This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Toronto chapter.

Do those jars of pills that claim to boost your immunity actually work? Is it just supplements that can keep you from catching a nasty cold?

Since it’s officially cold season, let’s take a look at what actually works for boosting your immunity so that you can stay healthy. You might be surprised to know that what you might have just lying around at home can help you stave off your cold!

1. Eat Vitamin C Rich Foods

Vitamin C is actually water soluble. Having more than you need to is not helpful. Your body will never actually store it – it gets rid of the excess.

But having Vitamin C in your daily diet is helpful in preventing illness. It’s said to help in the production of white blood cells, which help fight off infections. Taking it only when you’re sick is not the right way to do things, but rather, you should make sure you get an adequate amount of Vitamin C in your everyday diet to keep your immune system consistently strong.

2. Get Rid of Stress

Stress is harmful for your immune system. When you’re more stressed out, you will get sick more. What happens when you’re stressed is that your body will produce a lot of what are called cytokines, which encourage inflammation in the body. They’re associated with plenty of autoimmune conditions. Additionally, getting stressed will shape your immune system in different ways in the long term, which will essentially make you vulnerable to more illnesses than just the common cold.

Another study also showed that a positive outlook on life actually helps with the immune system. A group of students who felt better about school had better immune systems than when they were worried. A good immune system and a good attitude come hand in hand!

3. Get more Sleep

Even just a bit of sleep deprivation is shown to produce an immune system response that increases tissue damage.

Research also shows that not getting enough sleep does in fact weaken your immune system. Sleep is very essential for the creation of certain elements that are important in our immune systems for fighting off illnesses. Many of them are only produced during sleep, which means if you miss out on that production cycle, you’ll be much more likely to get sick. When you get sick, you’ll also be more likely to have a cold for a longer time as your body doesn’t have the right resources to fight off the illness.

4. Get Some Vitamin D

Another important vitamin is Vitamin D. This particular vitamin is known as the ‘sunshine vitamin’ which you can naturally get a ton of just by walking outside! About 20 minutes outside in the sun is the daily amount of Vitamin D you should be getting, but most people need more than this to stay healthy; that’s why in this case, it’s generally easier to take liquid supplements for it.

5. Take Time to Exercise

Studies have shown that people who exercise catch fewer colds than those who don’t. Just like exercise strengthens your lungs to provide more oxygen in your body, it also strengthens the white blood cells that fight off infections. Therefore, if you exercise, your body will be more prepared to handle infections and deal with them efficiently.

Be Healthy!

All of this just adds up to one simple truth: you don’t need a ton of supplements, or to take a ton of Vitamin C every time you get a cold. That is all nonsense. Be skeptical of products that claim to “boost your immunity” too, because chances are it’s just a ruse. What affects your immune system the most is your lifestyle. Keep up a nutritious diet, exercise, and sleep, and your immune system will be better off for it!