If you get a mosquito bite this summer, and you see a red, bumpy itch – that’s a good sign! It means that your immune system is working like it should.

But there’s some habits that you may be doing that could be negatively impacting your immune system and you don’t even realize it.

A lack of sleep won’t just make you tired at work, you’ll miss out on your body releasing cytokines, a protein that helps with immune function, but only gets produced when you’re sleeping.

If you suffer from anxiety, the stress hormone corticosteroid will lower your lymphocytes, reducing your immune system efficiency.

Fruits and veggies are good for you, and pack a lot of nutrients like zinc, beta-carotene, and vitamins A, C, and E, which all help create white blood cells.

And if you’ve been off your feet for a while, it’s time to get moving. Aerobic exercise helps blood go through your body more efficiently, getting germ-fighting substances where they need to go!

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