions.

Trouble is, many of us may be putting more demands on our poor immune systems than we realize!

Let's look at this concept of immune overload and examine some ways you can help support healthy immune function.

Immune Overload

Unlike other bodily systems that you can easily pinpoint—like your heart and blood vessels, your lungs or your GI tract—your immune system is literally EVERYWHERE inside you.

It involves specialized cells, tissues and organs throughout your body, including your bloodstream, lymphatic system, bone marrow, spleen and digestive tract.

And when it's functioning like it should, it's protecting you with the strength of an army against potentially harmful invaders.

But like the rest of your body, your immune system needs proper support to do its job well.

Two factors that can have an especially important influence on immune health are:

• Stressors that challenge the body

• Nutritional deficiencies and poor dietary habits

Here's the scoop on both.

Stress—the Different Types

Stress can take many forms, including physical, emotional/mental and environmental—and each can affect your body in different ways.

Physical stressors can include infectious agents such as viruses, harmful bacteria, parasites and fungi.

Your body can also be challenged by factors such as certain chemical exposures, some medications and their side effects, excessive alcohol consumption, extreme temperature changes and physical inactivity.

And this probably won't win me any popularity contests, but researchers are also taking a closer look at tattoo ink. Studies have found that tattoo pigments don't necessarily remain confined to the skin. Some pigment particles can migrate to lymph nodes, where they may persist long after the skin itself has healed. Scientists continue to investigate what these long-term exposures may mean for the body.

Emotional and mental stressors can include stress from jobs, schoolwork, relationships, family challenges, financial problems, health concerns and tragedies such as death or divorce.

Environmental stressors make up an enormous—and often difficult to control—category. They can include things like:

• Air and water pollution

• Pesticides, herbicides and certain food additives

• Lawn and household chemicals

• Exposure to certain metals from contaminated water, environmental and occupational sources, amalgam fillings, some consumer products and certain toothpastes

• Certain vaccine formulations, which may contain aluminum salts as adjuvants, while some formulations may contain the mercury-containing preservative thimerosal

• Chemicals released from some paints, carpeting and building materials

• Vehicle exhaust

You obviously can't eliminate every environmental exposure in modern life. But becoming more aware of what you're exposed to can help you make informed choices about the things that are within your control.

Nutritional Deficiencies

Your immune system must have adequate nutrition in order to function properly and protect you. That means getting a variety of proteins, healthy fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients from real foods.

But the nutrition issue has two sides.

You see, not getting the nutrients your body needs is bad enough. But if you aren't eating plenty of real foods, that often means ultraprocessed or fast foods are taking their place.

Not only are these foods typically lacking in nutrition, but diets high in ultraprocessed foods and refined carbohydrates may also encourage an unhealthy balance of bacteria in your gut microbiome.

And your gut and immune system are closely connected.

Your digestive tract is home to an enormous community of microorganisms that interact with your immune system and intestinal lining. Maintaining a diverse, balanced gut microbiome is one important part of supporting normal immune function.

Diet and gut health can also influence the intestinal barrier. Researchers continue to study the complex relationship among the microbiome, intestinal barrier, inflammation and immune function.

In other words, what you eat isn't just feeding you.

It's feeding the trillions of microorganisms that call your gut home too!

Are YOU Overloaded?

Now that you've seen some of the demands your body and immune system can face, you may be wondering where you stand.

Rather than trying to diagnose yourself with “immune overload,” take a look at the areas of your lifestyle that you can control.

Are you constantly stressed?

Are you regularly getting too little sleep?

Does your diet contain more packaged and ultraprocessed foods than wholesome foods?

Are you giving your gut microbiome what it needs to thrive?

No matter where you're starting from, there are steps you can take to better support your health.

Here are five smart ways to make a difference and encourage healthy immune function.

5 Ways to Support a Healthy Immune System

1—Avoid Nourishing Bad Bacteria

Your gut microbes eat what you eat, so your food choices can help influence which microorganisms thrive.

Limit fast food, ultraprocessed foods, excessive refined carbohydrates, soda and excessive alcohol consumption.

Instead, give your beneficial gut bacteria plenty of the foods they love, including fiber-rich vegetables, fruits, legumes and other wholesome plant foods.

2—De-Stress

Chronic stress doesn't just affect how you feel. It can also influence immune function and the protective barriers your body relies upon.

Fortunately, there are many ways to help manage stress: meditation, regular exercise, taking up a hobby, counseling, deep breathing, prayer, adopting a pet (if you're an animal lover) and acupuncture, to name a few.

Ashwagandha may also be worth considering.

This traditional herb has been used for centuries, and modern research has increasingly explored its potential to help the body adapt to stress and support a healthy stress response.

Our Ashwa Blend Gummies combine Ashwagandha with the antioxidant support of CoQ10, apple cider vinegar and L-carnitine for a convenient way to add these ingredients to your daily routine.

3—Eat Nourishing Real Foods

It's crucial for the health of your immune system—and your overall health—to eat a nutritious diet based largely on wholesome, real foods.

Focus on quality carbohydrate sources such as whole grains, fresh vegetables, fruits and legumes. Include wholesome sources of fats such as real butter, tallow, olive oil, avocado and coconut oil, along with protein-rich foods like eggs, fish, poultry and meats.

Variety matters too. Different foods provide different vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients, so eating a colorful assortment of whole foods helps give your body the raw materials it needs.

4—Support Your Gut with a High-Quality Probiotic

If you want a strong “gut microbiome army,” you need plenty of good “troops.”

That's where beneficial bacteria come in.

Our Super Shield multi-strain probiotic formula contains 15 carefully selected probiotic strains designed to help support a healthy, balanced intestinal microbiome.

Among them are Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus acidophilus, two extensively studied species of beneficial bacteria.

Along with Super Shield's 13 other feisty strains, they help support microbiome balance, digestive health and normal immune function—helping your internal army stay ready for duty!

5—Get Adequate Sleep

Regularly shortchanging yourself on sleep can take a serious toll on your body, including your immune system.

Too little sleep can also affect your mood, concentration, energy and your body's ability to recover from the demands of everyday life.

Most adults need at least seven hours of sleep each night, and many do best with seven to nine. So if you're regularly getting fewer than seven hours, it's worth making sleep a priority.

If you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, here are some ways to help:

• Darken your room and minimize light from night lights, illuminated alarm clocks, televisions and cell phones.

• Avoid caffeine, nicotine and excessive alcohol close to bedtime.

• Get regular exercise—but not too close to bedtime if you find that it keeps you awake.

• Try to go to bed and wake up around the same time each day.

• Keep your bedroom comfortably cool.

• Avoid upsetting or overly stimulating TV programs, videos or other content right before bed.

• Create a relaxing bedtime routine that signals to your body that it's time to wind down.

• If you enjoy aromatherapy, try a few drops of an essential oil such as lavender on a cotton ball near your pillow.

Ashwagandha may have another role here too. Research has suggested that Ashwagandha supplementation may help support sleep quality in some adults, making it another potential benefit of this time-tested herb.

Recover from Immune Overload!

You can't eliminate every germ, stressful event or environmental exposure that comes your way.

And you don't need to.

Instead, concentrate on the things you can control.

Nourish your body with real foods. Take care of your gut. Find healthy ways to manage stress. Get enough sleep. Be mindful of unnecessary exposures when you have a choice.

By giving your immune system the nutritional and lifestyle support it needs, you can help your internal army stay strong, balanced and ready to do the job it was designed to do—all year long.

To your health,

Sherry Brescia