So you’ve cleaned out your medicine cabinet and unearthed those supplements you had completely forgotten about. Or maybe you found a great deal on supplements online at a huge discount. Heads up: They may be expired. And while it may be safe to take them, you may not be getting the full benefits of the supplements.

Today, we’re addressing the age-old question “To take or not to take?” as it applies in the vitamin and supplement world, and we’ll share advice from experts on just what to do with any expired supplements you come across. 

Is it Safe to Take Expired Vitamins & Supplements?

In general, it’s considered safe to take expired vitamins and supplements, since most of these products, when expired, usually do not become toxic. However, you should never take any supplements that show signs of mold or have a strange odor—these should be disposed of safely.

But there’s a catch: While experts agree that taking a supplement past its prime is generally safe, they do start to break down and lose their potency after they expire. So those who rely on supplementation to counteract deficiencies, such as osteoporosis or malabsorption due to GI dysfunction, or women who are pregnant or trying to conceive, should take caution to use supplements within their recommended timeframe in order to get the full benefits of the ingredients.

How Long do Vitamins & Supplements Last?

How long supplements last depends on ingredients, delivery method and how they’re being stored. For instance, gummies, chews and liquids break down a lot faster than pills, powders and tablets. If you find that you’re not able to use up your supplements before they expire, try purchasing a smaller quantity, more frequently, so you’re not throwing money away when you have to toss expired products. 

Unopened supplements and vitamins are more likely to retain their potency because moisture, light and oxygen are less likely to affect them.

How to Store Vitamins & Supplements

To get the most out of your vitamins and supplements, be sure to store them in their original containers, and away from environmental factors like sunlight, humidity, water and air. Whenever possible, store your bottles in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. To reduce exposure to heat and humidity, it’s advisable to keep supplements out of the kitchen and bathroom, too—especially in smaller spaces.

Keep in mind that storage instructions will vary between supplements, so always check the bottle and follow the manufacturers recommendations.

How to Dispose of Expired Vitamins & Supplements

If you come across expired vitamins and supplements, it’s important to dispose of them responsibly. Improper disposal of these products increases the risk of children or animals consuming them, which could have negative consequences.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends the following steps for proper disposal of vitamins, supplements and medications:

1. Remove the pills from the original container.
2. Place the vitamins in a disposable container or bag with coffee grinds, cat litter or another undesirable substance. When they’re mixed with these, curious children or pets are less likely to find them in the trash.
3. Close the container or seal the bag.
4. Place the entire container/bag in the trash.

To avoid purchasing products that are being sold close to or after their expiration date, try purchasing directly from the manufacturer whenever possible. That’s where you will find the freshest product, as discounted retailers or sellers on auction websites often sit on large amounts of product for long periods of time, which means you’re getting a subpar product that’s either almost or completely expired—and not as effective.

For all of your (and your family’s) immunity needs, Vyral Defense has you covered. Our products are 100 percent made in the U.S. with patented and clinically proven ingredients, always fresh and never out-of-date. Feel the difference—take the Vyral Defense Challenge today!

At Vyral Defense, we’re all about helping you and your family stay healthy year-round, with immunity boosting products that give you superpowers during cold and flu season, family vacations and trips to the doctor’s office, school, the gym—and wherever else life takes you.

You’ve probably heard a lot about the immune system recently, but do you know how this complex network of organs, cells and chemicals work together to fight infection and keep you healthy? Read on to learn all about it!

How the Immune System Works

The immune system is your body’s natural defense against illness. It’s a network of cells throughout your body that work together to prevent or limit infection from potentially harmful pathogens (AKA germs) and prevent damage from noninfectious exposures like sunburn and cancer.

The main tasks of your immune system are:

• Fighting off disease-causing pathogens like bacteria, viruses and fungi by removing them from the body.
• Recognizing and neutralizing harmful substances from the environment.
• Fighting disease-causing changes to the body, such as cancer cells.

Your immune system is activated when your body comes in contact with something that it doesn’t recognize as its own; these are called antigens. Antigens are the parts of a pathogen that your body recognizes as a potential threat. When an antigen is detected, your immune system triggers a whole series of processes in your body.

When your body comes in contact with a disease-causing germ for the first time, it usually stores information about the germ and how to fight it. That means if you come in contact with that germ again, your immune system already knows what to do and can start protecting you faster.

What the Immune System is Made Up Of

The main parts of the immune system are white blood cells, antibodies, complement system, lymphatic system, spleen, bone marrow and the thymus gland. Here’s how they all work together to protect you from “invaders” (AKA viruses and infections):

• White blood cells are the key players in your immune system. They move through your blood and tissues looking for harmful “invaders” such as bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi. When they find them, they launch an immune attack.
• Antibodies are part of the attack squad that’s triggered by your white blood cells. They help fight pathogens by recognizing antigens on the surface and marking them for destruction.
• Complement system is made up of proteins whose actions complement the work done by your antibodies.
• Lymphatic system is a network of delicate tubes throughout your body that help manage fluid levels, react to bacteria and deal with cell products that would otherwise result in disease or disorders.
• Spleen is a blood-filtering organ that removes pathogens from your body and destroys old or damaged red blood cells. It also produces disease-fighting components of the immune system including antibodies and lymphocytes, which are a type of white blood cell.
• Bone marrow is a spongy tissue in your bones that produces the red blood cells your body needs to carry oxygen, the white blood cells your body needs to fight infection and the platelets your body needs to clot blood.
• Thymus gland is a small organ located in the upper chest under the breastbone, which filters and monitors your blood content and produces the white blood cells called T-lymphocytes.

In addition to the immune system, your body uses your skin, lungs, digestive tract and bodily fluids such as saliva, skin oil and tears to help defend itself against pathogens.

Healthy Ways to Strengthen Your Immune System

An optimally functioning immune system helps keep you well by protecting your body’s tissues and fighting off bacteria and viruses that can make you sick. Although the immune system is precisely fine-tuned to protect you, there are ways to help strengthen it and give yourself a natural boost:

• Get enough sleep (experts recommend at least seven hours a night).
• Fill your plate with nutrient-rich vegetables and fruits as often as possible.
• Avoid environmental hazards, such as exposure to air pollution and pesticides.
• Stay active with regular moderate activity, such as brisk walking, tennis or cycling.
• Find healthy ways to help manage stress.

Of course, Vyral Defense is a great way to give your immune system an extra layer of protection whenever you need it. Formulated with highly bioactive ingredients that are patented and clinically proven, our 100 percent made-in-the-USA products are the ones you can trust to keep you and your family safe.

In the world of supplements, there’s so much information out there that it can be hard to know where to start. But one thing’s for sure: You want to get what you’re paying for, and not flush your hard-earned money down the drain—literally. And that’s where bioavailability comes in.

So what does bioavailability mean and why does it matter when it comes to choosing a supplement? Well, we’ve got you covered—read on to find out!

What Does Bioavailability Mean?

In the medical and nutrition communities, bioavailability was traditionally defined as how quickly a vitamin, mineral, or other nutrient enters your bloodstream. But the bloodstream is not where this story ends. Just because a nutrient has entered your bloodstream doesn’t mean it’s getting where it needs to go, or is being used efficiently when it gets there.

Fortunately, this definition has evolved to take more into account than just speed. Bioavailability is now recognized as how efficiently your body can absorb and use a particular nutrient.

When your body doesn’t absorb or use a vitamin or nutrient, it’s treated as excess—and most excess vitamins and nutrients are flushed out of your system in your urine. So when you take supplements that aren’t bioavailable, you’re literally flushing them down the toilet.

How to Choose the Best Supplements

When it comes to bioavailability, all vitamins, minerals, and supplements are not created equal.

Supplements that are formulated to have high bioavailability will be more effective, as they’ll help your body absorb more of a nutrient without having to take a higher dose.

So when you’re shopping for supplements, consider these factors that can affect bioavailability:

• ABSORPTION: Does the supplement use the most absorbable form of the vitamin, mineral, or nutrient? Some nutrient forms are better absorbed than others. (And remember: Just because a supplement has a high dose of a nutrient doesn’t mean your body can absorb and use it all!)
• DELIVERY METHOD: The delivery method can impact a nutrient’s bioavailability. For example, in some cases, a capsule is better than a tablet.
  
• PURITY: Purity is another way of saying how much of the nutrient is actually in your supplement. Some supplements use fillers that can cause digestive issues or be problematic for those with food sensitivities or allergies.

Bioavailable Immunity Supplements

Immune defense is a serious subject (especially during cold and flu season!). So how do you make sure that you’re getting the very best supplements to protect yourself and your family?

Start with a good-quality, U.S.-manufactured product that’s made with bioavailable ingredients. This will give your body the head-start of being able to absorb and retain these nutrients better than other supplements.

Vyral Defense is 100 percent U.S. sourced and made, from the ingredients all the way down to the packaging. And we use patented, clinically proven ingredients that optimize bioavailability and efficacy. Because we know that your family deserves the best.

Still need convincing? Take the Vyral Defense Challenge today—backed by a money-back guarantee!

Whether you’re stocking up on immunity supplements for the whole fam or you just like to have options when it comes to flavors, we’ve got you covered! Introducing Vyral Defense Build Your Own Immunity Bundles—a BYOB that your immune system will love.

What is It?

Mix and match any of our immunity products, in any combination, to get exactly what you need to care for yourself and your family’s immune health through cold and flu season, and beyond. The Build Your Own Immunity Bundle is a kit of three of our products of your choice. The benefit? Bundling three products will save you some serious cash!

How Does it Work?

So, how does the Build Your Own Immunity Bundle work? It’s pretty simple. Shop our site to find the Build Your Own Immunity Kit. Then choose any three of our products, add to cart, and check out. Boosting your immunity is as easy as one, two, three!

Why Do You Need It?

Variety is the spice of life, and variety in your immunity booster products is just what you need to sample all the tasty flavors we offer—from Sicilian Blood Orange to Elderberry (and even Cotton Candy for the kiddos!). Whether you’re a first-timer who wants to try them all or a die-hard Vyral Defense fan looking to stock up and save, the Build Your Own Immunity Bundle is the way to go.

No matter which flavors you choose, you’ll be completely covered by the triple protection of our three patented and clinically proven ingredients:

BetaVia™ Complete for clinically tested immune support, 3.3 fewer sick days, and protection against upper respiratory tract infection symptoms.

Sensoril® Ashwagandha for clinically tested immune and stress support, plus improved sleep, energy, and focus.

PureWay-C® for powerful antioxidant protection that strengthens the immune system and is more bioavailable than generic vitamin C supplements.

So go ahead—bundle your immunity products, save a few bucks, go forth, and make this your best year yet with Vyral Defense!

So you’ve heard of the Vyral Defense Challenge. Maybe you’ve seen us on social media. But you may be wondering, what sets Vyral Defense apart from the competition? It all comes down to our ingredients, specially formulated to help support your immune system and keep you healthy year-round.

So let’s take a deep dive into our three patented and clinically tested ingredients to see how they set us apart from other brands.

1. PureWay-C®

Vitamin C is at the top of the ingredients list in most immunity products. It’s a key antioxidant that helps strengthen your immune system to protect against viruses. But only Vyral Defense takes vitamin C protection to the next level with PureWay-C®.

It’s a highly bioavailable form of vitamin C, which means that your body is able to absorb the vitamin better—and retain more of it—than traditional vitamin C. That’s right—PureWay-C® has been clinically proven in published, peer-reviewed research to outperform other leading vitamin C ingredients in the areas of absorption and retention. This leads to greater immune system support and powerful antioxidant benefits that beat the competition.

Plus, the benefits of this vital vitamin are plenty: In addition to boosting your immune system, PureWay-C® helps reduce inflammation, prevent iron deficiencies by increasing iron absorption, and protect memory and cognitive thinking throughout the aging process.

2. BetaVia™ Complete

But Vyral Defense is more than just a vitamin C supplement. Our next clinically tested ingredient is the perfect example of that. BetaVia™ Complete is a nutrient-dense, algae-sourced beta glucan that gives triple-action support to your immune system by priming your innate immune cells, fueling the growth of good bacteria, and supporting the health of your intestinal cells.

Results from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study found that BetaVia™ has a big impact on upper respiratory tract infections (URTI), too. Participants taking BetaVia™ reported 3.3 fewer sick days and 70 percent fewer URTI symptoms, such as runny nose, stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat, scratchy throat, cough, hoarseness, head congestion, chest congestion, fatigue, headache, body ache, and fever. Severity of URTI symptoms was reduced by 80 percent, and participants experienced 10 fewer URTI symptom days.

3. Sensoril® Ashwagandha 

Have you heard about the benefits of ashwagandha, the immune-boosting, plant-based powerhouse? It comes from the roots and leaves of the Withania somnifera plant, and is a powerful adaptogen that helps your body adjust to physical, chemical, or biological stress.

What’s unique about Sensoril® Ashwagandha compared to other brands is that it’s a patented, proprietary blend that’s been shown in clinical studies to support a healthy immune response. This super-herb also improves sleep, energy, and focus, helps the body cope with everyday stress by reducing cortisol, and strengthens cardiovascular and joint health. It’s a win-win-win for your overall health!

When it comes to taking care of yourself and your family—we know you only want the best. And that’s why we use the best ingredients in our immunity products, for the best possible benefits.

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

Hey, goal-getters! Whether it’s the fresh start of the calendar ticking over to a new year, or the push of an important life event, your goals symbolize the desire to be the best you possible, and we want to help you reach them.

Our immunity products are thoughtfully formulated with patented and clinically proven ingredients that help keep you at peak performance year round, so you don’t lose days or weeks to illness or have to put your goals on the back burner.

So let’s take a look at the benefits of Vyral Defense immune support products, so you can see how they work to support a healthy lifestyle—and the pursuit of your goals.

Safe & Natural Immune Support

BetaVia™ Complete is a beta glucan that comes from nutrient-rich algae. But what exactly is a beta glucan? It’s a type of fiber found in the cells of yeast, algae, bacteria and fungi, and are considered to be immunomodulators (AKA: substances that boost immune function by improving your immune system’s response to a threat).

BetaVia™ Complete provides triple-action immune protection by priming innate immune cells, fueling the growth of beneficial “good” bacteria and supporting the health of intestinal cells.

In fact, in a randomized, double-blind, 90-day study of healthy, active adults, participants taking BetaVia™ Complete reported 3.3 fewer sick days, 70 percent fewer upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) symptoms, 80 percent lower overall severity of URTI symptoms and 10 fewer URTI symptom days.

Let’s break that down into simpler terms: Fewer sick days each month means more healthy days for you to get after those goals!

Clinically Tested Stress Support

Most of us experience stress in one form or another, whether it’s triggered by our jobs, school, finances or other aspects of everyday life. Physical activity also causes stress on our bodies, even though it may register differently than the other types of stress we’re used to.

In addition to supporting healthy immune function, Sensoril® Ashwagandha—a natural product that’s made from the roots and leaves of the Withania somnifera plant—has been clinically proven to decrease overall stress and anxiety, increase your body’s tolerance to stress, improve focus, boost energy, support heart and vascular health—and help you sleep better.

For those working on goals related to fitness and physical activity, the stress-busting benefits Sensoril® Ashwagandha are a fantastic addition to your arsenal of overall health and wellness support.

Improved Athletic Performance

Not only is vitamin C a powerful antioxidant that can help keep your immune system functioning optimally, studies have found that it may also reduce the adverse effects of exercise-induced bodily stress, including muscle damage, immune dysfunction and fatigue. In addition to reversing oxidative stress brought on by activity, vitamin C assists your body with collagen production, which keeps your bones, skin, ligaments and tendons healthy.

The form of vitamin C we use in Vyral Defense is called PureWay-C®. Clinically proven PureWay-C® is different from generic forms of vitamin C due to its higher bioavailability and uptake rate, which means it gets into your system faster, and once it’s there, your body uses it more efficiently and flushes less of it out of your system as waste.

With three convenient formulas to choose from, Vyral Defense is an invaluable tool to have at the ready when working toward your goals. So pick a flavor or build a bundle to keep the whole family healthy! With Vyral Defense, the sky’s the limit when it comes to your goals.

If you’re new around these parts, you may not know that Vyral Defense can help supercharge your immune system and provide year-round support with patented, clinically-proven ingredients that help keep the whole family healthy and feeling their best.

And if that’s the case, no worries—we’ve got you covered. Keep reading to meet the Vyral Defense family of products, learn more about why our ingredients are different and most importantly, what benefits they all bring to the table.

Our 3 Best-Selling Immunity Products 

1. Elderberry Blast Effervescent Tablets

Where it all began, our original formulation features a refreshing fizz and tart elderberry flavor. Just drop a tablet in water, let it dissolve and drink up the immunity benefits!

2. Sicilian Blood Orange On-the-Go Sticks

Our go-anywhere sticks packs are perfect for stashing in your bag, car or desk for any time you need a boost. The convenient formulation paired with our tasty blood orange flavor makes this a fan fave.

3. Cotton Candy Fast-Melt Power Pixies

Specially formulated for ages 6 to 16, our Power Pixies deliver a fun flavor that’s also fun to take! Simply dissolve on the tongue for easy immune defense for your minis.

Supercharged with Super Benefits 

Vyral Defense is much more than just a vitamin C supplement. Our secret powers are thanks in part to three mighty ingredients, with even mightier benefits.

BetaVia™ Complete is a nutrient-dense, algae-sourced beta glucan that provides safe and natural immune support. It’s clinically proven to have some pretty impressive benefits, too.

In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 90-day study of healthy active adults, participants taking BetaVia™ Complete reported:

• 3.3 fewer sick days
• 70% fewer upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) symptoms
• 80% significantly lower overall severity of URTI symptoms
• 10 fewer URTI symptom days

Sensoril® Ashwagandha is a powerful adaptogen that helps your body adjust to physical, chemical or biological stress and has been shown to enhance focus, reduce stress and support a healthy immune response.

This proprietary blend is derived from both the roots and leaves of the Withania somnifera plant to provide optional efficacy and bioactive diversity. Sensoril® Ashwagandha has been studied in 12 human clinical trials and was found to:

• Help the body cope with everyday stress by reducing cortisol
• Improve sleep, energy and focus
• Support a healthy immune response
• Enhance cognitive health, mood and vitality
• Strengthen cardiovascular health and joint health
• Support a healthy lipid profile and endothelial function in the heart and blood vessels

Last—but far from least—PureWay-C® is a highly bioavailable form of vitamin C that your body absorbs and retains better than generic vitamin C, for greater immune system support and powerful antioxidant benefits.

With its innovative formulation, clinically-proven PureWay-C® is backed by published, peer-reviewed research and outperforms other leading vitamin C ingredients in the key areas of absorption speed and retention:

• Effectively strengthens the immune system against viruses
• Powerful antioxidant known to reduce inflammation
• Helps prevent iron deficiencies by boosting iron absorption
• Essential for growth, development and repair of all body tissues
• Protects memory and cognitive thinking throughout the aging process

And if those benefits aren’t convincing enough on their own, we invite you to take the Vyral Defense Challenge. Give Vyral Defense a try, whether it’s your first time using immunity booster products, or in place of your go-to immunity brand. If our products don’t exceed your expectations, or beat out your usual immunity supplement’s performance, we’ll give you a full refund. Take the Vyral Defense Challenge today—money back guaranteed!

There’s lots to love about the holiday season: Family, friends, good food and great memories. But among the shopping sprees and ho-ho-hos, it’s easy to get overwhelmed, let healthy habits slide—and even get sick if we’re not careful.

This year, we’re helping keep you happy and healthy with 10 tips for a healthier holiday season. 

1. Stay Hydrated

It’s important to stay hydrated even during the cooler months of winter. Proper hydration can help us sleep better, fight infections and improve our mood. Always have your bottle on hand, and be sure to sip often when holiday shopping and party prepping.

2. Make Time for Movement

Between all the holiday festivities, your regular routine may fall by the wayside. But instead of beating yourself up for missing a workout, try incorporating healthy activities into your day instead, like walking during your lunch break, stretching before bed or taking a trip to the park with the kids if the weather is nice.

3. Support Your Immune System

Since it’s not only the holiday season, but flu season too, your immune system may be working overtime to keep you healthy this time of year. Give it some added support with an immune booster supplement, like our Sicilian Blood Orange On-the-Go Sticks—perfect for on the go.

4. Stress Less

Stress: The true grinch of the holiday season. Between family, finances and a finite number of hours in the day, you may find yourself feeling overwhelmed. And stress can take a toll on your immune system, making you more susceptible to seasonal illnesses. Beat the grinch with plenty of sleep, some mindful breathing exercises—or any of your tried-and-true methods for stress management.

5. Don’t Sugarcoat It

Now for the elephant in the room: The holiday season can be absolutely dripping with sugar-coated confections. While delicious, too much of it can derail one of the important factors to staying healthy during the holidays—a healthy diet. You don’t need to forego all treats this time of year, but by limiting indulgences to special days, you make room for better balanced eating in your day-to-day. Our best tips: Practice portion control, eat mindfully and don’t forget to eat your veggies!

6. Wash Your Hands Often

Especially if your holiday season has you out and about more often than usual, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly and often to help prevent illness and the spread of germs.

7. Make Healthier Traditions

Focus gatherings around family and fun, rather than food. Go for a walk together after Thanksgiving dinner, plan an annual Black Friday hike, organize a backyard football game or gather the crew for a group bike ride.

8. Step Up Your Self Care

While an hour-long massage or day at the spa may not be in the cards this holiday season, you can work small-but-meaningful moments of bliss into your day to help manage the stress of the holidays. Having a coffee date with your bestie, taking a hot bath with your favorite essential oils or doing 10 minutes of yoga poses before bed can dial down your stress level and help you feel more rejuvenated.

9. Do the “D”

Vitamin D, that is! Since winter is known for having shorter, colder days, we’re less likely to get the vitamin D our bodies need this time of year. One of the best ways to get vitamin D is by incorporating foods like tuna, salmon, yogurt and milk into your meal plan.

10.  Don’t Forget to Enjoy It

With all of the hustle and bustle around you, don’t forget to take time to be in the moment. Trust that these tips will help you feel your best and allow you to focus on the most wonderful part of the holidays—relaxing and enjoying the festivities with your family and friends.

Here at Vyral Defense, we know that sick days can really get you down, especially when a sick day means the whole family is out of commission, too.

When it comes to protecting yourself during cold and flu season and throughout the year, for all your trips to the office, school, gym, restaurants, public transit, travel and all the other places you need to be—we know you only want the best for you and your family.

That’s why we created the Vyral Defense Challenge: We challenge you to try Vyral Defense—whether it’s your first time using immunity booster products, or in place of your go-to immunity brand. If Vyral Defense doesn’t exceed your expectations, or beat out your usual immunity supplement’s performance, we’ll give you a full refund. Take the Vyral Defense Challenge today—money back guaranteed!

Vyral Defense vs. the Competition

A side-by-side comparison to Airborne and Emergen-C reveals that Vyral Defense far outperforms the competition:

While all three products contain vitamin C, zinc, selenium and manganese, only Vyral Defense has BetaVia™ Complete, a clinically proven ingredient that helps reduce upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) symptoms and severity.

In fact, in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 90-day study of healthy active adults, participants taking BetaVia™ Complete reported:

• 3.3 fewer sick days
• 70% fewer URTI symptoms
• 80% significantly lower overall severity of URTI symptoms
• 10 fewer URTI symptom days

Plus, the increased bioavailability of Vyral Defense ensures that your body takes in and uses the beneficial ingredients better, which means that they’re not lost in what’s called “wasteful overdose.”

Vyral Defense helps reduce stress too, thanks to a clinically tested, proprietary blend of ashwagandha, an adaptogenic herb that helps your body cope with different types of stress by reducing cortisol, your body’s primary stress hormone. And that’s a big bonus for all of us out here juggling life, family and work—and keeping up with it all!

Best Immune Support, Guaranteed

Give Vyral Defense a try today. If it doesn’t help protect your immune health, or work better than your typical immunity supplements, we’ll refund your money, no questions asked.

With a solid guarantee like that, you have nothing to lose—and everything to gain—when it comes to your health. So whether you choose our Elderberry Blast Effervescent Tablets, Sicilian Blood Orange Stick Packs or Cotton Candy Power Pixies for the kids, we know you’re going to love it. And we’ll be here to cheer for your health and the health of your family, all year round!

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

Your immune system is your body’s first line of defense against illness. In the same way that a security system protects your home, your immune system uses an intricate system of organs, white blood cells, antibodies and chemicals to fight off harmful invaders in your body like viruses, bacteria, infections and parasites. The stronger your immune system, the less chance you have of getting sick.

But unlike a security system, your immune system isn’t fully charged up and ready to go at all times. Real-life factors like stress, sleep deprivation, unhealthy eating and being sedentary can all lead to a weakened immune system. The result? You’re more susceptible to getting sick.

Fortunately, adopting a few healthy lifestyle habits can boost your immune system and help keep you healthy year round.

1. Maintain a Healthy Diet

A healthy diet is key to a strong immune system. In addition to providing your immune system the energy it needs, whole plant foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and legumes are high in antioxidants that may give you an upper hand against pathogens. 

These powerhouse plant foods also provide plenty of fiber, which is important for gut health. A healthy gut microbiome can improve your immunity and help keep harmful pathogens from entering your body through your digestive tract.

2. Get Enough Sleep

Sleep and immune health are closely linked. Studies have found that those who slept fewer than six hours a night were more likely to catch a cold than those who slept more than six hours a night. 

But how much sleep is enough? Adults should aim to get seven or more hours a night, while teens need eight to 10 hours a night and children and infants can sleep up to 14 hours a night.

3. Keep Stress Levels Low

When your body is under constant stress, you’re more vulnerable to everything from the common cold to more serious diseases. That’s because long-term stress promotes inflammation and puts out a steady stream of the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline, which weaken the immune system.

Effective stress relief looks different for everyone, but some activities to try include meditation, exercise, journaling, yoga or a mindful breathing practice.

4. Aim for Moderate Activity

While prolonged intense exercise can suppress your immune system, moderate activity, such as a brisk walk, steady bicycling, swimming, jogging or light hiking, can give it a boost. Most people should aim for 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week, which breaks down to 30 minutes, five days a week.

5. Be Smart with Supplements

Some studies indicate that incorporating a few key supplements may help strengthen your body’s general immune response:

• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D
• Zinc
• Elderberry
• Echinacea 
• Garlic

For those who lead busy lifestyles—or just want a quick and easy way to boost immune health—Vyral Defense immunity products contain vitamin C, vitamin D3, zinc and magnesium, along with patented and clinically proven ingredients to support digestive and upper respiratory tract health, increase resistance to fatigue, stress and tension, and increase your body’s natural defenses.